MASYK4000 Introduction to Clinical Research and Professional Development Course description

In the course, the students will acquire knowledge and competence related to clinical research and professional development, including in critical assessment of nursing practice. Key areas of nursing research will be elucidated and the consequences of different concepts and forms of knowledge analysed on the basis of clinical practice. The relationship between theory and empirical data will be explored and discussed by examining different positions in science and research.

Students will acquire knowledge of the main approaches to evidence-based practice, and the relationship between clinical experience, user participation and research will be discussed. The course emphasises the development of basic skills in literature searches, critical assessment of sources and academic writing and argumentation.

The course also addresses educational and organisational challenges relating to the implementation of new practices on the basis of research and professional development in the clinic. This includes highlighting key functions such as supervising and teaching colleagues and students, as well as initiating and leading professional change processes.

Admission to the programme.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence:

Knowledge

The student

• has advanced knowledge of nursing as a discipline and a science

• has advanced knowledge of different concepts of knowledge and the importance of contextual relationships for research and professional development

• has advanced knowledge of evidence-based practice and an understanding of the values and perspectives on which such practice is based

Skills

The student is capable of

• performing systematic literature searches, critically assessing available knowledge and using findings to analyse clinical issues

• analysing and taking a critical approach to various sources of knowledge and using the sources in academic argumentation

• using knowledge of educational approaches in supervision and dissemination

Competence

The student is capable of

• initiating, participating in and conducting change and development work

• creating engagement in order to initiate research and professional development

• analysing and critically reflecting on issues relating to the field of nursing

• disseminating issues, argumentation and conclusions relating to the field of nursing to colleagues and the general public

Lectures, group work, seminars with assignment presentations and self-study.

The following must have been approved in order for a student to be permitted to take the exam:

Assignment: Clinical research and professional development

• Written assignment in groups of 3¿4 students

• Scope: 2,500 words (+/- 10%)

• Oral presentation of the assignment to fellow students and lecturer(s)

• Oral feedback from fellow students

• Oral feedback from lecturer(s)

Documentation of literature selected by the student: 200 pages.

Individual written home exam over 3 days.

Scope: around 2,500 words (+/- 10%)

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.

Grade scale A¿F.

All exam papers are assessed by two examiners. At least 20% of them will be assessed by an external examiner. The internal examiner then continues grading the rest of the papers together with another internal examiner. The external examiner's assessment shall benefit all the students.

MASYK4000 and MASYD4000 overlap 100%.