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Understanding and Challenging Evidence-based Practice

Define evidence-based practice and learn about the challenges and preconceptions that come with it.

867 enrolled on this course

  • Duration

    2 weeks
  • Weekly study

    3 hours
This course is part of the program The Evidence Base for Nursing Practice, which is one of the building blocks that leads to a degree in MSc Nursing. Find out more.

Build a thorough understanding of evidence-based practice

Evidence is vital to advances in patient care and management and evidence-based practice is firmly established as the gold standard for care delivery in all aspects of healthcare. However, simply accepting the evidence is not acceptable.

On this course, you will explore the preconceptions of evidence-based practice, challenging and evaluating the theory behind it. You will also reflect on its influence on your role and the care you provide. Through the course you will develop the skills needed to access and examine the evidence that supports and affects healthcare practice.

What topics will you cover?

• The concept of evidence-based nursing practice

• The hierarchies of evidence

• Knowledge and skills for evidence-banded nursing practice

• Sources of therapeutic knowledge

• The influence of evidence and knowledge on nursing practice

• Critical-thinking theory in the context of evidence-based nursing practice

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Demonstrate an understanding of evidence-based nursing practice
  • Explore what evidence tells us about changing practice
  • Engage in critical discussion on the concepts of the evidence base for practice
  • Explore the influences of the empirical, ethical, personal and aesthetic impact of evidence

Who is the course for?

This course is for any healthcare professional involved in patient care at any level.

Please note that the individuals detailed in the ‘Who will you learn with?’ section below, are current staff members and may be subject to change.

Who will you learn with?

Senior Lecturer for 19 years. Interests include evidence based practice, healthcare leadership, contemporary issues, acute adult nursing.
Clinical background in acute medicine and cardiology nursing

Who developed the course?

Coventry University

Coventry secured 5 QS Stars for Teaching and Online Learning in the QS World University Ranking 2020 and has received No. 1 in the world for Massive Open Online Courses in MoocLab’s World University Ranking 2021.

  • Established

    1992
  • Location

    Coventry

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

Advance your career with a degree

Since 2017 you have been able to take a degree on FutureLearn. This free course is a bit like a starter course for a degree — it should give you a flavour of the degree subject but can also be your first step towards a degree qualification.

If you enjoy this course you can apply to join the program it’s part of to start working towards a degree on FutureLearn.

Don’t worry, you can still take the course without doing a full degree!

Do the free course
Join and complete the program
Get academic credit for an online degree from Coventry University
This course is part of the program The Evidence Base for Nursing Practice, which is one of the building blocks that leads to a degree in MSc Nursing.

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