UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
COLLEGE OF NURSING
COURSE SYLLABUS
Spring 2013
COURSE NUMBER
NUR 3169
COURSE TITLE
Inquiry and Evidence in Professional Nursing Practice
CREDITS
3
PLACEMENT
BSN Program: 2nd Semester Upper Division
PREREQUISITES
Admission to Upper Division BSN Program
COREQUISITES
None
FACULTY
Jennifer Harrison Elder, PhD, RN, FAAN
Professor and Associate Dean for Research
elderjh@ufl.edu
HPNP 2301A (352) 273-6318
Office hours: Tuesday 12:00 to 1:00 and 4:00 to 5:00 pm
Anastasia Albanese O’Neill, RN
PhD Student and Graduate Teaching Assistant
DEPARTMENT CHAIR
Martha J. Snider, EdD, RN
snidemj@ufl.edu HPNP 4221 (352) 273-6359
Office hours: By appointment only
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The purpose of this course is to examine the processes required to translate and integrate
evidence into nursing practice. Emphasis is on evaluation and application of scientific evidence
affecting nurse-sensitive quality indicators. Focus is on an understanding of the ways in which
cumulative interprofessional data sets are used.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Explain the significance of using theories and conceptual frameworks in research.
2. Identify processes of inquiry relevant to provision of evidence based healthcare by
members of the interprofessional team.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the basic elements of the research process and models
for applying evidence to clinical practice.
4. Identify credible sources of evidence pertinent to clinical practice.
COURSE OBJECTIVES (continued):
5. Identify nurse-sensitive quality indicators and performance measures.
6. Analyze discrepancies between evidence based standards of care and common practices
that impact client outcomes.
7. Discuss legal and ethical issues pertinent to the acquisition of scientific evidence.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Section
Day
1C59
Tuesday
Time
12:50 -3:50pm
Room
G101
E-Learning (Sakai) is the course management system that you will use for this course.
E-Learning is accessed by using your Gatorlink account name and password at
http://lss.at.ufl.edu. There are several tutorials and student help links on the E-Learning login
site. If you have technical questions call the UF Computer Help Desk at 352-392-HELP or send
email to helpdesk@ufl.edu.
It is important that you regularly check your Gatorlink account email for College and University
wide information and the course E-Learning site for announcements and notifications.
Course websites are generally made available on the Friday before the first day of classes.
ATTENDANCE
Students are expected to be present for all scheduled classes, other learning experiences, and
examinations. Students who have extraordinary circumstances preventing attendance should
explain these circumstances to the course instructor prior to the scheduled class or as soon as
possible thereafter. Instructors will then make an effort to accommodate reasonable requests. A
grade penalty may be assigned for late assignments, including tests. There will be no make-ups
for missed quizzes. Make-up exams for the tests will be given only under extenuating
circumstances that could not have been predicted ahead of time and the format will be essay
questions.
ACCOMMODATIONS DUE TO DISABILITY
Each semester, students are responsible for requesting a memorandum from the Disability
Resource Center to notify faculty of their requested individual accommodations. This should be
done at the start of the semester.
COUNSELING AND STUDENT HEALTH
Students may occasionally have personal issues that arise on the course of pursuing higher
education or that may interfere with their academic performance. If you find yourself facing
problems affecting your coursework, you are encouraged to talk with an instructor and to seek
confidential assistance at the University of Florida Counseling Center, 352-392-1575, or Student
Mental Health Services, 352-392-1171. Visit their web sites for more information:
document1
http://www.counsel.ufl.edu/ or http://www.health.ufl.edu/shcc/smhs/index.htm#urgent
STUDENT HANDBOOK
Students are to refer to the College of Nursing Student Handbook for information about College
of Nursing policies, honor code, and professional behavior.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
The University of Florida Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution Policy may be found at
http://www.dso.ufl.edu/sccr/honorcode.php
TOPICAL OUTLINE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Relationships between and among theory, practice, and research
Carper’s ways of knowing
Principles and models of evidence-based practice
Evaluating sources of evidence
Nurse sensitive quality indicators and performance measures
Forces driving research agendas in the professions
Ethical conduct of scholarly work
Qualitative research methods
Quantitative research methods
a. Problems, questions, and hypothesis
b. Design
c. Reliability and validity
d. Sampling
e. Data analysis and meta-analysis
Dissemination of scholarship
Translation of evidence into practice
TEACHING METHODS
Class discussion of article summaries and readings.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Written assignments, quizzes, tests, readings, research article summaries
EVALUATION METHODS/COURSE GRADE CALCULATION
Article summary 1
Article summary 2
Test 1
Test 2
Quizzes (pop)
10%
10%
30%
35%
15%
Feedback on Assignments/Papers will be returned within 2 weeks.
document1
GRADING SCALE/QUALITY POINTS
A
AB+
B
BC+
95-100 (4.0)
93-94 (3.67)
91- 92 (3.33)
84-90 (3.0)
82-83 (2.67)
80-81 (2.33)
C
CD+
D
DE
74-79* (2.0)
72-73 (1.67)
70-71 (1.33)
64-69 (1.0)
62-63 (0.67)
61 or below (0.0)
* 74 is the minimal passing grade
For more information on grades and grading policies, please refer to University’s grading
policies:
https://catalog.ufl.edu/ugrad/current/regulations/info/grades.aspx
REQUIRED TEXT
Houser, J. (2012). Nursing research: Reading, using, and creating evidence. (2nd ed.).
Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett .
document1
WEEKLY CLASS SCHEDULE
DATE
TOPIC/EVALUATION
ASSIGNMENTS/READINGS
(All readings from the Houser
text unless otherwise noted)
1/7
Course overview
Introduction to nursing research
History of nursing research
Ch. 1
1/15
Searching the literature - library orientation
Beth Auten, Librarian
TBA
1/22
Ways of knowing
Theory-practice-research relationship
Principles & models of evidence based practice
Guest researcher: Dr. Leslie Parker
Ch. 2 and 6
1/29
Quantitative research – problems, questions and
hypothesis
Guest researcher: TBA
Ch. 4
2/5
Literature review and conceptual frameworks and
theories
Guest researcher: Dr. Jeanne Stacciarini
Ch. 5
2/12
Research design and sampling
Guest researcher: Dr. Brian Ahn
Ch. 7, 8 and 12
2/19
2/26
Test 1
Measurement, data collection
and data analysis
Guest researcher:
3/4
Spring Break
3/11
Quantitative research- reliability, validity, data
analysis and meta analysis
Guest researcher: Dr. Linda Cowan
Ch. 11
3/18
Qualitative and mixed research
Guest researcher: Christa Cook, PhD student
Ch. 16
3/25
Critique of nursing research
Guest researcher: Toni Glover, PhD student
Ch. 14, 15 and 17
document1
Ch. 9, 10 and 13
WEEKLY CLASS SCHEDULE
DATE
TOPIC/EVALUATION
ASSIGNMENTS/READINGS
(All readings from the Houser
text unless otherwise noted)
4/1
Ethics and evaluating sources of evidence
Guest researcher: Jinger Sellinger, PhD student
Ch. 3
4/8
Dissemination and translation of evidence into
practice
Forces driving the research agenda and nursing
quality indicators
Ch. 18 and 19
National Institute of Health
(NIH)
National Institute of
Nursing Research(NINR)
See web links in Sakai
course site
Guest researcher: Dr. Charlene Krueger
4/15
Test 2 @ 5:00 p.m. in testing center
Approved:
document1
Academic Affairs Committee:
General Faculty:
UF Curriculum Committee:
09/09
09/09
10/09