Masters of Science in Nursing Completion Program

NRS 552 - Evidence Based Practice

Instructor: WILLIAM PAUL EMMERLING, EdD, FNP-C, RHIA, LFACHE

SYLLABUS

COURSE OVERVIEW: This course, Evidence Based Practice, is designed specifically to address the graduate-nursing student in the MSN Completion Program for Advanced Practice Nurses. Evidence based research is so important in advanced practice that it is being addressed separately in this curriculum and beyond mentioning it in the research course. As collaborators with physicians and not competitors it is absolutely vital that the APN have the ability to integrate individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research. Fundamentally, the practice of EBM (evidence based medicine) or EBP (evidence based practice) begins with the clinical skills of the clinician. The clinician must incorporate conscientious, explicit and judicious use of the best current evidence in making decisions about the care of individual clients/patients. You will study the practice of EBM as defined by David Sackett, MD and apply the concepts to the role of the APN. Since its inception at McMaster University over 20 years ago the concepts remain popular.

This course is a testimony of support of Sackett’s perspective that good clinicians must use both clinical experience and the available data to provide optimum care for any given patient. This course supports using evidence for clinical decisions while adding credibility and confidence to patient interactions.

TIMEFRAME: This is a three-hour course. Ten weeks are allotted for you to complete all of the requirements for this course. Unless there is valid justification you are expected to meet the time frame for completion of all requirements. Once again planning and pacing your time is crucial for success. Upon completion of all requirements you will be awarded three hours of credit.

TEXTBOOKS: The following textbooks are required for this course.

Book 1: American Psychological Association. (5th Ed). Publication manual of the american psychological association. Washington, DC.

Book 2: Evidence-based Medicine: How to Practice and Teach ebm. Sackett, D.L., Strauss, S.E., Richardson, W.S., Haynes, K.B. St. Louis: Churchill Livingstone. 2001

Useful URLs ON THE INTERNET:

www.clinicalevidence.com you can gain free online access by clicking on ‘Register'

Evidence-Based Nursing (www.evidencebasednursing.com)

You are encouraged to broaden your appreciation for Evidence Based Practice by doing your own search for additional resources on this subject.

	» Click Here to Enter
» Additional Student Resources at StudyTactics

EXAMINATIONS: There will be one exam for this course. The exam will be an essay exam. It will be taken at the end of the course of study. The exam will count for 35% of the total grade.

COMMUNICATION: During this course you are expected to maintain weekly contact with me. The contacts will afford an ongoing dialogue between you and me regarding issues, concerns relative to the course and the assignments as well as feedback. Weekly contacts will count for 10% of the total grade for the course. Email will be the primary means of communication. However, this does not eliminate regular mail or phone contact if necessary.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Bill Emmerling, EdD, FNP-c, RHIA, is your instructor. Dr. Emmerling has over 30 years of professional nursing experience. He has worked in a variety of clinical, administrative and regulatory settings. He is a retired Nurse Officer (06) with the USPHS Commissioned Corps. He is presently affiliated with the Paiute Health and Human Services Clinics in Las Vegas and the Moapa Reservation as an APN (FNP-c) primary care provider and health information administration consultant.

GETTING STARTED: As soon as you have your textbooks for this course you may begin your course of study. Please notify me by email.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

1). Define what is “evidence.”
2). Explain the myths about evidence based medicine/practice.
3). Describe the relevance of evidence based practice to the APN.
4). Search the Internet for sources of evidence to support clinical practice.
5). Integrate the best external clinical evidence into the practice setting.
6). Distinguish between a narrative review and a systematic review.
7). Move from authoritarian teaching to authoritative teaching.
8). Utilize techniques of critical reading and thinking.
9). Add creditability and confidence to patient interactions.

QUESTIONS: If you have any questions about the course, you may contact the instructor at drbill45@netzero.net.

ˆ Back To Top ˆ