RESEARCH FOR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE - 2025/6

Module Overview

In this module, the students will acquire vital research and evidence-based practice skills. They will learn how to effectively complete a literature search, and how to review and critically appraise research articles. They will develop critical appraisal skills for both qualitative and quantitative research, understanding key research and evaluation stages as part of this process and considering the role of ethics and research governance. The students will gain autonomy in conducting literature reviews and project proposals, to support their development as evidence-informed practitioners.

Module provider

School of Health Sciences

Module Leader

POLLY Zoe (Health Sci.)

Number of Credits: 30

ECTS Credits: 15

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Year long

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

Students must be enrolled on the BSc (Hons) Healthcare Practice Programme and have completed prior or simultaneously be taking the following modules:

• Developing Yourself Professionally and Personally
• Application of Decision Making
• Transforming Services for Quality OR Leading People and Services OR Fundamentals in Patient Safety and Quality Improvement
• 45 Level 6 credits of choice modules related to the programme

Module content

Indicative module content includes:

 

• Introduction to critical appraisal and appraisal tools.


• How to develop a search strategy and undertake a literature review.


• Research design, methods, and analysis, including basic statistical terminology.


• The role of evidence in clinical guidelines.


• Research ethics, the role of ethics committees and research governance.


• Introduction to audit and service evaluation


• The benefits and importance of patient and public involvement.


• How to write a research proposal.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

NA

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their how they have met the learning outcomes by completing a dissertation.

 


Summative assessment 

Students will complete a dissertation comprising of:

 

• A comprehensive literature review and a research proposal related to an area of interest within their scope of practice. Students will not be expected to undertake the research proposed. Word count: 8,000 (Learning outcomes 1,2,3,4,5,6,7)

 

Formative Assessment

Supervision of the project will be through a named Supervisor, to whom they can submit work for formative assessment and feedback. Supervision will be organised using a combination of small supervision group work and one to one tutorials and will include opportunities for formative feedback. Students will be given further guidance on the expectations of the dissertation during the module. Formative feedback is provided in this module through regular supervision, class discussions, peer support, group feedback, quiz, and Q&A sessions.

 

Feedback

Students will receive feedback through a variety of methods, these include:   

• Written – formative feedback on draft work


• Opportunities for academic verbal feedback


• Peer support and group learning through workshops


• Class discussions & peer support and feedback


• Quiz


• Workshop discussion and Q&A sessions

Module aims

• This module will enable students to:
  
• Literature searching
• Gain a comprehensive understanding of how to develop a search strategy and search electronic databases to identify academic research. Critical Appraisal
• Develop an understanding of research design and methods.
• Become proficient in critically appraising academic research to identify strengths and limitations.
• Evaluate the robustness and usability of literature using appropriate and relevant principles. Application of research
• Foster a deep appreciation for how evidence underpins practice.
• Synthesise published evidence around a specific topic to create a literature review. Design research or improvement project
• Utilise knowledge and understanding of research principles to design a project.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

 The learning and teaching strategy is designed to: offer a blend of learning methods to support the learning needs of students who may have had a break from academic study, and are completing part-time programmes.

The learning and teaching methods include:

• Lectures


• Workshops with group discussion


• Supervision support for all students


• Guided online learning activities


• Self-Directed Study

 

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: NUR3225

Other information

The school of Health Sciences is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills, and capabilities in the following areas:   Employability: Students are registered healthcare professionals and will be developing skills and knowledge that can be applied to their professional role and may enhance their future career aspirations and employability. Digital Capabilities: Students will develop their digital capabilities through learning how to undertake a systematic unbiased search of literature using electronic academic literature databases. Students will, through the development of their dissertation, expand their use of digital skills of creating a written large report with academic references. Global and Cultural Capabilities: The module content incorporates perspectives and practices from a range of cultures, including global ethical principles, thus enabling students to diversify their knowledge and reflect on diverse experiences in a healthcare setting. Sustainability: Students will learn strategies and tools to critically appraise evidence, a transferable skill for life-long and life-wide learning within healthcare practice. Creating professionals equipped for evidence-informed sustainable practice in a changing healthcare environment. Resourcefulness and Resilience: Students are guided to develop their reflective and critical thinking skills to evaluate, adapt, and respond flexibly to ever changing needs of healthcare practice.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.