Task Description
As a future RN, you are legally and ethically required to ensure that your practice is up-to-date and informed by the latest and strongest research evidence available. To do this, you need to systematically search for and appraise the best research literature and related evidence-based practice material available, interpret and evaluate this, and consider the implications of this for practice. You also need to be able to disseminate the information you have found to your peers and the public, to help build disciplinary knowledge and as part of your role as a health educator.
In this assessment task, you will demonstrate your ability to identify and critically explore a topical issue in practice, develop a related clinical question, and present the evidence to justify and answer this question. You will find current best research evidence to identify actual and potential improvements in practice and patient outcomes, and report this via a presentation that would be appropriate in a professional setting. Recommendations for future research to further enhance and promote evidence-informed practice will also be included.
Instructions
Begin your presentation by introducing your topic, and clearly stating the question you have formulated. Then provide a brief overview of the results of your search for evidence - for example, the size of the available evidence base, what sort of studies/designs have been carried out, and the level and strength of this evidence as a whole.
Choose ONE of the articles you have found to appraise and evaluate, using an appropriate appraisal tool (eg CASP). Summarise this in your presentation, and submit the completed tool as a separate file.
Finally, answer your clinical question based on the evidence found, including recommendations for practice and for future research if necessary.
A suggested format might be:
Slide 1 - intro (your name, student ID, and the topic)
Slide 2 - state your question (with PICO/PEO elements identified)
Slide 3 - describe the results of your search and the evidence base found - eg number/types of articles
Slide 4 - identify and critique the strength of evidence, using a recognised hierarchy of evidence
Slides 5, 6 and 7 - evaluate one article using an appropriate CASP tool - summarise the answers
Slide 8 - give the answer to your question
Slide 9 - make recommendations for practice based on this answer and the principles of EIP
Slide 10 - make recommendations for future research
It is important to emphasise that this is a suggested structure only and that you should not feel constrained by this format - there are many ways you can present this assessment and you are encouraged to be creative. However, addressing assessment criteria and delivering a clear message should be at the fore of your mind. Some tips on presenting can be found in the 'specific guidance' section below.
Other important information
Take note of the following before submitting your assessment task
Submitting a narrated presentation
It is best not to submit a large video file, or presentation file with audio narration into a MyLO submission folder.
Instead, you should share a link to your recording. UTAS provides software that you should use as it is fully supported and you can contact the IT Service Desk for help.
There are detailed instructions on the next two pages related to:
Using Echo360 Universal Capture Software to create a narrated presentation (*recommended)
Sharing a narrated PowerPoint file
Specific guidance and FAQs
Tips for presenting
DO
Avoid too many words on your slides - just include the essential message (dot points are great!) and use your narration to fill in the details.
Focus on one idea/topic per slide.
Make the slide easy to read - don't use too many colours or fonts, and if you use an image, don't let it overpower or interfere with text. Make sure the font is big enough to read. And proof read - spelling errors and typos detract from the professionalism of a presentation.
Try to find a quiet place to record your narration, so background noise doesn't drown you out.
DON'T
Don't just read the text on the slides - your audience can do this themselves. Give extra information to add value.
Don't speak too quickly, and leave a brief gap when you change slides, so your narration doesn't get lost.
FAQs
Does the topic I choose have to be nursing-specific? No, it can relate to another area of health care (eg pharmacology, medicine) but it should be clinically focused and related to your practice in a justifiable way.
Do I have to use Australian articles to answer my question? No, you can draw upon international literature, as research and EIP are global principles. But you may need to consider the generalisability/ transferability of the evidence to your particular context.
How do I include references? You should include in-text references (name, date) on the slides where appropriate, but you may do this via footnotes (a superscript number next to the information being referenced, with the name, date information at the bottom of the slide) if you prefer. Full citations should appear on the final slide/s of the presentation - these slides are not included in the slide count or time limit.
Do I have to submit the script of my presentation? No.
Do I have to submit the completed CASP tool? Yes - this will allow us to see how you have interpreted and evaluated the article.
What if I can't find a definite answer to my question? If there is no clear-cut answer, don't worry - this is not uncommon! Just make it clear that the evidence is not strong enough yet. You can make recommendations for practice based on ethical principles of beneficence and non-maleficence, and provide suggestions for future research that would help fill the gaps in the evidence base or provide more useful answers.
I'm quite nervous doing a presentation - will I lose marks if it's not perfect? No - we're not expecting you to produce expert-level presentations and we know from personal experience that it's easy to stumble over words. But we do need to be able to read the slides and hear you clearly, and we do expect professionalism - i.e. no inappropriate language or behaviour.
What if I go over the ten-minute limit? As with all assessments, you have a plus or minus 10% leeway - this means that if you go over 11 minutes, we will stop watching and marking your presentation. Consider your timing carefully, and make every word count!
Task format
This report should be submitted as an electronic presentation and must include citations and references. The presentation should not exceed 10 minutes (plus or minus 10%), and include a maximum of 10 slides.
You may present your work as a recorded PowerPoint or as a video presentation via Echo360. Instructions on how to submit these formats can be found on the next two pages - please read these carefully as we cannot assist you with the upload and we cannot accept the assessment task in any other format. (If you are considering an alternative to PowerPoint, it is advisable to contact the Unit Coordinator first to check that it is appropriate.)
Referencing
Use the School of Nursing guidelines for UTas Harvard referencing. These can be found in the Essential Information School of Nursing section of MyLO.
Marking and feedback
There is a marking rubric for this task. Markers will be assessing your work against the assessment criteria in this rubric, so you are strongly encouraged to review the rubric before completing your submission.
You will receive your results and feedback via MyLO, in accordance with the timescales outlined in the School of Nursing assessment guidelines.
Extensions
Extensions will be offered according to the School of Nursing Assessment Guidelines . You can also find these guidelines in the “Assessment help and resources” section on MyLO