You are required to critically appraise one a relevant paramedicine research article. The reason you need to critique research is that it is one way to identify a study’s readiness to be used in paramedic practice. Through this assessment task you are required to use a systematic approach to objectively review a piece of research, and highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the research study. You must also reference your work using CSU APA 7th referencing style. Use as many references as you need to support you argument.
Each student will choose a published article from a recognised paramedic (or related) peer-reviewed journal. The article must have been published within the last 24 months. The student will then apply an appropriate critical appraisal tool to the article and produce a short report that identifies the appraisal findings. This report will be submitted via EASTs along with a Turnitin report.
Being able to critique a research article will help you to identify the best available evidence to be able to implement it into your nursing practice. How should you proceed?
1. Read through the research article a couple of times.
2. You may come across words/ statistical data that are new to you, as they may be research terminology. Take notes of those words and find the meaning to understand them and the concept of the study.
3. Check for rigour and readiness of the research for use in nursing practice.
4. For more information on understanding the article–visit the links provided in the module
The report posted will contain the following elements:
a. The study objective/hypothesis/questions,
b. Rationale and relevance of the question,
c. Relevance of this topic/question to paramedic practice?
d. What methodological approach was used?
e. What were the results of the study?
f. Strengths and weaknesses of the study?
g. Do the conclusions follow logically from the design and results?
h. How do the results relate to current practice, and how might they influence future practice?
The report should be prepared in essay format. Please review the marking rubric to ensure that you have addressed all of the assessable components.
The topic of the journal article being presented must be related to one of the following themes:
1. Professionalisation of paramedic practice (professional identity and national registration);
2. Non-traditional paramedic roles (extended care paramedics, industrial paramedics, remote paramedics, combat paramedics, off-shore paramedics, humanitarian paramedics, GP support paramedics, A&E Paramedics);
3. Theory or philosophy of paramedic practice;
4. Paramedic pedagogy (initial education or the continuing education and training of paramedics);
5. Major advances in paramedic clinical practice (scope of practice changes, etc.);
6. Internationalisation of the paramedic discipline;
7. National research agendas for paramedic practice;
8. Contemporary clinical innovations (cutting edge clinical advancements in paramedic practice). Please note that if you select this option, you are NOT to consider any aspect of clinical practice related to cardiac arrest, intubation, or rapid sequence intubation as these topics have been done to death and provide limited scope for you to consider cutting edge clinical advancements in paramedic practice.
This assessment task will assess the following learning outcome/s:
• Develop the necessary skills to critically evaluate published research to determine its relevance to paramedic practice;
• Be able to examine and critically analyse current developments in paramedic practice, including the professionalisation of the discipline;
• Be able to articulate the philosophical underpinnings of paradigms in the discipline of paramedicine.
• Compare and contrast philosophical and epistemological assumptions in the discipline of paramedicine.
• Critically analyse and evaluate the concept of generating theory from practice.
• Demonstrate an appreciation of the contribution of borrowed perspectives toward the development of paramedic knowledge.
Critical appraisal is an essential part of evidence-based practice. It allows us to assess the quality of research evidence and decide whether a reported piece of research is good enough to be used in decision-making.
This assessment item evaluates the following learning outcomes of the subject:
• Develop the necessary skills to critically evaluate published research to determine its relevance to paramedic practice;
• Be able to examine and critically analyse current developments in paramedic practice, including the professionalisation of the discipline;
• Be able to articulate the philosophical underpinnings of paradigms in the discipline of paramedicine.
This assessment task will assess the following learning outcome/s:
• Develop the necessary skills to critically evaluate published research to determine its relevance to paramedic practice;
• Be able to examine and critically analyse current developments in paramedic practice, including the professionalisation of the discipline;
• Be able to articulate the philosophical underpinnings of paradigms in the discipline of paramedicine.
• Compare and contrast philosophical and epistemological assumptions in the discipline of paramedicine.
• Critically analyse and evaluate the concept of generating theory from practice.
• Demonstrate an appreciation of the contribution of borrowed perspectives toward the development of paramedic knowledge.
Critical appraisal is an essential part of evidence-based practice. It allows us to assess the quality of research evidence and decide whether a reported piece of research is good enough to be used in decision-making.
This assessment item evaluates the following learning outcomes of the subject:
• Develop the necessary skills to critically evaluate published research to determine its relevance to paramedic practice;
• Be able to examine and critically analyse current developments in paramedic practice, including the professionalisation of the discipline;
• Be able to articulate the philosophical underpinnings of paradigms in the discipline of paramedicine.
Scholarly papers, reports, or other similar assessment items must be ‘word processed’ and not
handwritten. Requirements include:
• Leave 2 cm margins and double line space your work,
• Use 12pt font, unless otherwise indicated,
• Number all pages,
• Insert student name and number in header or footer of every page of every assignment,
• Include a title page that includes the subject name and code, title of the assessment task, due date, lecturer’s name, student’s name and student’s number.
