CQUniversity Unit Profile

In Progress

Please note that this Unit Profile is still in progress. The content below is subject to change.
NURS11172 Evidence-Based Practice in Healthcare
Evidence-Based Practice in Healthcare
All details in this unit profile for NURS11172 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
General Information

Overview

The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia’s (NMBA) Registered Nurse Standards for Practice (2016) require a registered nurse to think critically and analyse nursing practice. Additionally, the NMBA's Midwife Standards for Practice (2018) require midwives to access, analyse, and use the best available evidence for safe, quality, midwifery practice. These Standards are achieved by accessing, appraising and applying the best available evidence to inform safe and quality practice. In this unit, you will develop the foundational skills required for applying best evidence to navigate information gathering, its application to quality practice and assessment writing, early in your healthcare education.

Details

Career Level: Undergraduate
Unit Level: Level 1
Credit Points: 6
Student Contribution Band: 8
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

Must be enrolled in CL91 Bachelor of Nursing or CM77 Bachelor of Nursing (Enrolled Nurse Pathway) or CG41 Start Uni Now or NCP172660 Bachelor of Midwifery.

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Offerings For Term 1 - 2026

Brisbane
Online
Rockhampton

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Class and Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Class Timetable

Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Online Quiz(zes)
Weighting: 40%
2. Written Assessment
Weighting: 60%

Assessment Grading

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.

Previous Student Feedback
Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Develop literature search strategies, research methodologies and research practices to ascertain high quality evidence relevant to professional healthcare practice.
  2. Appraise information using critical thinking skills to apply evidence in clinical contexts.
  3. Explain the purpose of evidence in healthcare practice and why clinical decision-making should be based on the best available evidence.

Content in this unit incorporates a number of professional requirements:

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia Decision-Making Framework for Nursing and Midwifery

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia Registered Nurse Standards for Practice

Thinks critically and analyses nursing practice

Engages in therapeutic and professional relationships

Maintains the capability for practice

Develops a plan for nursing practice

Provides safe, appropriate and responsive quality nursing practice

Evaluates outcomes to inform nursing practice

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia Midwife Standards for Practice

Promotes health and wellbeing through evidence-based midwifery practice

Engages in professional relationships and respectful partnerships

Demonstrates capability and accountability for midwifery practice

Undertakes comprehensive assessments

Develops a plan for midwifery practice

Provides safety and quality in midwifery practice

Evaluates outcomes to improve midwifery practice

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia Code of Conduct for Nurses

Legal compliance

Person-centred practice

Cultural practice and respectful relationships

Professional behaviour

Teaching, supervising and assessing

Research in health

Health and wellbeing

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia Code of Conduct for Midwives

Legal compliance

Woman-centred practice

Cultural practice and respectful relationships

Professional behaviour

Teaching, supervising and assessing

Research in health

Health and wellbeing

International Council of Nursing Code of Ethics for Nursing

Nurses and People

Nurses and Practice

Nurses and the Profession

Nurses and co-workers

International Confederation of Midwives International Code of Ethics for Midwives

Midwifery relationships

Practice of midwifery

The professional responsibilities of midwives

Advancement of midwifery knowledge and practice

National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards

Clinical governance

Partnering with consumers

Preventing and Controlling healthcare-associated infection

Medication safety

Comprehensive care

Communicating for safety

Blood management

Recognising and responding to acute deterioration

Patient Safety Competency Framework

Person-centred care

Therapeutic communication

Cultural competence

Teamwork and collaborative practice

Clinical reasoning

Evidence-based practice

Preventing, minimising and responding to adverse events

Infection prevention and control

Medication safety

Aged Care Quality Standards

Consumer dignity and choice

Ongoing assessment and planning with consumers

Personal care and clinical care

Organisation’s service environment

Feedback and complaints

Human resources

Organisational governance

Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes
N/A Level
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Professional Level
Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3
1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 40%
2 - Written Assessment - 60%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3
1 - Communication
2 - Problem Solving
3 - Critical Thinking
4 - Information Literacy
5 - Team Work
6 - Information Technology Competence
7 - Cross Cultural Competence
8 - Ethical practice
9 - Social Innovation
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures
Textbooks and Resources

Information for Textbooks and Resources has not been released yet.

This information will be available on Monday 16 February 2026
Academic Integrity Statement

Information for Academic Integrity Statement has not been released yet.

This unit profile has not yet been finalised.