| Unit name | Enquiry in Healthcare Management |
|---|---|
| Unit code | BRMSM0062 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Sabi Redwood |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Bristol Medical School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Health Sciences |
Why is this unit important?
Healthcare management requires the ability to make effective use of evidence from research and evaluation in decision-making to ensure that services are effective, appropriate and accessible. This unit will introduce students to approaches and methodologies for research-based evidence to guide policy-making and management decision-making.
Understanding the principles of enquiry and research, as well as the practical skills of how to access, appraise and apply evidence are vital for managing the complexities of healthcare delivery and for supporting service improvement and innovation. However, evidence is never self-evident and requires critical engagement to be translated for use by healthcare managers. In this unit we will explore different types of research evidence and their philosophical underpinnings; how to find, appraise and apply evidence; how to mobilise and implement knowledge, and how to design and carry out a practice-based enquiry/literature review, or evaluation or implementation project.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
Understanding, producing and using research-based evidence is a cornerstone of healthcare management practice and strategic decision-making. In particular, this unit will enable students to develop the understanding, knowledge and skills to undertake their dissertation (EFIMM0089: Dissertation in Healthcare Management). This units builds on the evaluation skills developed in their Capstone unit (MEEDM0035 Healthcare Improvement Capstone Assessment.
An overview of content
The unit is set out around three themes:
1. Understanding evidence:
We will critically debate the concept of enquiry and evidence-based healthcare management and consider different sources of evidence and disciplinary knowledge to support healthcare management practice and decision-making. We will explore the research process and epistemological frameworks, the development of research questions and the principles of critically reviewing and appraising existing literature.
2. Generating evidence:
We will investigate how to develop and design a study using quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods approaches. We will examine different research methods including data collection and analysis, writing up findings, drawing conclusions and developing recommendations.
3. Mobilising evidence:
Research findings need to be ‘translated’ to enable them to be applied in practice, taking into consideration a range of factors, including the implementation context and the people involved. We will explore some of the activities encompassed by the term knowledge mobilisation related to the implementation and impact of research including co-production.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
Students will develop a critical understanding of evidence-based healthcare management and the principles of enquiry underpinning research from different disciplines that can inform management practice. They will be able to engage insightfully with a range of information sources and develop conceptual, analytical and empirical skills to support evidence-based practice and decision-making.
Learning outcomes:
Different forms of engagement with the content will be facilitated.
The unit is divided into three thematic blocks and a fourth block for the development of a project proposal. Each lasts two weeks of which the first week will be asynchronous during which students will engage with learning materials provided via Blackboard at their own pace and in their own time.
During the synchronous week, activities will take place on a set day of the week in timetabled sessions over the whole day. The focus of the synchronous activities will be on active engagement with the content rather than didactic sessions.
Activities will take the form of:
Synchronous activities will be concentrated in four days in each of the four blocks to a total of 30 hours. Asynchronous activities will be spread across the eight weeks including engagement with reading, asynchronous lectures and audio-visual and web-based resources, tasks and activities and preparation of the formative and summative assessment. Week 9 and 10 will be dedicated to writing the summative assessment.
Students will have access to a range of resources structured around the three themes of the unit. These include key texts such as eBooks, journal articles, carefully curated web-based resources including audio-visual materials, and recommended reading. Relevant content will be taught via interactive synchronous sessions, active learning through the critical analysis of published research, problem-solving and learning reviews, round-up and consolidation activities, self-directed study and assignment clinics. The use of the Blackboard online learning environment will be actively pursued to develop students’ understanding and engagement with the unit content. There will be some compulsory pre-course work which will include readings and critical analysis which students are required to carry out prior to synchronous sessions.
Students will be encouraged to identify a project related to research or evaluation or implementation and discuss their ideas as they move through the unit. They will be encouraged to tailor their self-directed learning activities, and enabled to navigate resources, those provided for this unit and those students identify independently through focussed searching.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Students will be required to present their ideas for their research proposal or evidence review to their peers and members of faculty and receive feedback in preparation for their written assignment. Students will be advised to structure their presentations following the stages of the research process presented in the unit, the same structure they will use for their summative assignment. East student is allocated a 30 minute slot with a presentation of 10-15 minutes followed by feedback from peers and faculty.
Students will receive support for their formative and summative assignments through the assessment clinics at the end of the synchronous days, peer discussions during ‘Think tank’ sessions, and one-to-one guidance by the unit lead during individual tutorials.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
The written assignment will involve a 3,500 word proposal for a practice-based research or implementation or evaluation project, or a literature/evidence review on a relevant healthcare management topic.
The subject of the proposal will be selected by the student and agreed with the unit lead. The proposal will require a research question and rationale for the project; specific aims and objectives; a plan for its design and conduct, including data collection and analysis; and a plan for knowledge mobilisation. For empirically-based projects (where students gather their own data through surveys and interviews for example, or where data are gathered indirectly through existing sources), the proposal will be for a ‘hypothetical’ project; in other words, the proposal cannot be used for the dissertation. However, the unit and the assessment will prepare students to engage with and rehearse the steps in the research process and enable them to familiarise themselves with relevant principles, concepts and skills. This will help them to plan and carry out their dissertation.
When assessment does not go to plan:
In the event of a student not reaching a pass mark at first submission you may be given the opportunity to resubmit depending on previous unit results. The unit lead will offer one-to-one support and guidance on how best to meet the required assessment criteria.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. BRMSM0062).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
