MINOR THESIS (F/T) (HCNUR7001)

There has been a significant amount of nursing literature since the mid 1980s that has emphasised the growing importance of research to the development of nursing as a profession. While most early research was conducted by academics and nurses undertaking higher degree studies, it is exciting to see that there is now a 'body of knowledge' emerging that is driven by practitioners. Initially, research efforts tended to address questions about nursing and nurses, but in more recent years have begun to shift their focus to examine clinical issues and patient outcomes. An emphasis on collaborative research projects has also become a pathway for novice researchers to work across disciplines to gain experience in research methods and methodologies. Nevertheless it is important for nurses to develop skills in identifying researchable nursing issues, to plan a research project and manage the project through to completion. It is also vitally important for nurses to communicate the findings of their research to their colleagues by publishing in journals and presenting papers at conferences. These strategies open up new ideas for critical review by ones peers, and validate the claim of nursing to be a profession. The concept of producing work of publishable standard has been emphasised throughout the Graduate Diploma of Nursing and the Master of Nursing (Coursework), and students have been encouraged to submit their essays to conferences and journals. This course may build on work previously developed for students who wish to undertake a research project to complete their Master of Nursing (Coursework) studies. Following successful completion of the core courses to Graduate Diploma of Nursing level, students will have identified a topic of significance to the nursing profession, explored the literature and written a literature review, selected an appropriate research paradigm for the investigation of the topic and prepared a research proposal and ethics application. In addition, study of a relevant elective topic will enable the student to prepare for this next phase of education in the Master of Nursing (Coursework). Students will therefore enrol in the Thesis Course with a well-developed research proposal and ready to submit their ethics application. Research at this level prepares nurses to undertake projects in the workplace, as well as to become discerning consumers of evidence-based practice. Constantly changing nursing, medical, scientific, pharmaceutical and technological procedures necessitate the education of practitioners who can access and evaluate up-to-date research and implement appropriate treatments for optimal health care outcomes. This course will assist nurses to develop research skills for application in their workplace environments

For further information regarding the course please refer to the Course Outline found at the following link (PDF, 606kB).