Applied Research for Nurses and Health Professionals

Applied Research is a foundational course designed to introduce nursing, midwifery, and other health science students to the principles, processes, and practice of research in health care.

In today’s health systems, evidence-based practice is the cornerstone of quality and safe patient care.

This course equips learners with the knowledge and skills needed to understand, plan, conduct, and utilize research for solving real-life health problems and improving service delivery.

The course emphasizes practical understanding over theory—helping learners appreciate how research contributes to everyday clinical decisions, health policy, and community health outcomes.

It also builds students’ confidence in reading and interpreting research findings, preparing them to participate in small research projects, write proposals, and communicate findings effectively.

General Aim

To enable learners to acquire basic knowledge and practical skills in conducting and applying research in nursing, midwifery, and allied health practice.

Specific Study Objectives

By the end of this course, the learner should be able to:

1. Define research and explain its importance in nursing, midwifery, and allied health practice.

2. Identify and use key research terminologies correctly.

3. Apply ethical principles in the conduct of health-related research.

4. Differentiate between qualitative and quantitative research approaches and describe when to use each.

5. Formulate a clear and relevant research topic based on observed health or clinical problems.

6. Develop a basic research proposal, including background, literature review, and methodology.

7. Collect and analyze simple data using appropriate methods and tools.

8. Write a research report following accepted academic and professional formats.

9. Present research findings clearly and effectively to peers, supervisors, and other stakeholders.

10. Utilize research evidence to improve patient care, health education, and community interventions.