The web resource appraisal process (WRAP) stage 3: An experiential learning approach merging practice knowledge with research evidence

TY - CHAP

T1 - The web resource appraisal process (WRAP) stage 3

T2 - An experiential learning approach merging practice knowledge with research evidence

AU - Gillham, David

AU - Cornell, Jacqueline

AU - McCutcheon, Helen

PY - 2008

Y1 - 2008

N2 - Health professionals are confronted with the challenge of providing health care based on research evidence. Barriers to evidence-based practice (EBP) include limited time and resources, difficulties locating research evidence and limited experience with the critical appraisal of research. The combined effect of these barriers is that the EBP research application stage is frequently the weak link in the chain of events required for overall EBP implementation. This paper describes a novel approach to addressing this problem using carefully controlled shared web authoring to facilitate dialogue between health professionals, postgraduate students, lecturers and researchers. The Web Resource Appraisal Process (WRAP) stage 3 project involves postgraduate students who are also experienced health professionals, developing critical reviews of research evidence addressing high priority health care topics. These critical reviews are then published by the students using Wiki technology. The shared web authoring and access control offered by Wikis facilitates peer review and dialogue between clinicians, academics and researchers, thus emphasising the application of research evidence to practice. While the WRAP3 project is in the early implementation stages, it is anticipated that it will promote research dissemination by establishing knowledge generation addressing the crucial implementation phase of evidence-based practice. This will create an immediate approach to the sharing and dissemination of research evidence as students actively engage in the process and application of evidence-based knowledge development.

AB - Health professionals are confronted with the challenge of providing health care based on research evidence. Barriers to evidence-based practice (EBP) include limited time and resources, difficulties locating research evidence and limited experience with the critical appraisal of research. The combined effect of these barriers is that the EBP research application stage is frequently the weak link in the chain of events required for overall EBP implementation. This paper describes a novel approach to addressing this problem using carefully controlled shared web authoring to facilitate dialogue between health professionals, postgraduate students, lecturers and researchers. The Web Resource Appraisal Process (WRAP) stage 3 project involves postgraduate students who are also experienced health professionals, developing critical reviews of research evidence addressing high priority health care topics. These critical reviews are then published by the students using Wiki technology. The shared web authoring and access control offered by Wikis facilitates peer review and dialogue between clinicians, academics and researchers, thus emphasising the application of research evidence to practice. While the WRAP3 project is in the early implementation stages, it is anticipated that it will promote research dissemination by establishing knowledge generation addressing the crucial implementation phase of evidence-based practice. This will create an immediate approach to the sharing and dissemination of research evidence as students actively engage in the process and application of evidence-based knowledge development.

M3 - Conference paper

SP - 247

EP - 266

BT - Teaching and research : making the connection in health sciences

ER -