Skills for evidence-based practice in occupational therapy

This unit provides an overview of the skills necessary to critique and evaluate the usefulness, relevance and quality of research evidence related to occupational therapy professional practice. Components of evidence-based practice will be introduced related to occupational therapy. Quantitative and qualitative research methodology approaches that underpin evidence-based practice will also be introduced. You will be guided through the process of how to ask clinically relevant questions, search for evidence, and critically appraise published research studies. The Monash Occupational Therapy Research Evidence Critique Form (MOTRECF) for both quantitative and qualitative studies will be used to evaluate the relevant evidence. The process used to complete a critically appraised paper (CAP) will also be introduced. This will provide the foundation for you to integrate clinically relevant evidence into your daily professional practice as well as providing you with the skills required for analysing the issues dealt with in the scenario-based learning context used in OCC2020, OCC3031, and OCC3052.