PTA 216W - Introduction to Evidence Based Practice

1. Discuss the role of evidence-based practice in physical therapy decision-making and treatment selection.
   1. Define evidence-based practice.
   2. Describe how evidence-based practice enhance clinical experiences for best practice.
2. Demonstrate understanding of the various research sources available to physical therapy clinicians.
   1. Describe the scope of each of the following:
      1. APTA's PTNow Article Search
      2. Medline
      3. PubMed
      4. CINAHL
      5. PEDro
      6. Cochrane Review
      7. Google Scholar
3. Use research sources to answer physical therapy clinical questions.
   1. Demonstrate efficient and effective use of relevant search databases.
   2. Develop a clinical question based on a patient case and use evidence-based practice methods of investigation to answer the clinical question.
   3. Apply research findings to clinical practice.
4. Demonstrate understanding of the implications of research on physical therapy clinical practice.
   1. Define quantitative research designs and implications to PT practice.
   2. Define qualitative research designs and implications to PT practice.
   3. Discuss the elements of a research article.
   4. Discriminate the level of evidence of a professional research article using the hierarchy of research.
   5. Explain how the hierarchical level is used to determine the strength or weakness of the research article.
   6. Evaluate a research article from professional literature.