The EBP Optometry Project

Left to right- Kosta Douka, Catherine Suttle, Robert Jacobs, Mike Pianta, Rachel Thompson, Fiona Stapleton, Isabelle Jalbert & Peter Hendicott. Team members not in photo: Kirsten Challinor, Barbara Junghans, Konrad Pesudovs, Leanne Togher & Adrian Lee.

The Evidence-based practice in Optometry Project

Welcome to the Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) for optometry web-site. This site has been designed for students, teachers and practitioners to discover resources and develop their understanding of EBP to improve eye health outcomes.

This web-site is one deliverable from a 2 year Australian Government funded project (Office for Learning & Teaching) during 2012/2013. This collaborative project spanned Optometry schools across Australia and New Zealand and this collaboration resulted in the content of this cite. The project aim was to review teaching and learning strategies ensure graduates have the knowledge and skills needed for evidence-based practice.

Background

In the profession of optometry, responsibilities for eye and general health care make evidence-based practice (EBP) essential. Current optometry curricula include isolated teaching and learning strategies that aim to develop the knowledge and skills required for EBP, but our recent pilot work (1) suggests that optometry graduates have not uniformly adopted EBP. Programs in other disciplines such as medicine and speech pathology have recognized and addressed this issue by embedding teaching and learning strategies in their curricula. For example, the Faculty of Medicine at the University of New South Wales has developed and implemented an online resource to support learning and teaching in EBP. Our review of the literature confirms this type of resource as a valid and effective means of developing EBP knowledge and skills. This Project aims to increase the use of evidence-based practice in Optometry. The Project team is comprised of representatives from Optometry Schools in Australia and New Zealand as well as EBP experts. The project is funded by a grant awarded by the Office for Learning and Teaching (formerly the Australian Learning & Teaching Council). It runs from December 2011 through to December 2013. Please enjoy browsing this website and do get in touch with us if you are interested in finding out more about the Project- we would love to hear from you.

References

1. Suttle, C.M., Jalbert, I. & Alnahedh, T. Examining the evidence base used by optometrists in Australia and New Zealand. Clinical & experimental optometry: Journal of the Australian Optometrical Association 95, 28-36 (2012).

 

THE TEAM

Representatives from the 6 Australasian Optometry Schools

Lead institution: University of NSW

Project Leaders: Dr Catherine Suttle & Dr Isabelle Jalbert.
Prof Fiona Stapleton
A/Prof. Barbara Junghans

In collaboration with:
A/Prof. Peter Hendicott - QLD University of Technology.
A/Prof. Robert Jacobs - University of Auckland.
Prof. Konrad Pesudovs - Flinders University.
Dr Michael Pianta - University of Melbourne.

Evidence-based practice experts

Dr Rachel ThompsonUniversity of NSW Faculty of Medicine.
Prof. Leanne TogherUniversity of Sydney Faculty of Health Sciences.
Ms Elizabeth Murray – University of Sydney Faculty of Health Sciences.

Management

Dr Kirsten Challinor – Project Manager (University of NSW).
Kosta Douka - Web developer (University of NSW).

 

A Collaboration of Australasian Optometry Schools

  • University of NSW
  • University of Melbourne
  • QLD University of Technology
  • University of Auckland
  • Flinders University
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