Changing nursing practice through continuing education: a tool for evaluation

Abstract

In light of the current cost-orientated, rapidly changing health service, continuing education providers are challenged to achieve the greatest benefits for the service. Given this culture it is argued that it is essential for nurses to acquire the skills to continually learn, and that for managers there is seen to be a measurable change in a recommended practice or behaviour. To meet these challenges it is essential that continuing educators plan, implement and evaluate programmes in partnership with clinicians and managers. A literature review revealed that most evaluations did not address whether continuing education has resulted in a change in practice. This paper describes a study on the use of goal attainment scaling as an evaluation tool to measure changes in learner behaviour and as a means of promoting self-determination among the participants. It is proposed that goal attainment scaling can be used to measure changes in participant behaviour following an educational programme. In addition, this analysis of participant interviews indicates the tool's usefulness as a self-reporting instrument and this appears to foster the skills of self-assessment and appraisal of performance.

Educational input and patient outcomes: exploring the gap

“…Although respondents’ accounts reflect the perceptual set of informants, some authors consider them to be as valid and meaningful a measure of learning as observational data ( Rogers 1986, Fleck & Fyffe 1997). UK health service social research, including nursing CPE outcome evaluations, is heavily reliant on interviews ( Hogston 1995, Silverman 1998) and surveys ( Akinsanya 1987, Nolan et al .…”

Continuing professional development: does it make a difference?

“…Cusick and Ottenbacher (1994) used goal attainment scaling to evaluate a programme and demonstrated an improvement in knowledge following the course. Fleck and Fyffe (1997) used the GAS to measure the individual learning of nurses on a education programme set up to review nursing documentation. The programme was rated successful and demonstrated an increased knowledge and willingness to change practice in planning patient care (Fleck and Fyffe, 1997).…”

“…Fleck and Fyffe (1997) used the GAS to measure the individual learning of nurses on a education programme set up to review nursing documentation. The programme was rated successful and demonstrated an increased knowledge and willingness to change practice in planning patient care (Fleck and Fyffe, 1997). They note the benefit of goal attainment scaling being that it is a self‐reporting instrument to measure behavioural change.…”

“…Ad hoc and local involvement in course development influence course design to some extent; however, the uptake of courses remains largely a matter of ‘tradition’ and ‘what we did last year’ rather than an objective assessment of the learning needs required to meet the service. Consequently, the impact of a course on improvements in patient care continues to be a concern for managers (Fleck and Fyffe, 1997). It seems then that changes in practice are rarely measured, possibly reflecting the newness of the area and difficulties in conducting relevant evaluation (Hicks and Henessey, 2001).…”

Διερεύνηση Της Επίδρασης Προγράμματος Εκπαίδευσης Για Την Τεκμηρίωση Της Νοσηλευτικής Φροντίδας Σε Έλληνες Νοσηλευτές

“…Τέλος, είναι σημαντικό να επισημανθεί ότι στους ενήλικες η εκπαίδευση έχει εθελοντικό χαρακτήρα (Κόκκος 2006). Η εθελοντική εκπαίδευση στηρίζεται στην προσωπική υποκίνηση του ατόμου για μάθηση και στην υπευθυνότητα που έχει για να κάνει τις προσωπικές του εκπαιδευτικές επιλογές (Fleck, 1997). Κάθε άτομο γνωρίζει καλύτερα ποιες είναι οι ανάγκες του για επιμόρφωση γι' αυτό μπορεί να αναγνωρίσει αποτελεσματικά και τον τρόπο ικανοποίησής τους (Sheperd, 1995).…”