Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Continuing Nursing Education Program Evaluation'

Nursing programs have traditionally used teacher-developed multiple-choice (MCQ) examinations to prepare students for licensure. Researchers have determined that poorly constructed MCQ tests used as formative and summative evaluations may penalize nursing students and impact progression and retention in nursing programs. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to examine issues related to the use of teacher-developed MCQ examinations as the only method of student assessment in the theory component of nursing courses. The National League for Nursing Core Competencies for Nurse Educators and the revised Bloom's Taxonomy were used as the conceptual frameworks for this study. The Director of the Nursing Program and 9 faculty members participated. Data were collected from a review of documents, 2 focus groups, faculty-maintained diaries, and an interview. During data analysis, categories were identified and themes emerged, revealing the key findings. Using a single method alone to assess student learning limited the opportunity for formative assessment, the ability to assess higher order thinking, and the development of metacognition on the part of students. To assist faculty in creating assessments of student learning that would address these themes, a 3-day faculty professional development project followed by 4 monthly lunch and learn sessions was designed. Providing additional faculty development in assessment methods may promote positive social change as it may ultimately increase the retention of qualified students to meet the demand for registered nurses within the community.

Dissertation (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Saudi Arabian Government has implemented a nation-wide policy to prepare its people for the workforce and has directed that the Saudi Council for Health Specialties (SCHS) be established. Under the SCHS umbrella the Saudi Nursing Board (SNB) has been formed for the purpose of regulating the nursing profession. While Saudi Arabia has for many years been dependent on the international community for nurses, it is now establishing its own nursing workforce. One challenge for the SCHS and the SNB is to ensure that practice standards are developed, since ultimately nursing practice affects the quality of the patient services and patient health outcomes. The Saudi nursing profession has a responsibility to develop its social mandate and provide a full range of services to the Saudi public. Systems and education programmes are required for all aspects of the regulatory process, including continuing professional development. Effective regulation systems are not based on a “one size fits all” approach. Furthermore, nurses need to insist on high quality education to develop both basic and ongoing competence and should be able to depend on the profession for social status and credibility. The purpose of this research was to develop, implement, validate and evaluate a continuing professional development learning programme for nurses working in Saudi Arabia. The learning programme was built from a vision of nurses (regardless of country) engaging in lifelong learning for the purpose of ensuring quality patient care and population health. The development of a continuing professional development learning programme is an initial step in fulfilling the need for educational structures to support standards of practice. The overall outcome of the research was functional by nature in that the knowledge of continuing professional development in nursing was generated and applied to nursing practice in Saudi Arabia. In view of the nature of the question, a mixed methodology was selected. Although the qualitative aspect was dominant, both the qualitative and quantitative aspects were used simultaneously. The design included exploratory and descriptive aspects. Furthermore, the researcher employed qualitative methods to develop, implement and evaluate the provisional learning programme and quantitative methods to validate the provisional programme, resulting in a partial explanation of the research phenomenon. The primary theoretical drive was inductive, as the purpose was to discover rather than to test the learning programme contents. Botes’ Research Model and King’s Theory of Goal Attainment were utilised. They complemented each other, as they both support a comprehensive, dynamic scientific approach to learning (health) outcomes influenced by the quality of nursing practice and practice environment. The research, which was outcomes–based, was carried out in the context of quality patient care (population health) and nursing practice situated within the Saudi Arabian setting, where the nursing regulatory system is emerging. As the questionnaire mean ( X ) results revealed scores of 3.0 to 3.9, data saturation was achieved during the first round of the Delphi technique. Fourteen experts from six different countries were asked to validate the provisional learning programme, which was duly done. The programme was implemented in a tertiary research hospital in Saudi Arabia. Formative and summative evaluations were also conducted. The results of the implementation and evaluation affirmed the effectiveness of the learning programme. Boyer’s Model for Scholarship was used to triangulate the research findings. These results formed the basis for the recommendations and final summary. The five broad recommendations that emerged from the research were that nurses should take on self-regulatory and leadership responsibilities; that they should engage in continuing professional development collaboration; that the nursing profession’s self-regulation responsibilities be acknowledged; that a healthy (quality) workplace environment be ensured; and that further research be done in this field.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die regering van Saoedi-Arabië het ʼn landwye beleid geïmplementeer om die mense van die land vir die arbeidsmag voor te berei en het opdrag gegee vir die stigting van die Saudi Council for Health Specialties (SCHS,) ʼn raad wat spesifiek met gesondheidsdienste gemoeid is. Die Saoedi Raad vir Verpleging (Saudi Nursing Board oftewel SNB) is tot stand gebring met die doel om die verpleegdiens in die land te reguleer. Nadat Saoedi-Arabië vir baie jare van die internasionale gemeenskap vir verpleegkundiges afhanklik was, word ʼn eie verpleegkorps nou in die land gevestig. Een van die uitdagings waarmee die SCHS en die SNB te kampe het, is die noodsaaklikheid om te verseker dat standaarde vir die praktyk ontwikkel word, aangesien die verpleegpraktyk inderdaad die gehalte van pasiënte-diens en gesondheidsuitkomste beïnvloed. Die verpleegberoep in Saoedi-Arabië is daarvoor verantwoordelik om sy maatskaplike mandaat te ontwikkel en ʼn volledige reeks dienste aan die mense van die land beskikbaar te stel. Stelsels en opvoedkundige programme is nodig vir alle aspekte van die reguleringsproses. Dit sluit voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling in. Vir ʼn reguleringstelsel om werklik doeltreffend te wees moet dit op spesifieke behoeftes gerig wees en kan een stelsel nie aan al die vereistes van diverse instellings voldoen nie. Dit is noodsaaklik dat verpleegkundiges op onderrig van ʼn hoë gehalte aandring ten einde basiese en voortgaande bevoegdheid te ontwikkel. Daarbenewens behoort hulle op die beroep te kan steun vir sosiale status en geloofwaardigheid. Die doel van hierdie navorsing was om ʼn voortgesette leerprogram vir die professionele ontwikkeling van verpleegkundiges wat in Saoedi-Arabië werk, te ontwikkel, te implementeer, te valideer en te evalueer. Die leerprogram het onstaan uit ʼn visie van verpleegsters (ongeag hulle land van oorsprong) wat hulle met lewenslange leer besig hou met die doel om diens van ʼn hoë gehalte aan pasiënte asook bevolkingsgesondheid te verseker. Met die ontwikkeling van ʼn leerprogram vir voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling is die eerste stap gedoen om in die behoefte aan opvoedkundige strukture ter ondersteuning van praktykstandaarde te voorsien. Die algehele uitkoms van die navorsing was funksioneel van aard deurdat die kennis van voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling in verpleging deur die verpleegpraktyk in Saoedi-Arabië gegenereer en ook daarop toegepas is. Vanweë die aard van die navorsingsvraag is besluit om ʼn gemengde metodologie, dit is kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe aspekte gelyktydig te gebruik, met die kwalitatiewe aspek as die dominante metode. Sowel verkennende as beskrywende aspekte is in die ontwerp ingesluit. Daarbenewens het die navorser kwalitatiewe metodes gebruik om die voorlopige leerprogram te ontwikkel, te implementeer en te evalueer, en kwantitatiewe metodes om die voorlopige program te valideer. Die navorsingsverskynsel is deur middel van ʼn gedeeltelike verklarende metode ontleed. Die primêre teoretiese dryfkrag was induktief, aangesien dit die doel van die navorsing was om die leerprogram se inhoud te ontdek eerder as om dit te toets. Daar is van Botes se Navorsingsmodel en King se Teorie van Doelbereiking (Theory of Goal Attainment) gebruik gemaak. Hulle het mekaar aangevul aangesien albei ʼn omvangryke, dinamiese wetenskaplike benadering tot leer- (gesondheid-) uitkomste, wat deur die gehalte van verpleegpraktyk en die praktykomgewing beïnvloed word, ondersteun. Die navorsing, wat uitkomsgebaseerd was, is uitgevoer binne die konteks van pasiëntediens van gehalte (bevolkingsgesondheid) en verpleegpraktyk, gesetel in die Saoedi-Arabiese milieu, waar die reguleringstelsel vir verpleegkunde aan die ontwikkel is. Data saturasie is reeds bevestig tydens die eerste rondte van die Delphi tegniek met gemiddelde tellings van ( X ) 3,0 en 3,9. Die navorsingsontwerp is daardeur verder versterk. Veertien deskundiges van ses verskillende lande is gevra om die voorlopige leerprogram te valideer, wat hulle ook gedoen het. Die program is in ʼn tersiêre navorsingshospitaal in Saoedi-Arabië geïmplementeer. Formatiewe en summatiewe evaluering is gedoen en die resultate van die implementering en evaluering het die doeltreffendheid van die leerprogram bevestig. Boyer se Wetenskaplikheidsmodel (Model for Scholarship) is gebruik om die navorsingsbevindinge te staaf. Hierdie resultate het die grondslag gelê vir die aanbevelings en die finale opsomming. Die vyf breë aanbevelings wat uit die navorsing voortgekom het was dat verpleegkundiges selfregulerende en leierskapverantwoordelikhede aanvaar; dat hulle aan samewerkingsaksies ten opsigte van voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling deelneem; dat die verpleegberoep se verantwoordelikhede ten opsigte van selfregulering erken word; dat ʼn gesonde (gehalte-) werkomgewing verseker word; en dat verdere navorsing op hierdie gebied gedoen word.

Novice nurses (NNs) are entering critical care environments with limited knowledge, skills, and decision-making expertise. They are expected to care for complex patients in a dynamic healthcare setting. The research question for this project examined whether NNs improve their knowledge and skills by participating in a nursing decision-making skills curriculum. The purpose of the project was to develop and validate a nursing decision-making skills education curriculum working in an intermediate critical care unit. Taba's instructional theoretical model was used to guide the new curriculum development along with current evidence based practice found in the current literature. Scaffolding approach theory encouraged the use of more knowledgeable peers or educators to assist NN with skill acquisition. Project participants consisted of 5 local learning specialists in critical-care nursing with a minimum of a bachelor's of science degree in nursing as well as national certifications. Upon curriculum review completion, each of the 5 specialists were asked to complete a 5-point Likert scale survey to evaluate the content of the newly developed curriculum. Descriptive analysis was completed on the survey data. Three of the 5 learning specialists agreed and 2 strongly agreed that the program met its stated objectives. Three of the learning specialists strongly agreed and 2 agreed that the course content was relevant to NNs' day-to-day roles and that the material and resources facilitated the development of decision-making skills. Adjunct NN education may promote positive social change by providing an effective strategy for improving decision-making skills among NNs, potentially leading to improved patient outcomes in a healthier community with a skilled healthcare workforce.

Patients experiencing nonfatal strangulation during intimate partner violence (IPV) are suffering the consequences of unrecognized injuries and delayed life-threatening medical sequela. Forensic nurses offer expertise in the physical assessment and documentation to a variety of assault victims including those impacted by IPV. This project addressed whether an educational program on nonfatal strangulation increased the knowledge and assessment skills of forensic nurse examiners. The purpose of this doctoral project was to develop a continuing education program on the topic of nonfatal strangulation for forensic nurse examiners. The project design was created using Knowles's adult learning theory principles. The content outline was guided by the International Association of Forensic Nurses Nonfatal Strangulation Toolkit as well as input from content experts on nonfatal strangulation. The evaluation of the project was through pre- and posttest scores. The nonfatal strangulation continuing education training resulted in a statistically significant increase in participants' posttest scores (z-value= -3.064; p value =.002) indicating that the training material and teaching modality positively affected the participants test scores. This continuing education program on nonfatal strangulation increased knowledge of forensic nurse examiners and its application in the field might contribute to positive social change by increasing the identification of IPV and providing appropriate intervention.

Currently, C Hospital lacks a standardized nursing informatics competency program to validate nurses' skills and knowledge in using electronic medical records (EMRs). At the study locale, the organization is about to embark on the implementation of a new, more comprehensive EMR system. All departments will be required to use the new EMR, unlike the current policy that allows some areas to still document on paper. The Institute of Medicine, National League of Nursing, and American Association of Colleges of Nursing support and recommend that information technology be an essential core competency for nurses. Evidence of the need for nursing informatic competencies was found through a literature search using CINHAL, Proquest Nursing, Medline, and Pubmed search lines. Concepts searched were competencies, nursing informatics, health information technology, electronic health record, information technology literacy, nursing education, information technology training, and curriculum. The Staggers Nursing Computer Experience Questionnaire was distributed to 300 nurses practicing within the hospital setting to obtain baseline data on current nursing computer knowledge and skill level. This validated tool was created by Nancy Staggers in 1994 and used in other process improvement efforts similar to this one. The assumption was that nursing competency levels with computers were varied through the hospital. The data obtained from the questionnaire, through Zoho Survey tool, confirmed this assumption and were used to help create the education, support, and competency plan for the future. Data was analyzed through the built-in reports and interactive charts that the Zoho survey tool provides. The new EMR and all the new processes that come with it will be the framework of nursing care. Having competent nurses in the use of the EMR will optimize the quality of patient care delivered.

Programs that include skills to help girls successfully navigate the difficulties of preadolescence have been shown to be beneficial. One such youth development program in the southeastern part of the United States began in 2014 but has had no formal evaluation completed. The purpose of this qualitative study was to conduct a utilization-focused process evaluation, asking questions that addressed the perceptions of a school leader (n = 1) and volunteers of the program (n = 8). Their input was solicited concerning successful implementation strategies used, and recommendations for adaptations, recruitment, and volunteer training. Semistructured interviews were conducted using predetermined open-ended, questions. Open coding was used to discover the most common themes. After analyzing the data using VERBI's Software, MAXQDA, the identified themes were (a) successful elements of the program, (b) elements of the program that were not working, (c) suggestions for adaptations to improve the outcomes for participants, and (d) essential points to consider when recruiting new volunteers. Study participants reported that many of the girls participating in the program made positive changes in their behavior, exhibited improved self-esteem, and expanded their support system. Key findings will be discussed with the program administrators to assist them in recruiting and training new volunteers and to suggest administrative adjustments. Positive social change will be facilitated by offering ideas to the administrators that may result in expansion of the program, allowing more girls in the community to participate and experience positive results.

Students in associate degree nursing (ADN) programs in the United States experience high attrition rates in the first year. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between preadmission factors and first-year ADN program completion rates at one college in the south central United States. Constructivist theory provided the framework for the study. Archival data for 228 students from one ADN program were analyzed using binary logistic regression. Results indicated a statistically significant association between prerequisite grade point average (GPA) and first-year program completion. An increase in the number of incoming students ages 25 years and younger was also noted. The professional development project focused on educating nursing faculty to assist students with lower GPAs to be successful. A second component of the project addressed teaching modalities targeted to millennial and Generation Z learners. Findings may be used to increase the number of nurse graduates at the study site, which may improve health care and economic development in the local community.

The purpose of this study was to determine if the behavior modeling approach to training could be used effectively to teach managers conflict management skills. The researcher explored whether behavior modeling training made a significant difference in the participants' conflict management behaviors and whether videotaped feedback to participants enhanced their gain scores.;Forty-eight managers from an industrial organization in central Virginia were the subjects for this study. The managers were invited to participate following a needs assessment identifying conflict management as a skill deficit.;The design used for this study was a combination of the pretest-posttest control group design and the posttest only control group design. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of the two experimental treatment groups: Group I--behavior modeling training/no video feedback (N = 24) and Group II--behavior modeling training/video feedback (N = 24). Each group was broken into two sub-groups (N = 12). One received a pretest and posttest, the other received a posttest only. The eight dependent variables Describe the Problem, Ask for Reasons and Listen Attentively, Define Needs, Generate Alternatives, Evaluate Alternatives, Select an Alternative, Follow-up, and Overall Rating, were collected using assessment center methodology.;It was hypothesized that (1) behavior modeling would be an effective approach for training managers in conflict management skills, and (2) that videotaping participants' role plays for use as feedback would produce greater gains than behavior modeling without videotaped feedback.;It was concluded that behavior modeling training significantly improved scores on the eight dependent measures. However, behavior modeling training with videotaped feedback had no additional effect on the dependent measures.

Class of 2006 Abstract
Objectives: To create, deliver, and evaluate a malignant melanoma continuing education (CE) seminar for pharmacists. Methods: A CE program was developed and presented to educate pharmacists about skin cancer prevention, specifically malignant melanoma, and their role in prevention through patient counseling. All practicing pharmacists who attended the CE program were asked to fill out a knowledge indicator and assess their comfort level in counseling patients about sun safety before and after the program. The participants also answered questions addressing how often they counsel patients on sunscreen use, their personal experience with skin cancer, preferred CE format, previous CE attendance, sex, age, practice site, hours worked per week, and years since graduation from pharmacy school. Results: The survey instrument was completed by 84 pharmacists. The average score on the pre-test knowledge indicator was 4.95 ± 0.39 and the average score on the post-test knowledge indicator was 7.81 ± 0.39. This was a significant improvement (p < 0.01). There was a significant increase in participant comfort level when counseling patients about sun safety after attending the CE program (p < 0.01). Personal experience with skin cancer did not have a significant effect on the pre-test knowledge indicator scores, however it was associated with the knowledge indicator change score (p < 0.01). Completion of previous skin cancer CE programs did not have a significant effect on the pre-test knowledge indicator score or the change score. Conclusions: Pharmacists who attended the CE program improved their knowledge indicator scores when tested about malignant melanoma and sun safety. Many participants felt more comfortable counseling patients about sun safety and felt their counseling on sun safety would change as a result of attending this CE program.

Instructors at a U.S. Military School transitioned traditional courses used for professional development (PD) of military and civilian personnel to fully online and hybrid formats that combine online and face-to-face instruction. No evaluation of student satisfaction or instructor experiences during the transition has been conducted. The purpose of this sequential mixed methods summative program evaluation was to evaluate hybrid and online delivery of 2 PD courses by analyzing student satisfaction data and instructor experiences. This study was grounded in Knowles, Holton, and Swanson's adult learning theory and Anderson's and Salmon's online learning theories. Data from 96 course evaluations from students who completed traditional, online, and hybrid versions of the PD courses, and interviews with 4 instructors who taught the courses were analyzed. Kruskal-Wallis analyses of variance tests were used to examine student satisfaction ratings for significant differences. Student satisfaction narrative and instructor interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis and axial coding to find themes. There were no significant differences in student satisfaction ratings among course delivery methods. The courses were not relevant to jobs, contained little interaction, and identified technology challenges as common themes in the student comments and the instructor interviews. Based on the findings of this study, an evaluation report was drafted with recommendations to incorporate job-related activities, interactive teaching strategies, and technology orientation sessions for future course transitions. This endeavor may contribute to positive social change by informing military officials and faculty to guide future course transitions from traditional to online and hybrid delivery.

Using Wylie's (2004) Model of Non-Traditional Student Attrition as the theoretical framework, results of the analysis revealed student- and nursing-program-related factors that facilitate or hinder successful completion of the program. Barriers of completion included (a) amount and difficulty of course requirements, (b) difficult test rubrics, (c) ineffective instructors, (d) full-time teaching, (e) difficulty in balancing work, family, and school responsibilities, (f) language barriers, and (g) separation of work and school environment. Results of the study further showed that resolution of students' personal obstacles hindering program completion included (a) time and financial management, (b) establishing good relationships with instructors, and (c) use of student support services. While there is a plethora of extensive studies that have developed theories to explain students' early departure from nursing programs, there are only limited studies conducted with respect to nurse programs' retention or attrition in terms of the factors that lead to success in nursing programs. This current study investigated the lived experiences of students currently enrolled in an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program as well as those who have dropped out of the program at a Midwest community college. Data were collected from 13 participants who participated in the semi-structured interview and were analyzed through a modified Moustakas (1994) van Kaam method. Results can be utilized by educational institutions to create ways to eliminate these barriers. Colleges might be more willing to provide additional student support during enrollment if the external factors that help students achieve success could be identified.

Peer-mentoring experiences in higher education have been largely effective largely effective, however institutions implement them differently. The focus of this program evaluation was a peer-mentoring program at a medical school in the southeastern region of the United States, which had not previously been evaluated. Guided by Kolb's experiential learning theory, the purpose of the evaluation in this study was to examine whether the peer-mentoring experience was perceived as helpful to new students and how students thought the program could be improved. The sequential mixed-method design consisted of a survey of 179 students and interviews of 8 students. A thematic analysis of qualitative data was completed using a constant comparative approach. The qualitative data revealed that students perceived the program as having had a positive effect on their confidence in succeeding in school. They felt more committed to completing school, were more likely to use resources, and reported that peer-mentoring positively affected their learning. The findings also provided recommendations for program refinement related to the selection process, increased opportunities for individual mentoring, systematic documentation for study strategies, and additional group activities. These recommendations were included in the evaluation report. Evaluation results have important implications for positive social change at the local college of medicine that include peer support to ensure retention, facilitated discussion on coping strategies and sources of support, and academic success for students.

The retention of nursing students remains a challenge in higher education, and the need for nurses in the United States is projected to increase. The purpose of this study was to investigate nursing student persistence in an associate degree program by examining differences in the presence of key social, environmental, and academic factors across 2 types of students: completers and non-completers of the 1st course in a registered nursing program. The study framework was based on Tinto's Student Integration Model and the Nursing Undergraduate Retention and Success Model, which identify key social, environmental, and academic factors as critical to student success. The Student Perception Appraisal survey, which consists of 27 items arranged into 5 subscales 'personal academic, environmental, institutional interaction, college facilities, and friend support' was administered to students enrolled in the 1st semester of a registered nursing program who were later assigned to a group based on course completion (n = 90 completers; n = 22 non-completers). An independent-samples t test revealed no statistically significant differences between the groups on the instrument subscale scores. Recommendations include further study with larger and more equivalent group sizes. Implications for social change include providing initial research findings and recommendations to the study site that may ultimately increase the number of nursing graduates to meet the ever-increasing demand for healthcare professionals.

This study was a program evaluation of an American Sign Language internship program that was established in 2006 at a 4-year private college in the Midwestern United States but had never been evaluated. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of this internship program in preparing students for employment in the field of interpreting. An expertise-oriented program evaluation case study was conducted using the lens of experiential learning theory. Research questions were used to investigate the strengths and weaknesses of the program and the ways in which the policies, objectives, and assignments prepare students to work as interns and later as professional interpreters. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 2 former administrators who helped establish the program, 13 graduates of the program between 2013 and 2015, and 8 of the internship site directors who worked with interns between 2013 and 2015. The interview data were coded and analyzed following Merriam's approach to identify themes, and document review was used to support the themes. Key findings were that the program provided effective training for interns transitioning to professional employment, but students tended to lack self-confidence in their performances Interviewees also indicated that program documents were helpful but difficult to use, and mentors needed guidance in giving constructive feedback. An evaluation report was constructed as a research project deliverable to provide specific recommendations for program enhancement. The study promotes positive social change by providing stakeholders with the evidence-based data needed to implement further growth for the internship program, and to more effectively train interpreters to work with the Deaf community.

High nursing student attrition rates at a community college in a southwestern state were noted as a significant problem by nursing faculty and college administration because of a nursing shortage and subsequent health care issues in the surrounding community. The purpose of this project study was to explore the perceptions of nursing graduates regarding the influences that led to or impeded their success in completion of the associate degree nursing program. Additionally, perspectives of the usefulness of remediation sessions provided for students failing a course were investigated. This qualitative case study, guided by transformative learning theory, included a sample of 10 nursing program graduates of the community college from 2012-2015, 4 male and 6 female, 3 of which had failed at least one course and participated in remediation during their programs of study. Participants were interviewed and data were coded and analyzed for common themes. Themes included perceptions of being over stressed, awareness of the negativity of peers, the need for self-motivation, making needed changes to increase their own success, and using available resources such as the remediation program even though it was perceived by some as punitive. A professional development workshop for nursing faculty was developed as a project based on these findings to increase faculty knowledge of factors that contribute to nursing student success or failure, assist faculty in identifying and implementing supportive resources that contribute to student success, and introduce them to practices to reduce student stress such as teaching life skills and coping methods. Social change may occur from programmatic changes that enhance nursing students' success resulting in more nursing graduates to facilitate quality health care in the local community.

In a professional learning community (PLC), school personnel participate in focused collaboration to improve adult learning and facilitate student achievement. Implementation of a PLC is often haphazard and not evaluated for effectiveness, resulting in poor implementation. This study, a PLC-specific qualitative formative program evaluation, addressed a lack of documented PLC effectiveness at a local urban elementary school in the southern United States. The purpose of this project was to determine how teachers described the functioning of their PLC. The conceptual framework for the study was Hord and Tobia's 6 characteristics of a PLC. The research questions focused on how teachers described their PLC in terms of: supportive and shared leadership; shared beliefs, values, and vision; intentional collective learning; shared practice; physical or structural conditions; and collegial or relational conditions. The qualitative design consisted of semi-structured interviews with 10 teachers. The findings from the typological data analysis revealed that the research school was not functioning as a true PLC, with lack of collegial-relational conditions being a primary concern. Based on the findings, recommendations were made for school personnel to participate in team building exercises, adopt an educational change model to strengthen their PLC, participate in PLC training, and develop a continuous evaluation cycle for their PLC. The recommendations will help the research school more effectively build trust as they improve their PLC. Implications for positive social change include an improved school culture and delivery system of education, which fosters an educational environment more conducive for improved learning for teachers and students.

A training program was established in the Midwestern United States to help employers understand compliance requirements of the health insurance industry. The purpose of this study was to conduct a modified program evaluation of the effectiveness of Pay or Play, a portion of a larger Benefit Compliance Program. The reason for the evaluation was the high percentage of remediation needed for administrators of employee health insurance following Pay or Play seminar sessions, which posed the question of program effectiveness in education of participants. This study is important because administrators of employee health insurance are responsible for understanding compliance regulations and face penalties for noncompliance. The theoretical frameworks of constructivism, andragogy, and critical thinking and the conceptual framework of responsive program evaluation were used to guide the study. Document analysis of seminar materials and interviews were conducted with a sample of 12 volunteer seminar participants needing remediation from the school administration and business. Interviews and documents were manually coded and analyzed to identify themes. Findings included lack of variety of teaching methods and training materials appropriate for adult learners, a lack of engagement in critical thinking, and a lack of active construction within their own learning. Recommendations were made for changes in the facilitation methods and presentation of materials to support more effective training for adult participants. The implications of this study for positive social change include more effective training of employers on compliance regulations, which could result in greater understanding of government regulations of the health insurance industry, fewer cancellations of insurance coverage, and more effective implementation of benefits policy.

This applied dissertation paper introduced a program evaluation of a secure laptop-based testing (SLBT) program, which was implemented from 2009 to 2014 in an undergraduate nursing program at a private institution in the southeastern region of the United States (US). Computerized testing is an old topic in the educational research field, but the instructor-made, laptop-based secure testing that utilizes learning management systems (LMS) for undergraduate nursing programs is a fairly new topic in the US. Traditionally, testing has been administered with paper and pencil in the undergraduate nursing programs in the US for security reasons. Recently, with different robust LMSs, together with availability of affordable laptops, SLBT has become a reality on many campuses. The undergraduate nursing program at the Adventist University of Health Sciences (ADU) began to implement the SLBT program in 2009, which allowed students to use their newly purchased laptops to take secure quizzes and tests in their classrooms. After nearly five years' SLBT program implementation, a formative evaluation was conducted to seek constructive feedback from students, faculty, and technology support personnel to improve the program. Evaluation data show that, overall, students believed the SLBT program help them get hands-on experience of taking exams on the computer and get them prepared for their National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) which is also computerized. Students, however, had a lot of concerns on laptop glitches and campus wireless network glitches they experienced during testing. Faculty and technology support personnel, on the other hand, were very satisfied with the SLBT program. Another goal of this evaluation study was to determine if students' first-time passing rate of NCLEX-RN has been improved significantly after the implementation of the SLBT program. NCLEX-RN first-time passing rate data were analyzed using the Chi-Square test and it revealed that there was no significant association between the two types of testing method (paper-and-pencil testing and the secure laptop-based testing) and whether or not students would pass NCLEX-RN the first time X2(1) = 3.53, p > .05. Based on the odds ratio, however, the odds of students passed NCLEX-RN the first time were 1.37 times higher if they were taught with the SLBT testing method than if taught with the traditional paper-and-pencil testing method in nursing school.
Ed.D.
Doctorate
Education and Human Performance
Education

Doctor of Education
Department of Educational Leadership
W. Franklin Spikes
As individuals, we rely on the expertise of professionals to help us navigate the complex problems of modern life in areas such as medicine, accounting, social work, teaching, and the law. Although each profession has its own unique knowledge base, lexicon, and culture, they all share the need to keep members’ knowledge and skills current through continuing professional education. Driven by concerns like frequent law change, increasingly complex clients, and eroding public opinion, 46 states have instituted mandatory continuing legal education (MCLE) requirements for attorneys. The Kansas Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Commission administers MCLE in the state of Kansas by monitoring attorney compliance and accrediting CLE programs. In this study, the researcher used a mixed-methods approach to evaluate two existing data sets--survey outputs and focus groups transcripts--that were captured during the Kansas CLE Commission’s Education Initiative. The 260 CLE providers completing the survey and 22 focus group members varied demographically by structure (for-profit, nonprofit) and size (number of employees or course offerings). Using quantitative statistical tools and qualitative grounded theory methods, the researcher identified the current program planning and design, delivery, and evaluation practices of CLE providers in Kansas and evaluated these practices against best practices for any learning effort, as established by CPE research and theory. Study findings indicated that most Kansas providers plan, deliver, and evaluate CLE programs using more traditional, didactic, update-oriented approaches. Most participants reported CLE curricula that were focused on keeping attorneys up-to-date, delivering classes in traditional formats using speaker presentations, and evaluating programs with Level 1 reaction methods. Only some evidence existed of providers determining attorney needs using methods such as competency models or performance evaluations, refining course delivery according to learning styles, or evaluating programs at higher levels. Still, evidence was found of providers using creative ways to incorporate some best practices into their programs, such as partnering with the other stakeholders in the Kansas MCLE space (attendees, employers, and regulators) to plan and evaluate programs. Similarly, some providers are finding new ways to incorporate more interactive learning methods into their classrooms such as discussion groups, Q&A sessions, panels, mock trials, and networking. This research also provided important insights into the contextual realities and limitations that influence MCLE provider capabilities, priorities, or choices. Cultural norms of the legal profession such as a preference for traditional educational experiences, fierce opposition to any form of testing, and a focus on billable hours affect which best practices the providers are able to implement. Likewise, the diversity that exists across learning events, law practices, and providers in this space creates challenges to implementing new practices consistently across all programs. Finally, the fragmented, multistakeholder ownership of all Kansas MCLE processes means that providers alone are not able to implement fully the recommended best practices without the help of employer partners. This study added to the general body of knowledge concerning CLE programs with contemporary research, a new focus on providers as the source of data, and a context-specific assessment of current best practices application.

Health promotion and disease prevention are a focus of population health management. Without ongoing and rigorous evaluation, these programs may be in jeopardy of continuing. The purpose of this project was to conduct a descriptive population health- focused evaluation of a large-scale health system's employee health and wellbeing program. Guided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) framework for program evaluation in public health and National Center for Organization Development guidelines, a nurse-led evaluation was conducted using 5 specific data sets emphasizing organizational structure, employee health offerings, employee surveys, Pathway to Excellence survey, and program contributions. A descriptive analysis was applied towards interpreting the organizational structure, and identifying all contributions to employee wellness. Inferential analysis was applied to identify correlations between survey results. The findings of the evaluation were mixed. The organizational structure of the program complied with CDC wellness program guidelines; of the 97 service departments surveyed, results revealed an 83.51% improvement in engagement, disengagement, satisfaction, best places to work, and customer satisfaction. The Pathway to Excellence survey results revealed a supportive organizational structure for a culture of wellness. The program contribution analysis showed that the health system provided accessible wellness and health promotion opportunities. Positive social change may result from this evaluation as the program is reinforced and the focus on employee wellness, health promotion, and disease prevention services are continued. As a result, the lives of employees, their families, and communities might be improved.

Nurse educators are faced with the issues of cost containment and documenting the results of continuing professional education (CPE). The results of successful CPE are behavior changes observed in the nursing staff upon returning to the work environment. Continuing professional education requires valid evaluation of instruments to determine its effectiveness, quality, and documentation of behavior changes. The purpose of this study was to establish the validity of four instruments measuring variables of behavior change in nurses after attendance at a CPE program. Cervero's (1985) evaluation model applied to CPE and behavior change was used to guide the study.Data was collected from three different convenience samples and merged for a total of 114 subjects. The four instruments that participants were asked to complete at the CPE programs were: (a) "New Ideas and You" (Brigham et al., 1995); (b) "Social System of the Organization"analysis. "New Ideas and You" (Brigham et al., 1995) (Ryan et al, 1995); (c) "CPE Program and Change" (Ryan et al., 1995); and (d) "The Continuing Professional Education Offering" (Elkins et al., 1995).Findings in this study were revealed through factor outcome to improve the quality of patient care. This end revealed two factors. "Social System of the Organization" (Ryan et al., 1995) resulted in a three factor solution. "CPE Program and Change" (Ryan et al., 1995) resulted in a three factor solution and "Continuing Professional Education Offering" (Elkins et al., 1995) resulted in a three factor solution.Conclusions from this study was that the four instruments have some degree of validity and reliability. The highest obtained factor scores confirmed the concepts identified as subscales in the four instruments.Nurse educators need a valid and reliable method of evaluating CPE to assess the effectiveness and extent of behavior changes in nurses after attendance at workshops, seminars, and other CPE programs. These behavior changes are a result of an increased knowledge base with an ultimateresult has a positive impact on the nursing profession, nursing education, and health care.
School of Nursing

In 2014, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) highlighted to the U.S. Senate the need to focus on air traffic control (ATC) training to meet job qualification and attrition rates within the career field. One U.S. Department of Defense military service assists the FAA in providing worldwide ATC services. This service is referred to as the agency throughout this paper to ensure confidentiality. The agency's ATC career field manager echoed the FAA's call for action in his 2014 Strategic/Action Plan. In August 2013, the agency's ATC trainer program was published. As of December 2015, the program had not been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to ascertain if the program facilitated the learning of critical ATC on-the-job training skills. An ad hoc expertise-oriented evaluation was conducted using the lenses of andragogy, experiential learning, and instructional system design (ISD). Purposeful sampling procedures were used to select 20 participants across the subgroups of supervisors, trainers, managers, and training developers from 7 focus sites. The semi-structured interviews queried 4 topical areas derived from Kirkpatrick's 4 levels of evaluation model. Data collected via documents and interviews were analyzed using descriptive, emotion, eclectic, and pattern coding. Key findings indicated that the program was not developed compliant with ISD principles and did not promote adult learning as endorsed by andragogy and experiential learning theory. The implications for positive social change include providing stakeholders with data needed to make evidence-based decisions regarding the current and future state of the program. The evaluation report project can be shared with the FAA, an agency partner, and has the potential to create a platform for improved training practices focusing on optimum and successful adult learning transactions.

Nursing workforce competency in informatics is crucial to providing safe patient care, improving quality, and reducing healthcare costs. Assurance of informatics competency in a workforce with increasingly diverse educational preparations, demographics, and informatics skills poses significant challenges. The question addressed was the lack of nursing informatics competency assessment tool relevant to bedside nursing. The purpose of this project was to develop and review a new nursing informatics competency assessment tool designed to address the individual educational needs of newly hired nurses. The tool was designed to measure nurses' competency in computer literacy, informatics literacy, and informatics management skills recommended in the American Nurses Association's Standards and Scope of Practice and Technology Informatics Guiding Education Reform. This tool supports practices at the bedside by providing individualized education according to the results of a self-assessment. The project was guided by the Benner's model and the Rosswurm and Larrabee framework. Content validity was established by item analysis, relevancy scale, and validation by the identified experts from the organization's Nursing Informatics Department (n = 4); the Department of Education, Practice, and Research (n =8); the Clinical Outcomes Department (n = 1); and bedside nurses (n = 14). The administration recommended this tool be incorporated into its strategic plan. This project promoted positive social change by developing a tool to assess informatics competencies in newly hired nurses and guide educators in developing future educational strategies. These efforts will assist in creating a workforce that is prepared to deliver healthcare safely, efficiently, and cost-effectively in the increasingly technology-savvy environment of U.S. healthcare in the 21st century.

The purpose of this study was to conduct a program evaluation of ACME’s worksite weight loss initiative and collect evidence relative to the efficacy of the program. An anonymous online survey was administered to participants of the weight loss initiative. The survey was designed to gather information relative to the research questions, which explored the initiative’s barriers to participation, alignment of initiative with the goals of participants, utilization of initiative resources, overall strengths, weaknesses, and areas of improvement for the weight loss initiative, as well as the respondents’ general profile for the six dimensions of wellness. Reporting of data included descriptive statistics, which contained means, frequencies, and percentages. Some questions required open-ended responses, which were grouped together to identify trends. Of the 35 employees enrolled in the initiative, 32 responded to the online survey. Only a small group of participants from the larger pool of members at the worksite were successfully recruited into the weight loss initiative. Some respondents reported feeling intimidated towards the thought of participating in the initiative, which suggests that the weight loss theme may have been a barrier to participation. The majority of respondents identified weight loss as their primary wellness goal for the New Year, which aligned with the decision by the wellness staff to provide a weight loss initiative at the beginning of the year. The majority of respondents felt that the personal training provided by ACME Wellness was a primary resource in facilitating goal achievement. All of the respondents were satisfied with their experience in the weight loss initiative, and most summarized their experience as challenging, motivating, and fun. Strengths of the weight loss initiative were identified as teamwork, motivational factors, and communication. Weaknesses included organization, participation, and readiness. Areas of improvement were identified as planning, structure, and promotional factors. Respondents scored favorably in the intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions of wellness, but not as high in the physical and occupational dimensions. The conclusions of this study suggest that weight loss initiatives can be an effective option for worksites since the design and implementation of such programs assist members in goal achievement.

Continuing education in Scotland underwent radical changes in the early 1980's, when the National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland responded to the proposals of a working party report (Working Part 1981). They began re-designing their continuing education provision for qualified nurses, and in conjunction with this development, they commissioned two consecutive evaluations. One was to look at a course entitled 'The Experienced Charge Nurse Module', and the other was of a more complex modular development, entitled 'Professional Studies I and II'. This thesis uses the work that was carried out by the author in executing the two evaluations, to propose a new model of evaluation for use in conjunction with continuing education courses. The need for the model became apparent in the early stages of the research, after the relevant nursing, evaluation, and continuing education literature sources were considered. No existing models appeared to completely meet the demands of the complexities of adult, continuing education courses, although it was considered that the 'Illuminative Evaluation' model of Parlett and Hamilton (1972) was a good basis to work from. Through the initial evaluation of the Experienced Charge Nurse Module, certain methodologies - predominantly qualitative - were tested, and used in conjunction with progressive focusing (Parlett and Hamilton, 1972) and grounded theory techniques (Glaser and Strauss, 1967). This based the research strongly in the phenomenological field, and these techniques were pursued and strengthened through the second, much larger evaluation of Professional Studies I and II. The main development at this stage, was that of a monitoring exercise. This complemented the evaluative component, and when the two elements were combined, they formed the 'Structure-Process-Outcome' model of evaluation (based on the categories used in the quality assurance field (Donabedian, 1966). This is proposed as a flexible and comprehensive model which can be adapted for use at either the macro or micro level of evaluation.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess certified athletic trainers' knowledge acquisition, knowledge retention, and satisfaction, following a continuing professional education (CPE) program offered in either a traditional, lecture-oriented format or an interactive format addressing adult learning strategy preferences. Design: We used a pre-test, post-test experimental design with comparison groups utilizing stratified randomization. Setting: The CPE program was held in the University wellness center classrooms. Subjects: Forty-six certified athletic trainers participated. Measurements: After determination of learning strategy preferences, a 30 item multiple-choice exam was administered prior to, immediately after, and one-month following the CPE program to determine level of knowledge acquisition and retention. Participant self-reported level of satisfaction was assessed with a questionnaire immediately following the CPE program. Results: A significant main effect for treatment (F2,70 = 6.02, p < 0.004) was observed indicating that subjects in the lecture format CPE program acquired and retained more knowledge than subjects in the interactive format regardless of learning strategy preference. There was no significant loss in knowledge observed one-month following the CPE program regardless of learning strategy preference or treatment (lecture or interactive CPE format). No significant differences in level of satisfaction by treatment (lecture or interactive CPE format) or by learning strategy preference (navigators, problem-solvers, or navigators) were noted; however, 13 (28.3%) reported an excellent level of satisfaction (mean satisfaction score of 4.0) and 31 (67.4%) reported an above average level of satisfaction (mean satisfaction scores of 3.0 to 3.88). Conclusions: Our data indicate that lecture format CPE programs may be optimal for knowledge acquisition and retention, independent of learning strategy preference. Knowledge retention did not decrease regardless of learning strategy preference or CPE format and actually demonstrated a further increase using the lecture format. Although our data suggest that participant satisfaction is independent of learning strategy preference and CPE format, the homogeneity of responses made it difficult to detect any relationship with regard to learning style preference and satisfaction.

Continuing education programs are successful only to the extent that the recommended practice or behavior is implemented. Previous research has demonstrated that some programs result in behavior change and others fail to do so. A conceptual framework developed by Cervero links behavior change to continuing professional education. This descriptive correlational study examined factors related to implementation of knowledge gained from a continuing professional educational offering into practice among registered nurses. One questionnaire on the motivation of the individual professional was given prior to the continuing professional educational offering and three other questionnaires eliciting the participants perception of the social system, nature of the change and the continuing educational offering was given upon completion of the class. Two months following the offering a self-report evaluation, a Likert scale instrument and an open-ended questionnaire, was completed by the participants to measure the change in behavior after the learning experience. Demographic data of the participants was also correlated with nursing behavior. The rights of the participants were protected at all times. Participants were asked to participate on a strictly voluntary basis. Findings of the study indicated that the variables of the individual professional, the continuing educational offering, the nature of the change and social system did not statistically correlate with the outcome variable of behavior change. However, the responses to the open ended questionnaire contradicted the statistical findings. Participants articulated numerous ways in which their nursing practice had changed as a result of their continuing education experience. Conclusions of the study were that there is no statistically significant relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variable of behavior change, but that qualitative data indicated that change in nursing practice did occur following the continuing professional education offering. Implications from the study indicate that the process of continuing professional education is complex with multiple variables. There is a need for further research to delineate the influence of these variables on behavior change in nursing practice. Then, those planning educational offerings could work effectively with their clientele to more dramatically improve health care and client outcomes.
School of Nursing

Adolescents and young adults use more tobacco than all other adults, yet the percentage of this younger population eventually quitting the use of tobacco is lower. There is little evidence-based research to support adolescent smoking cessation programs. Using social learning theory (SLT) and the stages of change model, the purpose of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Not-On-Tobacco (N-O-T) program, an evidence-based adolescent smoking cessation program, in reducing or preventing the number of cigarettes smoked by high school boarding students and to evaluate how best to individualize the program for this high school going forward. The DNP questions were asked to see to what extent the N-O-T program would reduce the prevalence of student smoking and what changes to the current program curriculum should be made to tailor the program to this particular high school. Pre- and post survey data were obtained from 10 students 15-17 years of age enrolled in the N-O-T program for violating the campus’ tobacco-free policy. A secondary data analysis using paired samples t test did not determine a statistically significant effect on smoking cessation in this small population of students. The findings did show a significant positive correlation between those who found the program “very helpful” and a decrease in the number of cigarettes smoked pre- and post program. Content analysis of student data resulted in recommendations to modify the program to make it more effective for this school. Awareness of interactions and relationships with others and successfully dealing with social changes through a program like the N-O-T program will lead to increased life-long health benefits, decreased medical costs, and lost productivity associated with tobacco use. School nurses are in an ideal position to implement a successful smoking cessation program.

This applied dissertation was designed to evaluate the business and leadership components of a Registered Nursing (RN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at the university. The problem was that an evaluation of the present RN-to-BSN curriculum had not been conducted since 2006 to determine if the best practices in business and leadership were current, applicable, and relevant in the current RN-to-BSN curriculum. The researcher utilized an evaluation methodology to assess the business and leadership components of an RN-to-BSN nursing program. An evaluation tool was developed and used to compare expected outcomes (criteria) of current practices to expected outcomes (criteria) of best practices in the field of nursing. The expected outcomes (criteria) of current best practices were developed from a review of the literature, data collected from RN-to-BSN alumni students, and input from formative and summative committees. Thirteen specific procedures guided the study to assess the value, merit, and worth of the program and to answer six research questions. The final evaluation by the expert panel revealed that the current best practices in business and leadership taught in Nursing 4020 and Nursing 4030 courses were not current with preferred best practices. The final report recommended updating the courses with current best practices collected from the literature, formative and summative committee members, practicing RNs, and experts in the nursing profession.

A college education is, for many in America, part and parcel of the American Dream, and is certainly achievable. For countless reasons, students may enroll at community colleges underprepared, unprepared, anxious, and destined for a high risk of failure. Although community colleges are higher education institutions open and accessible to all who want to pursue an education, some degree programs are selective enrollment programs, such as nursing. Considering the stringent admission criteria and rigors of an associate degree in nursing (ADN) program, few are admitted. However, due to the pending shortage of registered nurses, assistance programs to help high risk nursing students succeed in school and pass their licensure exams to become RNs are needed for the future of the profession.

The purpose of this exploratory study is to identify factors of the successful Gateway/HRNS program embedded in the community college Associate Degree in Nursing program that fostered student retention, graduation and passing of the NCLEX-RN licensure exam on the first attempt. A qualitative case study methodology was utilized for this comprehensive program evaluation of one very successful ADN nursing program in a Midwest community college. Interviews of graduates of this high risk nursing program, focus groups of faculty teaching in the program, and archival and current document analysis were used to determined program factors that have helped high risk students over the past twenty years to succeed and become licensed, employed RNs.

Findings revealed that students and faculty highly valued three components of the high risk nursing student assistance program. These components were a) a pre-nursing summer introduction to nursing component comprised of many small courses; b) a mid-curricular second summer LPN option component; and c) regularly-scheduled weekly tutoring sessions throughout the two years of the ADN program. The most valued experience, according to program graduates, was the mid-curricular LPN Option course, which is mandatory for these high risk students and optional for other nursing students. It was felt this second summer component in the assistance program helped students to integrate nursing theory coursework and clinical which provided a substantial benefit as they entered their final year of the ADN program.

As a result of this study's findings, the O'Sullivan Strive to Thrive (S2T) Model for Student Success was developed to enable community college nursing leaders to develop assistance programs for high risk nursing students. There are eight steps in the Strive to Thrive (S2T) Model, designed to help ADN leaders and faculty promote and orchestrate the successful persistence and graduation of high risk students. Also included are directions for each of the steps as well as corresponding useful forms. This model to plan and design assistance programs for high risk students can be adapted by nursing department leaders in community colleges, as well as other nursing program venues and degree programs.

This study aims to increase the level of knowledge about the gerontological knowledge of a sample of registered nurses by creating a portable and concise continuing education seminar that is based upon the fundamental components of the normal aging process. The impact on the learning outcomes of an accredited continuing education seminar that was developed for this study was analyzed. The continuing education seminar focused on some of the major areas of social gerontology pertinent to nursing. Although other variables (age, gender, educational level, and previous gerontological training) were analyzed, none were found to have significant effect on the level of knowledge.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcomes of the service-learning requirement in the Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) curriculum at the local college. The problem addressed in this study was that the local ASN program lacked formal evaluation of the service-learning requirement. Guided by Kolb's model of experiential learning, a goal-based, summative evaluation employed as a qualitative case study explored the perceptions of 20 stakeholders including graduates, faculty members, and key community informants. The research questions focused on how service learning influenced a student's learning of cultural competence and the impact service learning had on the community. In-depth qualitative data were collected through face-to-face or phone, semi-structured interviews. Qualitative content analysis was the analytic method used in this study. To ensure trustworthiness, students' perceptions were triangulated with faculty's and community members' perceptions as related to outcomes of service learning, and interpretations were validated through member checking. Key results from the study indicated that service learning was perceived as a valuable component in the curriculum that influenced the students' knowledge of social and cultural factors, as well as their level of cultural competence in clinical practice. In addition, service learning was perceived as having a positive impact on the community. An evaluation report was created to provide administrators at the local college summative data upon which to base decisions regarding curriculum requirements or changes. Positive social change may result if nursing students are involved in civic engagement and have an opportunity to develop a more critical consciousness while serving the local needs of the community.

The purpose of this study was to examine efficacious instructional strategies that the New England Community College (NECC) nursing program could implement in the curricula to improve National Council Licensure Examination Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) first-time pass rates. Effective strategies from students and nursing program faculty had used were investigated. Such strategies support student nurses in their efforts to succeed on the first administration of the exit examination. The rationale for this study and resulting project was that they could improve NCLEX-RN first-time pass rates and positively impact the local hiring of qualified nurses. Guided by Knowles's adult learning theory, key results of the study and resulting project were developed from effective instructional strategies discovered from former NECC students. The central research question focused on identifying which teaching-learning strategies in the NECC nursing curricula improved students' critical thinking skills and problem solving skills. A qualitative case study design was employed with a purposeful sample of 15 former NECC nursing program graduates. Participant focus groups and annual program/accreditation documents were used to collect data to address how student nurses learn best in order to be successful on the exit examination. The project was the creation of a 3-day seminar in the first semester curriculum that focuses on effective licensure preparation instructional strategies to establish and maintain high NCLEX-RN pass rates. Implications for positive social change include, but are not limited to, improving students' problem solving skills and application of critical thinking strategies in order to positively impact the lives of the patients whom they will serve.

Nursing programs have embraced distance learning in their curricula, but discussion is ongoing about course assignments and grading criteria to increase examination scores in nursing distance learning courses. Because course examinations are a predictor of success on the postgraduate licensing examination (NCLEX-RN), the purpose of this study was to determine whether differences existed in student examination scores between nursing distance learning courses with and without points aligned to assignments. The theoretical framework was Knowles’s theory of andragogy, which highlights adults’ motivation and self-direction to succeed. The quantitative causal comparative study included a convenience sample of 164 students to compare archival data of 4 examination scores between 2 nursing distance-learning courses. Data analysis included an independent-groups one-tailed t test. No significant differences were found between the 2 courses, suggesting that students do not achieve higher examination scores with course points aligned with course assignments. Nursing administrators and faculty in nursing programs with a distance learning component will benefit from the findings of this study. Findings may be used to draft, revise, and implement assignment criteria and point alignment for nursing distance learning courses. Social change will occur when nursing distance learning faculty use problem-solving and critical thinking assignments, including case studies, discussion boards, group assignments, concept mapping and NCLEX-RN style testing in each nursing distance learning course. Because point alignment to course assignments do not significantly improve examination scores, implementation of problem-solving and critical thinking assignments is necessary to promote student learning and examination success.

In the realm of higher education, retention is a concept vital to the progression and security of all institutions. This remains true for all nursing programs as well because reports have shown an attrition rate as high as 50% in some nursing programs across the globe. Along with the nursing shortage projected in the next 20 years, retention in nursing programs poses a massive problem for not just higher education but healthcare as well. Therefore, it is important for nursing educators to understand the factors affecting student completion of a nursing program. This two-phase, mixed-methods study sought to answer the overarching research question: What factors contribute to completion of the Southcentral Community and Technical College (SKYCTC) Practical Nursing (PN) program within three semesters? Since the majority of nursing programs utilize a selective admission process for accepting students, the first phase of the study gathered admission criteria on six cohorts of students accepted into the SKYCTC PN program from August 2008 through May 2015. This quantitative data was analyzed to determine if any of the admission criteria were related to completion of the program. For the second phase, qualitative data was gathered through a focus group attended by 11 graduates of the SKYCTC PN program between August 2008 and May 2015. The purpose of the focus group was to gather environmental or academic influences that graduates attributed to their success in completing the program.

Class of 2014 Abstract
Specific Aims: On April 18, 2007, the Arizona legislature passed the Pharmacy Continuous Quality Assurance (CQA) law, with enforced compliance beginning January 1, 2014. With the lengthy lag time between passage of the law and required compliance with the law, a continuing pharmacy education (CPE) seminar was developed to educate Arizona pharmacy personnel about the new requirements. The CPE seminar was evaluated by assessing changes in participant self-reported knowledge, motivation, and awareness regarding the quality assurance legislation and the CQA process. Methods: The CPE seminar took place at the Arizona Pharmacy Association’s Community Pharmacy Academy Conference. Data were collected using a retrospective pre-assessment/post-assessment questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Wilcoxon Signed-Rank tests with a Boniferroni correction. Demographic information were reported using descriptive statistics. Main Results: The response rate was 70%, with 28 of 40 participants completing the questionnaire. Each of the six self-assessment questionnaire statements showed a statistically significant change from pre to post assessment (p = 0.0005). Conclusion: The results show that the law CPE session positively impacted participant self-assessment of knowledge, awareness, and motivation of quality improvement initiatives and medication errors. Follow-up research is needed to determine what impact this CPE session will have in pharmacy practice.

Childbirth education provided to women is an Integral aspect of the childbirth experience. In Malawi, midwives face a major challenge because one of their major roles is to provide childbirth information to women. However, there are no existing Childbirth Education Programs to facilitate this process. The purpose of this study was, therefore, threefold. First, it explored childbirth Information needs of Malawian mothers from the perspectives of both mothers and midwives, as well as strategies that would be appropriate to disseminate this childbirth information to Malawian women. Second, it developed a Childbirth Educational Program (CEP) to meet the specific needs of Malawian women as previously identified. Third, the CEP was implemented and evaluated for it’s effectiveness in increasing Malawian women’s knowledge of childbirth. The study was conducted in three phases. In Phase One, childbirth information needs of Malawian women were determined using findings from previous studies, focus groups and individual interviews of Malawian midwives. In Phase Two, data obtained from Phase One was used to develop a CEP as well as pretest/posttest questionnaire. In Phase Three, a quasi-experimental study using sequential sampling was conducted to implement and evaluate the CEP. Participants Included pregnant women who attended antenatal clinics at the Ndirande and Limbe Health Centres in Blantyre (Malawi). Following informed consent, 125 women from the Ndirande Health Centre were Invited to participate in the study and recruited to a control group. Another 125 women were also recruited to an intervention group at Limbe Health centre. A pretest was administered to both groups of women to determine their childbirth knowledge prior to implementation of the study. Women In the control group were exposed to routine antenatal education from both hospital and traditional non-hospital sources. Therefore, an increase in childbirth knowledge was anticipated. Additionally, women in the intervention group were exposed to both routine antenatal education as well as a systematic and comprehensive CEP. It was anticipated the degree to which knowledge increased in this group would be higher than in the control group, thus demonstrating the effectiveness of the CEP.

Objective: The purpose of this DNP Project was to investigate factors that influence the sustainability of a prior nursing physical assessment education intervention with intensive care unit (ICU) nurses working at Saint Luke’s Hospital in Haiti. Methods: A qualitative design, utilizing focus group interviews and direct observation was used. Two focus group interviews were held at St. Luke’s Hospital. Participants were identified via purposeful sampling, with the aid of key informants, to include Haitian nursing and medical administration, ICU staff nurses, and physicians that participated in the prior nursing education intervention. An interpreter was present during the interviews. The interviews were audio taped, allowing verbatim translation and transcription into English. The transcription was analyzed to identify themes regarding factors that influenced the sustainability of the prior nursing physical assessment education. Findings: The majority of themes identified in the nursing focus group interview were mirrored in the physician focus group interview and aligned with current literature. These included staffing, nursing knowledge regarding physical assessments, and continuing education. The nursing focus group indicated that ongoing communication and collaboration were factors influencing sustainability. In the physician focus group, the theme of interdisciplinary integration also emerged. Conclusion: There is limited literature discussing the factors that influence sustainability of nursing education in developing countries. A program evaluation to examine these factors for the prior nursing education at St. Luke’s Hospital had not been conducted. Findings indicate that there are numerous factors that influenced the sustainability of the prior nursing physical assessment education intervention. Although these findings are not transferable to other settings or populations, understanding means to increase sustainability may be influential in future nursing education endeavors with St. Luke’s Hospital in Haiti.

A quasi-experimental design was used to examine the differences in myocardial infarction (MI) patients' self-care behaviors, satisfaction, knowledge, and feelings of security after participation in a structured cardiac teaching program presented by one designated patient educator. Thirty subjects diagnosed with first time uncomplicated MIs were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n = 15) or the control group (n = 15) which received conventional unstructured teaching. Four self-report questionnaires were developed and used. Patient satisfaction with teaching was greater for the experimental group (t = -2.65; df = 28; p ≤ 0.05). No differences were found between groups regarding information retained at time of discharge from the hospital or two weeks later, or in readiness for post-hospital self-care. Self-care behaviors were improved clinically in both groups, but somewhat more in the experimental group. The findings suggest this structured cardiac teaching program presented by one designated patient educator enhanced patient satisfaction and may have improved self-care.

As there continues to be a nursing shortage and a lack of diversity in the nursing profession, it is important to retain at-risk students who have been admitted to nursing programs. The purpose of this program evaluation was to compare at-risk students who had not received retention services to at-risk students who had received retention services at a Midwestern college. A formative evaluation was conducted using information from three sources: the college, the students, and the community. Guided by a constructivist theory defined by Ponticell, this study examined the effectiveness of the retention program in terms of its impact on course completion rates, semester, and cumulative GPAs, and number of students on probation and dismissed from the college. Using a retrospective quasi-experimental design, data from 72 students in 2 groups were compared using chi-square, t tests, and one-way repeated-measures ANOVA. Although the results were not significant, students who received retention services were less frequently on probation and dismissed, had higher course completion rates, and had higher GPAs. In addition, 54 graduating students were surveyed, and their perceptions of the retention services were positive, with an overall mean score of 4.02 out of 5.0. Themes identified through a community key informant interview included student/personal responsibility, family responsibility, and community responsibility. The program evaluation was summarized in an evaluation report that included the results and recommendations for continuation or the addition of retention services. This study may impact social change as the retention services are reviewed and adjusted in order to produce an increased number of qualified, diverse registered nurses.

Practicing nurses need to be qualified at the baccalaureate level at a rate of 80% by 2020 to meet the needs of the increasingly demanding healthcare industry. Designed to meet this need, the online RN-BS (registered nurses earning a Bachelor of Science) nursing program at a local university has a declining completion rate that needs to be addressed and increased. The conceptual framework for this project was a qualitative program evaluation with a case study design; the project was designed to determine if the structure of the program was limiting student success or if factors experienced by full-time working RNs in the program were impacting success. E-mail interviews were conducted with 29 students in the online RN-BS nursing program who were selected through purposeful sampling. Research questions for this study examined the barriers faced by experienced nurses when they studied in the online RN-BS nursing program while maintaining their work schedule as RNs. Predetermined, open-ended, semistructured questions produced data that were analyzed through coding and theme identification. Themes were validated through member checking and use of an external auditor. Data revealed that students preferred the online format of the program to a face-to-face program, and they felt the local university nursing faculty was responsive and supportive. Challenges the students faced were primarily time management, cost of the program, information technology issues including learning the learning management system, group projects, and study skills. Based on the findings, an orientation program was developed that will affect social change by helping the local university nursing students complete the baccalaureate preparation they need to comply with the increasing industry demands.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of patients have coronary angiograms performed in the United States. The Impella is a percutaneous ventricular support device that provides hemodynamic support for patients if hemodynamic instability occurs during the procedure. The critical care nurse is responsible for the recovery and management of the patient with the Impella device in place. The purpose of this scholarly project is to provide registered nurses (RN) who have not previously managed the Impella device with the appropriate education in order to demonstrate competency. The program demonstrated improved RN knowledge about the Impella and increased confidence when managing the Impella device and controller. King's goal attainment theory was used as a framework to develop nurse-patient collaboration. Kirkpatrick's 4-level training evaluation model provided the framework for evaluation of the RN educational program. The sources of evidence included literature and an expert panel that was recruited to evaluate the material prior to implementation of the educational program. The data were analyzed by comparing the results of the preeducational and posteducational questionnaires. The paired t test demonstrated statistical significance based on the scores from the pre- and post-tests taken by the RNs before and after the Impella educational program as p < .001. Increased RN confidence was demonstrated by p < .001, while a change in RN attitude towards the Impella established improvement by p < .001. Providing professional development opportunities has been shown to benefit RNs to allow the delivery of safe care while allowing for positive social change by impacting patient lifestyle and outcomes.

An incredible proliferation of knowledge has generated a critical need for professionals in all fields to have access to current information and research results. Costs for study and research are extremely high, particularly in science fields, and most professionals seek to minimize loss in time and funds by avoiding duplication of efforts. Language is often a handicap, preventing the voluntary sharing of valuable information between individuals and countries, and many recognize the establishment of a universal language as a means of eliminating this unnecessary barrier. English is rapidly becoming accepted as a universal means of communication, but those who seek the skill often cannot afford the time to commit themselves to years of study to acquire it. To meet the needs of such a group of scientists in Bucaramanga Colombia, a program for study in English communicative competence was designed, implemented and evaluated in 1988, through the cooperative efforts of Western Kentucky University and Instituto Colombiano del Petroleo.

Childhood obesity is a worldwide epidemic. In the United States, approximately 17% of adolescents are obese; and 13% of the general population is overweight. Obese adolescents are at threefold risk for developing chronic health conditions in adulthood, including type II diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the results of a quality improvement program to reduce adolescent obesity as measured by BMI 5% over 18 months in a rural health primary care clinic. The health belief model and theory of planned behavior guided the project as adolescents need to first understand the risks associated with obesity and the benefits derived from a healthier lifestyle Then, they can be prepared to engage in regular exercise and good eating behaviors. A convenience sample of 100 adolescents was randomly assigned to an intervention group with structured physical activity regimen and dietary education classes and a standard care group with normal counseling. Two separate one-sided t tests with 90% confidence intervals were used to analyze the data. Also, run charts were constructed to assess the effectiveness of the program. The result of the t test revealed the weight for the intervention group at 18 months (M = 42.85, SD = 0.79) was significantly lower than it was for those in the non-intervention group (M = 45.06, SD = 0.59), t(36) = -9.79, p < 0.01. Furthermore, the run charts demonstrate the average BMI for those in the interventional group steadily decreased over 18 months while the non-intervention group steadily increased. Positive social change was achieved at the organization level as adolescent obesity was reduced with the evidence-based interventions. This project serves as a potential model for replication in other rural health primary care clinics.

No âmbito hospitalar o número de enfermeiros é significativo, atuando desde o âmbito assistencial até cargos de chefia e participação em assessorias. Todavia, para essa atuação, o conhecimento não é definitivo, sendo necessário que o profissional desenvolva aprendizagem contínua e atualizada. A presente pesquisa qualitativa teve como objetivo geral caracterizar um perfil de capacitação profissional do enfermeiro de um Complexo Hospitalar de ensino a partir da percepção das Diretoras de Divisão de Enfermagem dos Institutos que compõem o pólo central do Complexo Hospitalar do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, e como objetivos específicos: identificar a percepção das colaboradoras acerca do perfil de capacitação dos enfermeiros; conhecer as propostas que orientam essa capacitação; e analisar os elementos institucionais necessários para a efetivação desse processo. Optou-se pelo método do Estudo de Caso, cuja flexibilidade permite confirmar, modificar, ou ampliar o conhecimento sobre o objeto que estuda, contribuindo assim para a construção teórica do respectivo domínio do conhecimento. Foram colaboradoras do estudo as seis Diretoras de Divisão de Enfermagem do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo e suas substitutas, totalizando doze colaboradoras. A coleta de dados foi realizada por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas, após aprovação do estudo pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da EEUSP e da Comissão de Ética para Análise de Projetos de Pesquisa - CAPPesq do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, e assinatura do Termo de Consentimento Livre e Esclarecido pelas colaboradoras. Para análise dos dados foi adotada a técnica da Análise de Conteúdo de Bardin, que possibilitou o resgate das Categorias Política Institucional, Política de Gerenciamento de Recursos Humanos e Elementos Intervenientes do Processo de Capacitação Profissional do Enfermeiro. Os resultados mostraram que não há uma política institucional formalizada para a capacitação do enfermeiro em todos os Institutos; que a contratação de enfermeiros recém-formados e a questão salarial são elementos dificultadores para a capacitação; a contrapartida das instituições de ensino aparece como um recurso para atender às necessidades de capacitação do enfermeiro; dois Institutos não possuem Serviço de Educação Continuada; o perfil do profissional demandado, na concepção semelhante das colaboradoras, é de um profissional com postura ética, conhecimento técnico-científico, capacidade de gerenciar sua equipe, assíduo, pontual e comprometido com a Instituição. A Coordenação das Atividades de Enfermagem (CAENF), composta pelas diretoras de Divisão de Enfermagem dos Institutos, tem entre seus objetivos a proposta de montar um grupo/recurso para a capacitação e desenvolvimento do pessoal. Dessa forma depreende-se que existe empenho dos enfermeiros e das chefias de enfermagem no desenvolvimento da capacitação profissional. Entretanto, essa disposição não tem sido elemento suficiente para superar as dificuldades de ordem política e econômica que perpassam um Complexo Hospitalar Público
In a hospital complex is significant the number of nurses working to assist people and also in the leadership jobs and participating in advisory tasks. However, for this type of work, knowledge is not definitive and the professional needs to develop continuous and updating learning. The present qualitative research had the general objective to characterize the profile of the professional capacitating program for nurses in a Teaching Hospital Complex, based on the six directors´ and their six substitutes\' perception of the Nursing Division of the Institutes which take part of the central pole of the Hospital Complex of the Clinicas Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine of the São Paulo University (USP), totaling 12 collaborators. The specific objectives were to identify the collaborators\' perception about the nurse\'s profile in the capacitating program and to know the proposals which oriented this process. The Study of a Case was the method of choice whose flexibility allowed to confirm, modify or to improve the knowledge on the studied object thus contributing for the theoretical construction of the respective knowledge domain. Data collection was carried out by means of semi-structured interviews after approval of the study made by the Ethic Committee in Research of the Nursing School at USP and of the Ethic Committee for Analysis of Research Projects of the Clinicas Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine of the São Paulo University and also the signature of the Free Informed Consent by the collaborators. For analysis of data, the Bardin\'s Content Analysis was used which allowed to rescue the Institutional Policy Categories, Policy of Human Resources Management and the Intervening Elements of the Nurse\'s Professional Capacitating Program. The results showed that there is no formal institutional policy to capacitate the nurse in all the Institutes; employment of fresh graduate nurses and the remuneration policy are difficult elements in the capacitating program. The counterpart of the teaching institutions appears as a resource to assist the needs of the nurse capacitating program; two Institutes do not have a Continuing Education Program; the demanding profile according to the similar conception of the collaborators is a professional with ethic posture, scientifictechnical knowledge, and ability to deal with the team, assiduous, punctual and engaged with the Institution. The Coordination of the Nursing Activities composed by the directors of the Nursing Division of the Institutes aims to create a group/resource to capacitate and develop the personnel into the institution. Thus, we concluded that there is an effort by the nurses and nursing leadership to professional capacitate their staff, but this effort has not been a sufficient element to surpass their economic and political difficulties inherent to a Public Hospital Complex