Four levels of evaluation nurse training program on regional food

ABSTRACT Objectives: to verify the effectiveness of a regional nutrition training program for nurses based on four levels of assessment: response, learning, behavior, and conclusions. Methods: this was a longitudinal, almost experimental before and after type of study, carried out in 2014 with eight nurses and 62 mothers attended in the Primary Health Care Units of the rural area of Ceará, Brazil, in a training program using educational technology on regional food. Results: the evaluations showed a positive reaction from the nurses; a very good post-test average (92.3%); a change in nurses’ behavior, verified by 30 educational activities after training; and satisfactory results, verified by improvement in knowledge, attitude and practice of the mothers about regional food and food safety after participating in the educational interventions carried out by the trained nurses. Conclusions: the training program was considered effective, showing positive results in the four levels of evaluation.

Evaluating a physician leadership development program – a mixed methods approach

Purpose – With the extent of change in healthcare today, organizations need strong physician leaders. To compensate for the lack of physician leadership education, many organizations are sending physicians to external leadership programs or developing in-house leadership programs targeted specifically to physicians. The purpose of this paper is to outline the evaluation strategy and outcomes of the inaugural year of a Physician Leadership Academy (PLA) developed and implemented at a Michigan-based regional healthcare system. Design/methodology/approach – The authors applied the theoretical framework of Kirkpatrick’s four levels of evaluation and used surveys, observations, activity tracking, and interviews to evaluate the program outcomes. The authors applied grounded theory techniques to the interview data. Findings – The program met targeted outcomes across all four levels of evaluation. Interview themes focused on the significance of increasing self-awareness, building relationships, applying new skills, and building confidence. Research limitations/implications – While only one example, this study illustrates the importance of developing the evaluation strategy as part of the program design. Qualitative research methods, often lacking from learning evaluation design, uncover rich themes of impact. The study supports how a PLA program can enhance physician learning, engagement, and relationship building throughout and after the program. Physician leaders’ partnership with organization development and learning professionals yield results with impact to individuals, groups, and the organization. Originality/value – Few studies provide an in-depth review of evaluation methods and outcomes of physician leadership development programs. Healthcare organizations seeking to develop similar in-house programs may benefit applying the evaluation strategy outlined in this study.