Evaluation of Process
The data collection methods used in a collection of outcome data included chart review for post and pre-implementation of EBP. Questionnaires were used for data collection from patients in medical-surgical units to find out if they are involved in their care. Chart review assists in evaluation of patient data that will be available when the project will be submitted for initial review. Since the project expected outcome is reduced mortality rate and improved quality of health for patients in medical-surgical units, chart review will provide information on whether the project reduced mortality, based on the data provided. The questionnaires will also capture the experience of patients when receiving care from the evidence-based practice (Palinkas, 2015). Questionnaires allow obtaining large quantities of information from a large sample within a short time. They are also cheap compared to other methods of data collection. Information collected using questionnaires can be quantified either manually or using analytical tools hence it offers a different researcher ways if data analysis. Data collected using the two methods will be compared with the previous data before implementation of the project to assess the effectiveness of the project.
The outcome measures of the project will evaluate the extent to which the project has achieved its objective. The EBP project aims to minimize the mortality rate for patients in a medical-surgical ward and improve the overall healthcare for patients in that unit. The expected outcome is that there will be a reduced mortality rate from medical-surgical review chart and improved patient outcome as reported from the questionnaire (Sekaran & Bougie, 2016). If the mortality rate remains the same or increases beyond the pre-implementation of the project, the project will be assumed to have not achieved its objective. Reduction in mortality rate will be an indication of successful project implementation. Since the outcome of the project is expected to have a reduced number of death cases from surgical units and improved overall health, any result besides that will be an illustration of a failed project.
The outcomes of the project will be measured by evaluating the final delivery of the project. If the project is delivering the expected objectives, it is said to be successful. When measuring the outcomes of the project, the measures should be valid, reliable and applicable. To assess whether the outcome meets the validity test, the measure used should measure what it is expected to measure. Since questionnaires are used in this case to test whether the objective of the project was met, the results of the questionnaires are used. The outcome will be evaluated on whether it was valid, reliable or applicable to another study. If the results are consistent with the results of the established measure, the measurement will be assumed to be valid (Jacobs, 2017). Reliability of the measurement will be determined if the results obtained from the questionnaires can be replicated. The results of the questionnaire and review charts will be assumed to be reliable if they will be in a position to be replicated. The outcome will apply to other organizations if they meet the objectives of the project (Palinkas, 2015). Applicability refers to the possibility of outcome measures to be applied in future studies. If the results of the outcome of the collected information are reliable, valid and applicable, the project will be said to be successful and achievable.
If the outcome does not provide positive results, change of the strategy will be necessary to cater for the high mortality of medical-surgical unit patients. This might include a change of treatment measure and increased collaboration between nurses and other healthcare workers so that there can be continuous care of the patients in those wards. Another strategy can be the training of nurses on effective use of research evidence so that they can effectively employ research in treatment and care of patients (Streiner et al., 2015). The hospital can also work on the library and involve librarians who will guide nursing practitioners on the materials and ways to effectively use research to provide evidence when treating patients. These strategies together with the implemented project will lead to positive results and improved patient’s outcome while in the medical-surgical wards.
The use of evidence-based research will improve the overall health of patients in the medical and surgical unit, and the ultimate result will be the reduction in mortality rate among patients in those wards. The use of EBP will provide high-quality care to patients. Since it is based on research, the use of evidence in nursing practice and consideration of patients’ needs and values, it will improve the overall health of the population (Jacobs, 2017). The results of the practice will be used in future research as evidence for effective EBP implementation.
References
Palinkas, L. A., Horwitz, S. M., Green, C. A., Wisdom, J. P., Duan, N., & Hoagwood, K. (2015). Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed method implementation research. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 42(5), 533-544.
Sekaran, U., & Bougie, R. (2016). Research methods for business: A skill building approach. John Wiley & Sons.
Jacobs, F. H. (2017). The five-tiered approach to evaluation: Context and implementation. In Evaluating family programs(pp. 37-68). Routledge.
Streiner, D. L., Norman, G. R., & Cairney, J. (2015). Health measurement scales: a practical guide to their development and use. Oxford University Press, USA.