Dissemination of the evaluation findings of the educational program is essential so that other researchers in the nursing field can apply the findings or modify the application of the educational program as an intervention of reducing incidences of nosocomial infections in a critical environment. Song et al. (2010) state that dissemination of the research findings is an issue in health because of biases associated with publication, reporting, language, and significance of the findings. These biases have reduced accessibility of research findings that have significant relevance to nursing due to the poor means of dissemination. Therefore, this essay summarizes strategies of disseminating evaluation findings of the educational program.
Methods of disseminating evaluation findings include the use of publications, presentations, and seminars. To increase accessibility of the evaluation findings, the use of publications such as journals, brochures, and charts is appropriate. Moreover, preparation of a PowerPoint presentation is a good way of disseminating evaluation findings so that critical care nurses and entire nursing community can access and read. As a seminar provides an environment where nurses can interact freely and discuss, it is an appropriate method of disseminating evaluation findings of the educational program. Thus, seminars enhance dissemination of evaluating findings among critical care nurses and the nursing community.
Variables that are integral in dissemination of the evaluation findings include knowledge, skills, and perceptions of nurses, perceptions of patients, the prevalence of nosocomial infections, and the cost of treating the nosocomial infections. The impact of the educational program on the knowledge, skills, and perceptions of the critical care nurses is invaluable for dissemination. Perception of patients is also an important variable that gauges whether the educational program improves quality of nursing care in the ICU. Moreover, the prevalence of nosocomial infections in the ICU and the cost of treating them are important variables that require dissemination because they indicate the impact of the educational program on nosocomial infections and their treatment.
Dissemination of the evaluation findings among the critical care nurses is critical for them to understand the impact of the educational program on the nursing practice. Thus, tools necessary for disseminating evaluation findings include charts, brochures, PowerPoint presentations, seminars, and publications. From the evaluation findings, the educational program creates charts and brochures so that critical care nurses can constantly read and understand the impact of the educational program on enhancing their knowledge and skills, improving quality of care, reducing nosocomial, and decreasing cost of treatment in the ICU. The use PowerPoint presentations and seminars as dissemination tools are effective in real-time dissemination of the evaluation findings of the educational program. The publication enhances validity of evaluation findings, and thus promotes their use among nurses as evidence-based practices (Oermann et al., 2008). Hence, the publication of the evaluation findings in journals, magazines, and newspapers is a valuable tool for disseminating the findings.
The dissemination of the evaluation findings regarding the outcomes of educational program focuses on aspects of the outcomes such as knowledge, skills, and perceptions of nurses, perception of patients, the prevalence of nosocomial infections, and the cost of treating nosocomial infections. Since the educational program aims at improving competence of critical care nurses, dissemination of their knowledge, skills, and perceptions regarding prevention of nosocomial infections is important in highlighting the impact of the educational program. Perception of patients is critical information that requires dissemination. Satisfaction of patients normally signifies the nature of care and competence of nurses in the delivery of nursing care (Zavare, 2010). Thus, dissemination of patients’ perceptions is necessary so that nurses can understand how to deliver effective nursing care that meets the demands and expectations of patients. Given that educational program aims at reducing the prevalence of nosocomial infections and consequently treatment of patients in the ICU, dissemination of the information regarding the extent of reduction in prevalence of nosocomial infections and treatment cost is invaluable.
References
Oermann, et al. (2008). Dissemination of research in clinical nursing journals. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 17(2), 149-156.
Song, et al. (2010). Dissemination and publication of research findings: An updated review of related biases. Health Technology Assessment, 14(8), 1-224.
Zavare, M. (2010). Patient satisfaction: Evaluation nursing care for patients hospitalized with cancer in Tehran Teaching Hospitals, Iran. Global Journal of Health Science, 2(1), 117-126.