Evidence-Based Practice Project Proposal: Evaluation Plan
This is a paper in an ongoing project that will last for one entire 8-week class. The other elements of the project have already been completed and will be attached as separate files. This is a proposal for ADULT INPATIENTS in the hospital setting!
In 750-1,000 words, develop an evaluation plan to be included in your final evidence-based practice project proposal. You will use the evaluation plan in the Topic 8 assignment, during which you will synthesize the various aspects of your project into a final paper detailing your evidence-based practice project proposal.
Provide the following criteria in the evaluation, making sure it is comprehensive and concise:
- Discuss the expected outcomes for your evidence-based practice project proposal.
- Review the various data collection tools associated with your selected research design and select one data collection tool that would be effective for your research design. Explain how this tool is valid, reliable, and applicable.
- Select a statistical test for your project and explain why it is best suited for the tool you choose.
- Describe what methods you will apply to your data collection tool and how the outcomes will be measured and evaluated based on the tool you selected.
- Propose strategies that will be taken if outcomes do not provide positive or expected results.
- Describe the plans to maintain, extend, revise, and discontinue a proposed solution after implementation.
Refer to the “Evidence-Based Practice Project Proposal – Assignment Overview” document for an overview of the evidence-based practice project proposal assignments.
You are required to cite a minimum of five peer-reviewed sources to complete this assignment. Sources must be published within the last 5 years and appropriate for the assignment criteria and nursing content.
Sample Solution
Among the most vital steps or phases of evidence-based practice project implementation is the evaluation phase. The evaluation phase is important since it allows the EBP implementers to assess the impact or effectiveness of the project in achieving the projected or the desired outcomes. In addition, during the evaluation phase, the EBP implementers can also assess how effective the employed methods have been in achieving the desired outcomes (Morrison & Harms, 2018). The implication is that the implementers should have an adept understanding of the plan to enable them to come up with necessary improvement strategies to enhance the success of the project. Therefore, the purpose of this latest write-up is to formulate an evaluation plan for the proposed project.
The Expected Outcomes
Various outcomes are expected upon the implementation of the proposed intervention to improve the early recognition of sepsis in the medical-surgical units. One of the expected outcomes is the improved nurse knowledge on the use of the standardized sepsis risk assessment tool; this is an expected outcome since, as part of the implementation, nurses will be educated and trained on the standardized sepsis risk assessment tool and its use (Burnett, 2018). The other expected outcome is reduced cases of non-recognition of sepsis as a condition. As mentioned earlier in the project proposal, sepsis usually remains unrecognized or under-recognized, leading to fatalities, so it is expected that, by using the standardized sepsis risk assessment tool, such a scenario will be improved or reversed (Prescott & Angus, 2018). The other expected outcome is the reduced cases of death resulting from sepsis as a condition in the medical-surgical units. Again it is also expected that the organization will adopt the use of standardized sepsis risk assessment tool as the new standards of practice.
Data Collection Tools
One of the data collection tools that will be applied is questionnaires. Self-administered questionnaires will be used to assess the nurses’ current knowledge on the use of standardized sepsis risk assessment tools and their knowledge on the same after receiving training. One of the reasons why questionnaires will be used in this project is that they are easier to administer while they are also accurate in data collection and enables easier analysis of data (Hopp & Rittenmeyer, 2021). Questionnaires also have a good level of reliability. While some will be self-administered, like ones assessing the nurses’ knowledge, others will be administered by the investigator to evaluate the impact of the project.
The Statistical Test
Statistical tests are key in determining the efficacy of an intervention. Therefore the relevant statistical test to be applied in this project is the paired t-test, which will be used to compare the pre and post-intervention scores. The means t-test will also be used in comparing the averages. The mean will offer a more accurate picture of the impact of the implemented intervention. This statistical measure has a minimal bias (Grove& Cipher, 2019).
The Methods Used in Data Collection
Data completeness is key if the true picture of the impact of an intervention is to be evaluated. Therefore, two independent individuals will check the completeness of data obtained from the questionnaires. This will ensure that the questionnaires with all the questions answered are separated from the ones with incomplete answers. Data will also be extracted from the questionnaires for appropriate analysis. Besides, curation of data will also be key for accuracy. In determining the impact or efficacy of the intervention, the obtained data will have to be analyzed. Therefore, another phase will be data analysis. The analysis will be vital in determining the process and outcomes measures which are both key in project evaluation (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2019). While the process measures will show whether the intervention was effective or not, the outcomes measures will reflect whether the project’s desired results were accomplished.
Strategies to Consider In case the Outcomes are not positive or the Expected Results
It is expected that the proposed intervention will give positive results as indicated in the expected outcomes. However, in the case where the outcomes are not positive, then various strategies will be used. One of the strategies is to re-examine the implemented intervention through an analysis. Such a step may help to unearth weaknesses or areas of the project and what to improve in the intervention for better outcomes (Linsley et al., 2019). The project timeline will also be extended to allow an exploration of the corrective measures, which can possibly lead to better results. The extended timeline will also help the investigators to monitor how impactful the newly implemented strategies are.
The Plans of Maintaining, Extending, Revising, and Discontinuing the Proposed Solution
As earlier indicated, one of the major purposes of this project is to improve the timeous or early identification of sepsis in the medical-surgical settings. Therefore, depending on the initial outcomes of the project, the proposed solution will be maintained, revised, or discontinued. If the project turns out to positively impact processes, systems, and clinical practice as hoped for, then the project will be maintained (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2019). The ever-rising healthcare costs have been a matter of concern in recent times. Therefore, it will be prudent to find out if the project is cost-effective in terms of patient care. Therefore, the project will be maintained if it turns out to be cost-effective; otherwise, discontinuation may be considered. One of the factors that may call for the extension of the project is a case where the outcomes are turn out to be inconclusive. Therefore, the extension will be used as a strategy to acquire additional data necessary for determining the project’s efficacy (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2019). In addition, a revision of the project will be considered in a case where the strategies are not aligned to the projected outcomes. Therefore, the process of revision will trigger a modification to come up with an improved and superior intervention to improve the chances of the project’s success. The discontinuation will be considered in a case where the intervention turns out to cause harm to patients and the nurses working in the medical-surgical units.
Conclusion
Evaluation is a key phase of an evidence-based project. Therefore, this write-up has explored various aspects of evaluating the project, both process, and outcome measures. Data collection methods and strategies to explore in case outcomes are not positive have also been addressed. In addition, plans of maintaining, extending, revising, or discontinuing the intervention have been explored.
References
Burnett, E. (2018). Effective infection prevention and control: the nurse’s role. Nursing Standard (2014+), 33(4), 68. https://doi.org/10.7748/ns.2018.e11171.
Grove, S. K., & Cipher, D. J. (2019). Statistics for nursing research-e-book: A workbook for evidence-based practice. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Hopp, L., & Rittenmeyer, L. (2021). Introduction to evidence-based practice: A practical guide for nursing. FA Davis.
Linsley, P., Kane, R., & Barker, J. H. (2019). Evidence-based practice for nurses and healthcare professionals. Sage.
Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2019). Evidence-based Practice in Nursing &
Healthcare: A Guide to Best Practice. Wolters Kluwer.
Morrison, J. Q., & Harms, A. L. (2018). Advancing evidence-based practice through program evaluation: A practical guide for school-based professionals. Oxford University Press.
Prescott, H. C., & Angus, D. C. (2018). Enhancing recovery from sepsis: a review. Jama, 319(1), 62-75. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2017.17687