Measuring outcomes in the workplace: the impact of an education program

There is an increasing pressure for mental health nurses to engage in research and quality improvement activities to demonstrate how nursing care contributes to improved patient outcomes. This paper describes the evaluation of an educational program, particularly its impact on participants' attitudes towards and confidence in the measurement of patient outcomes. Nurses from the Central Sydney Area Mental Health Service (n = 38) participated in one of two 1-day workshops. The participants were asked to complete three surveys. The first prior to the commencement of the workshop, the second on completion of the workshop and the third 3 months later. The findings suggest the workshops were beneficial to participants in many areas relevant to the measurement of outcomes. The recommendations made on the basis of this study are described.