Evaluating the program

This chapter presents a discussion of the specific steps undertaken when the Waltz approach is employed for the evaluation of nursing programs. Discussion is organized in terms of: (1) who is responsible for the evaluation; (2) why the evaluation is conducted, (3) what is evaluated, (4) how judgments are made on the basis of findings, (5) how the evaluation proceeds, (6) when evaluation occurs, (7) reporting and recording findings and results, and (8) evaluating the evaluation. Specific strategies and techniques for developing and implementing the Master Plan for Evaluation and for managing the conduct of the ongoing evaluation are described. Specific topics regarding "who" include the following: establishing and maintaining the internal evaluator role, operationalizing the internal evaluator role, ethical and political aspects of the role, essential characteristics of internal evaluators, maintaining an outsider perspective in the insider role, and determining significant others to be involved. In the section on "why," attention is given to explaining the purposes for the evaluation and identifying the potential audiences for results. Regarding "what," the focus is on examining program inputs, processes, outcomes, and the setting in which the evaluation occurs, rendering goals and objectives measurable, and explicating questions of concern to the respective audiences. Attention in the section on "how" emphasizes the following: establishing a procedure for decision making, constructing a variable matrix, categorizing evaluation activities, assigning responsibility for evaluation activities using responsibility charting, determining the cost of evaluation activities via engineering cost analysis, and establishing priorities. Gantt Charts are discussed in terms of "when," and essential components and considerations in reporting and recording are elaborated. Meta-evaluation, evaluating the evaluation, is discussed as it relates to the Master Plan, the implementation of specific activities, and strategies and techniques for managing the evaluation.