A Multifaceted Model to Evaluate Interprofessional Education in Clinical Nurse Specialist Programs

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Education
• Nursing Practice
• Interprofessional Collaboration

Background:

• Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) education programs emphasize team-based healthcare.
• Effective evaluation is crucial for monitoring outcomes in complex educational initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose an evaluation model for interprofessional (IP) education within CNS programs.
• To assess the impact of the CNS program on students' preparedness for IP healthcare teams.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Kirkpatrick and Stufflebeam's evaluation frameworks.
• Incorporated multiple data sources to assess process and outcomes of IP education.
• Collected quantitative (attitude/competency scores) and qualitative (faculty observations, student surveys) data.

Main Results:

• Students showed improved attitudes and self-efficacy for IP collaboration.
• Faculty observations validated enhanced IP communication and teamwork skills.
• Graduation and 1-year follow-up surveys confirmed students' preparedness for IP teams.

Conclusions:

• The evaluation plan provided actionable data for refining the CNS program.
• The CNS program successfully prepared students for IP practice.
• Future refinements should integrate systems change strategies, aligning with the CNS role.