Return on Investment: Building the Case for a Nurse Manager Certificate Program

Area of Science:

• Nursing Professional Development
• Healthcare Management Education

Background:

• Nursing professional development practitioners often face inquiries regarding the return on investment (ROI) of educational programs.
• Quantifying the impact of professional development initiatives is crucial for demonstrating value and securing resources.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a pre-post program self-assessment tool for a Nurse Manager Certificate Program.
• To identify knowledge and skill gaps among participants.
• To define program outcomes and assess the return on investment of the educational program.

Main Methods:

• A self-assessment tool was created based on the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Nurse Executive Certification blueprint.
• The tool was administered as a pre- and post-program evaluation to participants of the Nurse Manager Certificate Program.

Main Results:

• The self-assessment effectively identified specific knowledge and skill gaps among nurse manager participants.
• Program outcomes were clearly defined through the assessment process.
• The evaluation provided evidence of improved knowledge and skills, supporting a positive return on investment for the program.

Conclusions:

• The developed self-assessment tool is effective in measuring knowledge and skill acquisition in a Nurse Manager Certificate Program.
• The tool aids in demonstrating the return on investment of nursing professional development programs.
• This approach provides a framework for evaluating other specialized nursing education initiatives.