Evaluation: The Key to Accountability in Continuing Education

This longitudinal study involving twenty-four community health nurses was designed to determine the impact of a two-week continuing education offering on the subsequent nursing practice of the course participants. Pre-course and post-course testing was done to determine differences between the initial and post-course knowledge bases; pre- and post-course clinical chart audits were done as late as six months and one year after the course to determine the extent of the clinical application of the course content. The main study results confirm the content within this continuing education offering did increase the nurses' knowledge base and was incorporated into their clinical practice. Differences were found between levels of nursing educational preparation and "knowledge base; no differences were discernible relative to the clinical application of course content. A number of key ingredients felt to contribute to a successful continuing education offering are highlighted.