The Effect of a Statewide Continuing Education Program on Case-Management Skills:

To evaluate the effect of the Nursing Assessment and Management of the Frail Elderly (NAMFE) Program on the use of case-management skills, a quasi-experimental study with a posttest only design was used. The study sample consisted of a group of registered nurses who completed the NAMFE course and a comparison group. Two self-reported questionnaires were used to obtain data; the Competency Behaviors of the Case Manager Inventory (CBCMI) and a demographic/biographic survey. Results indicated no significant difference in the perceived "frequency of the use" of case-management skills between the two groups. Additional analysis, however, revealed that there was a significant difference in the subjects; perceived "adequacy of preparation for performance" of these skills. The NAMFE group believed that they were better prepared than the comparison group to perform the case mangement skills. Findings suggest that, in today's health care environment, case-management skills are being demanded of nurses; however, nurses may not be adequately prepared to perform these skills.