Outcome Evaluation: Does Continuing Education Make a Difference?

This article describes how an outcome evaluation model was used for a 1-day continuing education conference focusing on genomics implications for nursing practice. Findings from this evaluation process are described, including results from subjects who participated in surveys prior to the conference (n = 119), immediately after the conference (n = 119), and 3 months after the conference (n = 59). Significant differences in overall genomics knowledge were measured before and immediately after the conference and these gains were maintained 3 months following the conference. There also was evidence that the conference participants used the information gained through continuing education to transform their nursing practice. This model can be used to evaluate continuing education, especially with newer knowledge such as genomics.