Evaluating the effects of continuing nurse education on practice: Researching for impact

An increasing number of studies are evaluating the effects of continuing nurse education on practice. Researchers investigating this relationship have traditionally adopted qualitative non-experimental research designs. Recently, however, a small but significant number of studies have adopted the classical experimental approach. This paper will consider the significance of this shift in emphasis from both a epistemological and methodological viewpoint. The relationship between research methods and the development of knowledge is explored by comparing the research orientations of two evaluative studies investigating the same issue. This comparison acts as a backdrop for the methodological critique of selected studies. The paper asserts that while not without its challenges, the experiment can make a valuable contribution when evaluating the causal relationship between continuing professional nurse education and practice.