title: Unpacking the 'value added' impact of continuing professional education: a multi-method case study approach.
abstract: The tangible benefits of continued professional education (CPE) continues to be widely debated within nursing. Whilst there is a plethora of literature relating to CPE, there is an absence of empirical evidence confirming the value of educational activities. Using a case study approach, this study sought to examine the relationship between undertaking a named course (Children's Neuroscience Course) and the perceived benefits to practitioners. Nursing students who had successfully undertaken the course (n = 14) were invited to participate. Self-report evaluations (completed at induction, mid point and exit), academic performance, and data collected from a questionnaire were analyzed using non-parametric measures. In addition, semi-structured interviews (n = 9) were undertaken and analyzed using a thematic content approach. Second level analysis involved triangulating the various data sets using coding frames and three themes were identified: improved knowledge, improved care delivery and professional development, which were judged as benefits to the practitioners who had undertaken the course. Further, there was a significant relationship between undertaking the course and participant's perception of their increased abilities in delivering care to the child with a neurological problem and their families. This paper will illustrate the benefits of a multi-method case study approach for evaluating the 'value added' impact of educational provision.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Studies, The University of York, York District General Hospital, Wiggington Road, York, YO31 8HE, UK. jes16@york.ac.uk
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Topping
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research / Q000379:methods*; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods*