title: Innovative strategies for nursing education program evaluation.
abstract: Nursing programs are mandated by accreditation bodies to report data significant to program quality and outcomes. The history at one school of nursing in the southern United States revealed the program evaluation committee experienced roadblocks in retrieving such information. Creative approaches were adopted to overcome some of the barriers to program evaluation, including the use of more technological-based approaches to engage alumni who embrace this technology as a way of life. Among the many advantages of these approaches were convenience, ease of administration and analysis, cost effectiveness, and more meaningful data. The advantages far outweighed the few disadvantages incurred, with the most prominent being potential sampling bias.
authors.affiliation: University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001, USA. lachel.story@usm.edu
authors.forename: Lachel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Story
authors.forename: Janie B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Butts
authors.forename: Sandra B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Bishop
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Haley
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mattison
mesh_terms: D000068:Accreditation / Q000379:methods*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000592:standards*; D034742:Electronic Mail; D004651:Employment; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008922:Mississippi; D015402:Nursing Education Research / Q000379:methods*; D011367:Professional Staff Committees / Q000458:organization & administration; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods*; D012107:Research Design; D012573:School Nursing / Q000592:standards*