Education Needs Assessment 2009
An Evidence-Based Process
The goal of the shared governance evidence-based needs assessment was to identify
nursing skill or knowledge deficits in order to provide nurses with education that enables
them to provide safe and effective patient care. This was achieved by addressing two
important questions:
1. What are the potential education needs of our nurses?
2. How do we know it is an education need versus a compliance or process
issue?
The assessment was conducted based on an Education Needs Assessment Model
modified from those developed by Robert Mager and Allison Rossett. These models
were chosen because they provide an evidence-based approach to educational needs
by first identifying performance gaps that are not related to compliance or process
issues. In this way educational efforts can focus on true skill or knowledge deficits,
providing “need to know” versus “nice to know” information.
Education Needs Assessment Model
No
Start
What is the
performance
gap?
Is it
important?
Ignore
it
Yes
Is it a skill
or knowledge
deficiency?
No
The solution is not
education or training
Yes
No
Provide Education
or Training
Have they
ever been able to
do it?
Yes
Provide practice
or feedback
Examples of Education Needs Identified
1. AED Usage
Performance Gap:
*Nurses weren’t applying AEDs after training on how to use the
new technology.
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Knowledge/Skill Deficit Identified:
*Nurses did not know they were expected to apply and use the
AED.
2. Bedside Report
Performance Gap:
*Nurses were not giving bedside report after training on the
process
Knowledge/Skill Deficit Identified:
*Nurses did not know exactly what to say or do and how this
would impact patient confidentiality.
Examples of Process/Compliance Issues Identified:
1. Restraint Usage
Performance Gap:
*Nurses were trained how to apply restraints as well as document,
but continued to do so incorrectly.
Compliance/Process Identified:
*Nurses know the process, but need coaching/further reminders/
accountability
2. Handwashing
Performance Gap:
*Handwashing compliance remains suboptimal.
Compliance/Process Identified:
*Nurses know the process and are now holding each other
accountable
The Process and Timeline:
Nursing Education and Professional Development Committee (NEC)
1. Communicated the plan to the Shared Leadership Council (SLC) in April.
2. Reviewed the SLC worksheets during the June NEC meeting
3. Sought more information as indicated
4. Developed the 2010 Nursing Education Plan during July and August
5. Provided consultation and feedback to the following committees:
• Nursing Quality & Patient Safety
• Nursing Professional Practice
• Nursing Technology & Informatics
• Nursing Research & Evidence Based Practice
• Nursing Best People & Professional Excellence
Shared Leadership Councils
1. Asked by the NEC to answer the following questions:
– What are the potential education needs?
– What evidence is there to support that it is an educational need?
2. During the May SLC meeting, the SLCs completed the needs assessment
worksheet and returned them to NEC by May 28th.
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Results:
The majority of performance gaps identified indicate a need to know how to access
informational resources, so one goal will be to put together a list of relevant clinical and
nursing professional resources that staff can access via the computer. The table below
summarizes the survey results with regard to what need was identified and who will be
the contact for addressing the need:
Education Needs Identified
NEC Report 2009-2010
Departmental
SLCs (DSLC)
What Need Identified
Responsible Parties to
Address
Medicine & Inpatient
Surgery DSLCs
Specialty hospital bed functions and
ordering process
Hospital Reps: Hill-Rom, KCI
through materials
management
NM Academy
Medicine DSCLC
(MICU)
Patient mobility/PROM/AROM for
Critical Care population
PT/OT
Lori Zinnecker
PCCM steering committee
NM Academy
Medicine DSCLC
(MICU)
Nutrition in Critical Care areas
specifically Tube Feedings (exclude
TPN/Lipids)
(All patient populations should be
addressed even outside of ICUs)
Trach care
Pain control
Dietary
IT/IS for order sets for MDs
and midlevel providers
Medicine DSLC
Medicine &
Ortho/Neuro DSLCs
Medicine &
Ortho/Neuro DSLCs
Medicine DSLC
Developing collaborative patient goals
that lead to positive outcomes
Pressure ulcer assessment and wound
dressing type and application
Inpatient Surgery
DSLC
Professional
Services DSLC &
Nursing Education
Committee
Nursing Research &
EBP Committee
Arrhythmia recognition
Nursing Research &
EBP Committee
Rossworm & Larabee Model
Infection control practices around UTIs,
IV catheters, surgical site infections and
use of PPDs as defined by SCIP
measures
Nursing research design, protection of
human subjects and evidence-based
practice
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Linda Morris
Anesthesia Pain Service
PEN RNs
(Possible PCA/PCEA Monthly
Patient Safety M & M)
PCCM Steering Committee
WOCN nurses
Unit based Skin Expert RNs
NM Academy (Possible
Monthly Patient Safety M &
M)
Linda Hellstedt
Infection Control Team
Nursing Research Consultant
through course offered three
times annually
NR&EBP Lunch & Learn
Series
Nursing Research Consultant
through course offered three
time annually
Nursing Research &
EBP Committee
Data information & analysis
competencies
Nursing Professional
Practice and Nursing
Education and
Professional
Development
Committees
Nursing Professional
Practice Committee
Application of Ethical Principles
Nursing Professional
Practice Committee
Ortho/Neuro DSLC
& Nursing Quality
and Patient Safety
Committee
Nursing Professional
Practice Committee
Nursing Professional
Practice and Nursing
Education and
Professional
Development
Committees
Nursing Professional
Practice Committee
ANA Bill of Rights for Nurses (American
Nurses Association, 2001a)
Quality Improvement Methodology
Incorporating AIDET into hourly
rounding
Nursing Professional
Practice Committee
Office of
Professional
Practice and
Development
Henderson Framework for Nursing
Practice (Imbedding into practice)
Leadership Development
Illinois Nurse Practice Act
Cultural Competence
Standards of Practice and Professional
Performance
Patient privacy, security and
confidentiality
NR&EBP Committee
Education Series for Quality
Committee Chairs
Monthly Ethics Committee
presentations
Ethics committee members
Underway through series of 1
hour sessions coordinated by
the NM Academy and
delivered by Jill Rogers
TBD
Jen Rauworth
PCCM steering committee
Annual Culture Vision on-line
training and unit discussion
TBD
Handled through annual
competencies for all
employees
Staff educators to develop a
plan
Addressed through annual
leadership development plan
References:
Robert F. Mager & Peter Pipe (1997) Analyzing Performance Problems or You Really
Oughta Wanna, 3rd Edition. CEP Press
Allison Rossett (1991) “Needs Assessment” in Anglin, Gary J. Instructional Technology,
Past, Present and Future. Libraries Unlimited; Englewood, Colorado
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