Assignment 4: Planning for Evaluation
Assignment 4: Planning for Evaluation
The research process is key in finding appropriate interventions to address a population health problem effectively. Central to the formulation of such interventions is data collection and analysis, which can inform the researcher if there is a need to undertake screening programs for a particular disease (LoBiondo-Wood & Haber, 2021). However, evaluation is critical for the data and results to be informative enough. Evaluation ensures that the data is sound and suitable as the basis for making such decisions. The implication is that in a case where a study’s result does not undergo an evaluation process, it cannot be applied to improve population health (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2019). Therefore, the purpose of this week’s assignment is to formulate an evaluation plan for the anticipated results of the population health intervention developed earlier; the chosen intervention to help address the problem of developing hypertension due to psychological stress is blood pressure self-monitoring with comprehensive education.
The Expected Outcomes
As indicated earlier, hypertension is one of the conditions that has been identified to be common among health workers, and one of the causes can be attributed to psychological stress. Therefore, it is hoped that the use of blood pressure self-monitoring and comprehensive education addressing various lifestyle activities can result in better outcomes (Mills et al.,2018). Therefore, various outcomes are expected. One of the outcomes expected is lower incidences of hypertension. With self-monitoring of blood pressure, the targeted patient population will be able to regularly check their blood pressure levels and note whether it is within the acceptable systolic and diastolic ranges. In the case of concerning figures, the patient can timeously seek medical attention, reducing the chances of worsening the condition.
The other expected outcome is acceptance and uptake of the use of blood pressure self-monitoring devices. The outcomes largely depend on how well the patients use the devices to monitor their blood pressure as directed. So if they agree to use the devices as directed, then the goal shall have been achieved. As part of the intervention, the patient group will be offered comprehensive education support that addresses the prevention and management of hypertension. Therefore, the next expected outcome is increased or improved knowledge on the facts about hypertension, such as causes, risk factors, adverse impacts or effects, prevention, treatment, and management.
Assignment 4 Planning for Evaluation
The Data Collection Tools
Appropriate data collection tools should be used to collect the data relevant to the project. The project is focused on healthcare workers experiencing psychological stress and, therefore, at risk of developing hypertension. Therefore, one of the most important data collection tools to be used is the questionnaires (Hopp & Rittenmeyer, 2021). A self-administered questionnaire will be used in assessing the participants’ knowledge on hypertension so that the education material can appropriately be aligned for optimum content delivery and outcomes. Questionnaires will also be used in evaluating the knowledge after implementing the intervention. The patients will also be expected to submit self-reported blood pressure, which will then be integrated into the electronic health records. Therefore, electronic health records are another source that will be vital for data acquisition.
The Statistical Test
As part of determining the impact of the proposed intervention, data analysis will be conducted, and various statistical tests will be explored to help determine the efficacy of the proposed intervention (Suresh, 2018). It is important to note that the project aims to study the effect of the intervention on the development of hypertension and hypertension outcomes. Therefore, the healthcare workers exposed to psychological stress will be followed to determine whether they go on to develop hypertension, both in the intervention and control groups. The median will be used in the analysis of the number of individuals who went on to have hypertension. The multivariable regression analysis will also be used in controlling confounding variables (Grove & Cipher, 2019). A paired t-test will also be used in evaluating the knowledge change on incremental knowledge on hypertension among the research participants.
The Methods Applied in Data Collection
As earlier indicated, credible data is key in determining the effectiveness of the intervention; therefore, relevant data collection methods should be applied. In addition, the data has to be checked for completeness as questionnaires will be used for data credibility. Independent individuals will check the data for completeness and ensure that only complete questionnaires are considered during the analysis. Since data will be extracted from questionnaires and electronic health records, data curation will be vital to ensure that there is accuracy. The analysis will also be important in determining the impact of the intervention in terms of outcome and process measures (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2019). Whereas the outcome measures will show whether the expected results have been achieved, the process measures will indicate the effectiveness of the intervention.
Conclusion
Evaluation is one of the most important steps in the research process involving the implementation of an intervention to address a particular disease or population health. Evaluation offers valuable information regarding the intervention, such as the magnitude of success, whether the project is worth continuing or if it should be abandoned. Therefore this week’s assignment has presented an evaluation plan for the proposed intervention to help in addressing hypertension.
References
Grove, S. K., & Cipher, D. J. (2019). Statistics for nursing research-e-book: A workbook for evidence-based practice. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Hopp, L., & Rittenmeyer, L. (2021). Introduction to evidence-based practice: A practical guide for nursing. FA Davis.
LoBiondo-Wood, G., & Haber, J. (2021). Nursing Research E-Book: Methods and Critical Appraisal for Evidence-Based Practice. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2019). Evidence-based Practice in Nursing &Healthcare: A Guide to Best Practice. Wolters Kluwer.
Mills, K. T., Obst, K. M., Shen, W., Molina, S., Zhang, H. J., He, H., … & He, J. (2018). Comparative effectiveness of implementation strategies for blood pressure control in hypertensive patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Annals of internal medicine, 168(2), 110-120. https://doi.org/10.7326/M17-1805.
Suresh, S. (2018). Nursing research and statistics. Elsevier Health Sciences.