Small Scale Evaluation In Health

Setting out the basics of designing, conducting and analysing an evaluation study in healthcare, the authors take a practical approach, assuming no previous knowledge or experience of evaluation. All the basics are covered, including: - How to plan an evaluation - Research governance and ethics - Understanding data - Interpreting findings - Writing a report Cases included throughout to demonstrate evaluation in action, and self learning courses give the reader an opportunity to develop their skills further in the methods and analysis involved in evaluation.

Evaluation research can assess the value and effectiveness of interventions and innovations involving people. While this has often been on a grand scale, this book focuses on small-scale projects carried out by an individual or small group, typically lasting for weeks or at most a few months, at a local rather than national level. Using limited jargon and featuring integrated, real-world examples, this second edition offers a clear, accessible background to evaluation and prepares you to undertake your own small-scale evaluation research project. Key features include discussion of: Different approaches to evaluation and how to choose between them The advantages and disadvantages of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) Realist evaluation and its increasing importance The centrality of ethical and political issues The influence and opportunity of the Internet Tightly focused on the realities of carrying out small-scale evaluation, Small-Scale Evaluation is a highly practical guide covering the needs of both social scientists and others without this background. Colin Robson is an Emeritus Professor in the School of Human & Health Sciences at the University of Huddersfield.

How can evaluation be used most effectively, and what are the strengths and weaknesses of the various methods? Colin Robson provides guidance in a clear and uncluttered way. The issue of collaboration is examined step-by-step; stakeholder models are compared with techniques such as participatory evaluation and practitioner-centred action research; ethical and political considerations are placed in context; and the best ways of communicating findings are discussed. Each chapter is illustrated with helpful exercises to show the practical application of the issues covered, making this an invaluable introduction for anyone new to evaluation.

Evaluation research can assess the value and effectiveness of interventions and innovations involving people. While this has often been on a grand scale, this book focuses on small-scale projects carried out by an individual or small group, typically lasting for weeks or at most a few months, at a local rather than national level. Using limited jargon and featuring integrated, real-world examples, this second edition offers a clear, accessible background to evaluation and prepares you to undertake your own small-scale evaluation research project. Key features include discussion of: Different approaches to evaluation and how to choose between them The advantages and disadvantages of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) Realist evaluation and its increasing importance The centrality of ethical and political issues The influence and opportunity of the Internet Tightly focused on the realities of carrying out small-scale evaluation, Small-Scale Evaluation is a highly practical guide covering the needs of both social scientists and others without this background. Colin Robson is an Emeritus Professor in the School of Human & Health Sciences at the University of Huddersfield.

This easy-to-use handbook is a useful resource for all health professionals engaged in processes of evaluation in a variety of contexts within the world of healthcare. Encouraging an evidence-based approach to practice, it provides: * guidelines on how to design and evaluate an intervention * examples of good practice * reliable and easy-to-use measures * advice on how to work effectively. Designed to prompt self-evaluation and group project evaluation, it illustrates how simple evaluation methods can help to break down the divisions between research and practice. It shows how more practitioners can apply such methods to improve the quality of care as well as the treatments and services which they offer their patients and clients. The examples, drawn from clinical settings, community practice and work in the voluntary sector, demonstrate the kind of evaluation that can be undertaken by a small-scale team or a single practitioner with limited resources. The Evaluation Handbook will be a useful source of reference for those new to evaluation as well as more experienced managers and researchers.

Now in its third edition, this award-winning text work is the only advanced practice nursing text to present effective, systematic, and in-depth evaluations of all aspects of health care quality. Comprehensive in scope, it distills best practice information from numerous sources to facilitate utmost competency for APN and DNP graduates. The third edition keeps pace with the rapidly evolving healthcare market by presenting a more comprehensive range of evaluation strategies for analyzing quality, safety, and value in healthcare practice and programs. It provides a completely new chapter on evaluation of simulation programs to improve clinician competency and patient care technology. An increased focus on the application of quality improvement is woven throughout, including the quality improvement-research continuum and an emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration and teamwork. New case studies, specific examples from a variety of QI projects, and content specifically geared to improve teamwork also add to the book’s outstanding value. The text also delves into the theoretical basis of evaluation and its application as an integral part of contemporary practice. It includes evaluation models that enable nurses to address economic and financial viability, and guides readers through the translation of outcomes from evaluation into health care policy. Additionally, the text now includes PowerPoints for instructors. New to the Third Edition: New chapter: Evaluation of Simulation to Support Ongoing Competency in the HC Workforce Additional case studies and specific examples from QI projects Increased focus on teamwork and collaboration Enhanced discussion of theoretical foundations of evaluation approaches New focus on program evaluation and dissemination of findings Key Features: Addresses AACN competencies and scope of practice Helps students integrate best and evidence-based practices into care Provides guidance on practical methods and tools for Quality Improvement Project Presents evaluation models enabling nurses to address economic and financial viability Includes evaluations of organizations, systems, standards for practice, health care redesign, and the challenges of electronic medical records

This engaging text takes an evenhanded approach to major theoretical paradigms in evaluation and builds a bridge from them to evaluation practice. Featuring helpful checklists, procedural steps, provocative questions that invite readers to explore their own theoretical assumptions, and practical exercises, the book provides concrete guidance for conducting large- and small-scale evaluations. Numerous sample studies—many with reflective commentary from the evaluators—reveal the process through which an evaluator incorporates a paradigm into an actual research project. The book shows how theory informs methodological choices (the specifics of planning, implementing, and using evaluations). It offers balanced coverage of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches. Useful pedagogical features include: *Examples of large- and small-scale evaluations from multiple disciplines. *Beginning-of-chapter reflection questions that set the stage for the material covered. *"Extending your thinking" questions and practical activities that help readers apply particular theoretical paradigms in their own evaluation projects. *Relevant Web links, including pathways to more details about sampling, data collection, and analysis. *Boxes offering a closer look at key evaluation concepts and additional studies. *Checklists for readers to determine if they have followed recommended practice.

Research presents a dizzying array of terms and concepts to understand. This new book gives an overview of the important elements across nursing and health research in 42 short, straightforward chapters. Drawing on a range of perspectives from contributors with diverse experience, it will help you to understand what research means, how it is done, and what conclusions you can draw from it in your practice. Topics covered range from action research to systematic review to questionnaires. Every chapter includes a case study. It will be invaluable reading for nursing students at pre-registration level, undergraduate allied health students and for qualified practitioners needing a quick guide to the essentials. Annette McIntosh-Scott is Executive Dean in the Faculty of Health and Social Care at the University of Chester. Tom Mason was Professor and Head of Mental Health and Learning Disabilities at the University of Chester. Elizabeth Mason-Whitehead is Professor of Social and Health Care in the Faculty of Health and Social Care at the University of Chester. David Coyle is a Lecturer in the School of Healthcare Sciences at Bangor University.