The development of an evaluation plan for the implementation of the feet first program to rural healthcare sites within the Central Regional Health Authority of Newfoundland and Labrador

Parsons, Chantal (2016) The development of an evaluation plan for the implementation of the feet first program to rural healthcare sites within the Central Regional Health Authority of Newfoundland and Labrador. Practicum Report. Memorial University of Newfoundland. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Background: The Central Regional Health Authority (CRHA) offers a nurse-led diabetic foot education program, known as Feet First, at two urban healthcare sites. The CRHA is now in the process of implementing this program at three rural healthcare sites in the region, however there is no plan to evaluate the implementation of the program. Purpose: To develop a short-term evaluation plan for the implementation of the Feet First program to rural healthcare sites, namely Twillingate, Harbor Breton, and Springdale, within the CRHA in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). Methods: (1) A literature review was conducted to establish context and need for practicum project and to identify a framework to guide the evaluation of the Feet First program; (2) Consultations were performed with key stakeholders at the CRHA, as well as a clinician in the province of Ontario involved in a similar program; and, (3) An evaluation plan for the implementation of the Feet First program at three rural healthcare sites in the CRHA was developed. Results: Findings from the literature review and consultations, and components of the evaluation frameworks, The Knowledge-to-Action Framework used within the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (2013) and The Program Evaluation Toolkit released by the Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health (2013), guided the development of the short-term evaluation plan entitled “Evaluation Plan for the Implementation of the Feet First Program to Rural Healthcare Sites in the Central Region of Newfoundland and Labrador”. The plan identifies facilitators and barriers to program implementation and a data collection plan outlining short-term program objectives, program indicators (e.g., program attendance numbers, number of completed foot assessments), and suggests strategies to collect information on each indicator. Conclusion: An evaluation plan for the implementation of the Feet First program to rural healthcare sites was developed. The evaluation plan will be presented to the CRHA to be used in the short-term evaluation of the Feet First program at the rural healthcare sites. In the future, it will also be important to evaluate the long-term impact of the program.

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