Study guide
13.2 Educational Program Development and Evaluation
Ambulatory Care Nursing Certification Exam
Track your progress as you read
Finished sections get a check mark.
1 Chapter 1: Introduction & Exam Overview
Section 1.1: About the AMB-BC Exam Section 1.2: Exam Registration and Requirements Section 1.3: Study Plan and Preparation Strategies
2 Chapter 2: Acute and Chronic Disease Processes
2.1 Common Outpatient Acute Conditions 2.2 Chronic Disease Management and Interventions 2.3 Preventative Care and Population Screenings
3 Chapter 3: Pharmacology and Medication Safety
3.1 Ambulatory Pharmacology Basics 3.2 High-Alert Medications and Monitoring 3.3 Drug Interactions and Reconciliation
4 Chapter 4: Clinical Triage and Assessment
4.1 Telephone and Virtual Triage Systems 4.2 In-Person Physical Assessment Protocols 4.3 Psychosocial Assessment and Vulnerable Populations
5 Chapter 5: Care Coordination and Collaboration
5.1 Care Coordination Principles and Models 5.2 Transitional Care Management (TCM) 5.3 Interprofessional Team Collaboration
6 Chapter 6: Patient Resources and Advocacy
6.1 Community Resources and Referrals 6.2 Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) 6.3 Patient Rights and Advocacy in Ambulatory Care
7 Chapter 7: Outpatient Clinical Procedures
7.1 Clinic-Based Clinical Procedures and Safety 7.2 Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) Protocols 7.3 Ambulatory Wound Care and Dressing Selections
8 Chapter 8: Telehealth and Virtual Care Nursing
8.1 Telehealth Technologies and Modalities 8.2 Legal and Regulatory Aspects of Telehealth 8.3 Virtual Care Patient Safety and Monitoring
9 Chapter 9: Scope and Standards of Practice
9.1 ANA and AAACN Scope and Standards 9.2 Ethical Principles in Ambulatory Care 9.3 Legal Regulations and Licensing
10 Chapter 10: Clinical Leadership and Delegation
10.1 Leadership Styles and Professional Development 10.2 Nurse Delegation to Assistive Personnel 10.3 Preceptorship, Mentoring, and Onboarding
11 Chapter 11: Fiscal Health and Resource Management
11.1 Ambulatory Reimbursement Models 11.2 Resource Allocation and Clinic Productivity 11.3 Billable Nursing Services and Documentation
12 Chapter 12: Quality Improvement and Risk Management
12.1 Quality Improvement (QI) Methodologies 12.2 Risk Management and Incident Reporting 12.3 Root Cause Analysis (RCA) in Outpatient Care
13 Chapter 13: Education Principles and Program Delivery
13.1 Adult Learning Theories and Education Delivery 13.2 Educational Program Development and Evaluation 13.3 Digital and Tele-Education Modalities
14 Chapter 14: Health Literacy and Learning Barriers
14.1 Health Literacy Assessment and Teach-Back 14.2 Overcoming Language and Cultural Barriers 14.3 Teaching Patients with Cognitive or Sensory Impairments
15 Chapter 15: Professional Communication and Ethics
15.1 Therapeutic Communication and Conflict Resolution 15.2 Workplace Safety and Disaster Preparedness 15.3 Disaster Preparedness and Incident Command
13.2 Educational Program Development and Evaluation
Key Takeaways Explain This Topic AI
The ADDIE model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) is a standard framework for creating educational programs.
Needs assessment is the critical first step to identify the gap between current knowledge/skills and desired outcomes.
Learning objectives should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Formative evaluation occurs during program development, while summative evaluation measures outcomes after implementation.
Last updated: July 2026
Educational Program Development and Evaluation
In ambulatory care, nurses are often tasked with creating educational programs for specific patient populations, staff, or the community. Whether developing a weight management class, a diabetes support group, or a staff training module on a new electronic health record, a systematic approach is essential. This section outlines the comprehensive process of program development and evaluation.
The ADDIE Model
The ADDIE model is a widely recognized instructional design framework used to build effective educational and training programs. It consists of five phases: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation.
1. Analysis (Needs Assessment)
The foundation of any successful program is a thorough needs assessment. This phase identifies the problem or opportunity and determines the gap between the current state and the desired state.
Key activities in the Analysis phase:
Identify the target audience: Who are the learners? What are their characteristics, prior knowledge, and learning preferences?
Determine the learning gap: What do they need to know or be able to do that they currently cannot?
Analyze the context: What resources are available (time, budget, personnel, facilities)? What are the constraints?
Establish the overarching goal: What is the primary purpose of the educational program?
Data for the needs assessment can be gathered through surveys, focus groups, patient satisfaction scores, quality improvement data, and literature reviews.
2. Design
During the Design phase, the structure and strategy of the program are planned. This involves creating a blueprint for the educational intervention.
Key components of the Design phase:
Develop Learning Objectives: Objectives define what the learner should achieve by the end of the program. They must be SMART:
S pecific: Clear and unambiguous.
M easurable: Outcomes can be assessed or quantified.
A chievable: Realistic for the learners given the resources.
R elevant: Aligned with the overall goal and learners' needs.
T ime-bound: Achievable within a specific timeframe.
Example: "By the end of the session, the patient will be able to accurately demonstrate drawing up 10 units of insulin."
Select Instructional Strategies: Determine the best methods to deliver the content (e.g., lecture, role-play, simulation, group discussion).
Determine Assessment Methods: Decide how you will measure whether the objectives were met (e.g., pre/post-tests, return demonstration, surveys).
3. Development
The Development phase brings the design blueprint to life. This is where the actual materials and resources are created.
Key activities in the Development phase:
Drafting lesson plans and facilitators' guides.
Creating presentations (e.g., slides, videos).
Designing participant handouts, worksheets, and job aids.
Developing the assessment tools (e.g., writing test questions, creating observation checklists).
Conducting a pilot test or beta test of the materials with a small group to identify any issues before full implementation.
4. Implementation
Implementation is the execution phase where the program is delivered to the target audience.
Key considerations during Implementation:
Logistics: Ensure the venue is prepared, technology is functioning, and materials are distributed.
Facilitation: The educator must engage the learners, manage group dynamics, and adapt the delivery based on audience feedback and non-verbal cues.
Support: Provide necessary support to both learners and facilitators during the program roll-out.
5. Evaluation
Evaluation is continuous throughout the ADDIE process, but a formal assessment occurs after implementation to measure the program's success and identify areas for improvement.
Evaluation Type Description Timing Focus
Formative Evaluation Conducted during the development process to refine and improve the program before it is finalized. During Analysis, Design, and Development Process improvement, clarity of materials, feasibility.
Summative Evaluation Conducted after the program is completed to assess its overall impact and effectiveness. After Implementation Outcomes, knowledge acquisition, behavior change, return on investment (ROI).
Kirkpatrick's Four Levels of Evaluation
A common framework for summative evaluation is Kirkpatrick's model:
Level 1: Reaction: Did the learners find the training engaging, favorable, and relevant? (Often measured via smile sheets or post-course surveys).
Level 2: Learning: Did the learners acquire the intended knowledge, skills, or attitudes? (Measured via tests, assessments, or demonstrations).
Level 3: Behavior: Did the learners apply what they learned when they returned to their environment? (Measured via observation, chart audits, or follow-up surveys).
Level 4: Results: Did the training achieve the desired organizational outcomes? (e.g., decreased hospital readmission rates, improved patient satisfaction scores, reduced medication errors).
Continuous Quality Improvement
Educational program development is an iterative process. The results from the evaluation phase should feed directly back into the analysis phase for future iterations. If objectives were not met, the team must analyze why—was the content too complex, the delivery method inappropriate, or the allotted time insufficient? By continuously refining the program based on evaluation data, ambulatory care nurses ensure the education remains relevant, effective, and impactful.