How to Use Evaluation Methods for Nursing Interventions

Evaluation is part of the nursing process,

The nursing process involves 5 steps: assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention/implementation and evaluation. The nursing process does not end with the evaluation but continues based on the results of the evaluation. The nurse evaluates the outcome of patient treatment to determine which actions and interventions have been effective. She also determines whether to devise a new care plan or to revise her diagnosis based on evaluation.

Instructions

1. 

   The nurse sets an achieveable goal for the patient.

   Analyze the goals set for the patient and determine whether they are measurable and realistic. The nurse cannot verify whether the patient meets a recovery goal unless she defines specific criteria for meeting the goal. The goals or expected outcomes also must be realistic. Some aspects of patient recovery can take months or years to accomplish; these are long-term goals. Short-term goals take hours or weeks to accomplish. The nurse ensures that she sets realistic goals with an appropriate time-frame for achievement.

2. 

   Measure the outcome to determine if the patient achieved the goal.

   Measure the patient's progress and verify the achievement (or non-achievement) of goals. For example, if the nurse sets a goal for the patient to take his prescribed medication as directed, she can verify the patient's adherence to the schedule with a blood test that measures the level of medication in the bloodstream.

3. 

   Determine which interventions aid most in the patient's recovery.

   Use the measurements from step two to identify which interventions have been most effective. Interventions are the actions the nurse takes to promote the patient's recovery. The interventions are described in the nursing care plan as well as the expected outcomes or goals of treatment.

4. 

   Update and modify the care plan to accomodate the patient.

   Continue the nursing interventions that aid the patient's recovery. Terminate or revise interventions that have not improved the patient's condition.

Tips & Warnings

• If the patient is unresponsive to treatment, consider revising the nursing diagnosis.

• The nursing process is continuous and is repeated after each evaluation.

References

• Kansas State University: The Nursing Process
• Porterville College; Nursing Process; Fozia Ferozali
• National Institute of Health Medline Plus: Therapeutic Drug Levels
• El Camino College; Nursing Process Outline; Kim Bailey

Resources

• "Oxford Journal"; Epidemiological Reviews; Evaluation of Interventions...; Lynda Doll, et al.