Building a baccalaureate community nursing curriculum using a participatory evaluation approach.

The University of North Florida School of Nursing used a participatory approach to develop a community-based and community-focused curriculum that engaged students, faculty, and community stakeholders. This Home-base Model evolved over 6 years, building inductively using a continuous quality improvement process. We describe the formative evaluation process, the strategies used to engage the key stakeholders, and identify the benefits leading to the sustainability of the Home-base Model. A plan for external evaluation is in progress, building on existing stakeholder involvement and focusing on outcomes. The development of the Home-base Model is offered as an exemplar of how a participatory approach can build community nursing curricula that are consistent with community-driven agendas.

Pearls and pitfalls in evaluating a Student Assistance Program: a five-year case study.

This article presents data from a five-year evaluation-research case study of a large urban schools district's internal Student Assistance Program (SAP). The district employed specially trained and licensed school-based counselors to implement an internal SAP expanded to include tertiary prevention, and modeled after an employee assistance program established for adults. From the population of more than 10,000 students who received some type of program assistance for at-risk behaviors, a stratified random sample of 2,238 cases, over a five year period, were reviewed. Results indicate a statistically significant decline (p < .05) in students' drug use and a significant improvement in internal locus of control occurred each year. While not statistically significant, the average number of student discipline referrals was less than the year prior to program admission; however, there was no significant change in academic performance. A significant correlation between students' drug use and the amount of time in program, the type of assistance received, and the student's custody status was also found.