Evaluation Plan
The main purpose of this project is to assess the importance of the promotion of healthy lifestyles by nursing professionals via educational programs for patients, their families, and communities. The following clinical question was formulated to guide this project: In a group of participants ages 18 to 25 (P), does the provision of education regarding the importance of exercising 300 minutes per week (I), compared to a similar group that does not receive the education (C), increase their level of activity by 30% (O) by the end of a 6-month period (T)? The time period chosen for the project is six months. It is an appropriate timeframe to assess the effectiveness of this type of medical intervention. Also, the main stakeholders include intervention and control groups, nursing professionals who will assist in examinations, physicians, educators, and hospital administration.
Methods
Physical activity includes any type of bodily movements that are produced with the help of skeletal muscles and consume energy. At the same time, this definition always goes along with the explanation of threats of physical inactivity that is now recognized as one of the top four leading health risk factors on a global scale. In fact, as specified by WHO (2018), physical inactivity in children and adults is linked to increased mortality rates, while the regular physical exercise of moderate intensity is associated with multiple health benefits.
The research will be conducted in medical settings. It will be an evidence-based project in which two groups of participants will be compared. The intervention group will attend educational classes where professional educators will discuss possible complications of inactivity, teach different types of physical exercises, and emphasize the importance of healthy lifestyles in order to motivate the participants to increase their level of activity. The control group will not receive additional care. Several different instruments will be used to collect and analyze information. Physical examinations, interviews, and performance checklists will be the main tools to collect data. For analysis, the regression method will be applied. It demonstrates the connection between dependent and independent variables. The regression will be used to determine the strength of such a correlation. The entire project will be completed, complying with the principles of confidentiality. Due to the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1988, high-quality data security will be ensured (“Confidentiality – General principles,” 2015). Therefore, clinicians will have legal and ethical responsibilities regarding the disclosure of the sensitive personal information of the participants.
Data Analysis
Data analysis will allow identifying the difference between the baseline characteristics and the data collected during and after the intervention. Several parameters will help to determine the effectiveness of this educational program. These are quantitative data such as time spent on physical activities, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and weight. As mentioned above, the statistical regression method will be used to determine the correlation between the variables. Also, the assessment will be focused on weaknesses and strengths of the intervention. In order to implement it, the feedback from educators and patients will be obtained. Therefore, the analysis will help to determine the areas for improvement.
Project Dissemination
There are several project implications that will need to be presented to the target audience. Insufficient physical activity levels are one of the major problems as it is dangerous for both adults and children. It often causes serious complications and increases the mortality and morbidity rates (Gulam, 2016). Therefore, the main implication of this project is that educational programs, which improve the understanding of the importance of physical exercises among the general public, should be delivered to a broader audience. Patients who suffer from different disorders might benefit from daily exercises. However, it is important to communicate to people the most effective techniques and approaches.
Another target audience is care providers. Therefore, it is necessary to establish special training programs for clinicians. Such programs should focus on teaching approaches related to physical activities and healthy lifestyles. Effective communication is the key to improve health outcomes for patients of all ages. Clinicians should pay more attention to these factors. The importance of self-management also has to be highlighted. Therefore, medical personnel need more practical strategies to educate their patients.
Finally, the last target group is educators. As the project will help to identify weaknesses of educational programs, it is necessary to bring particular attention to such issues. Specialists who design new educational methods should take into consideration the existing clinical practice.
In order to make all this information available, several approaches might be implemented simultaneously. First, social media is one of the most effective tools nowadays. It is especially relevant to the project as the participants include people aged 18 to 25. Members of this social group are the most active Internet users. Second, peer-reviewed medical journals are very important as well. The implications of the project might trigger further research in this field. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account an academic community. Finally, educational pamphlets play the crucial role in delivering useful information to a wide range of patients.
References
Confidentiality – General principles. (2015). Web.
Gulam, A. (2016). Need, importance and benefits of exercise in daily life. International Journal of Physical Education, Sports and Health, 3(2), 127-130
WHO. (2018). Physical activity. Web.