Evaluating tobacco cessation education huddles as a method of in-service education: a project proposal

ion. Use concerns how real people in the re al world apply evaluation findings and experience the evaluation process. The refore, the focus in utilizationfocused evaluation is on intended use by intended u s rs” (p. 20). According to Patton “evaluation depends on and faci lit tes clear communication” (2008, p. 162). Communication is a key element in the Hudd le sessions on Tobacco Cessation Education. An intended short term outcome of the ed ucational Huddle program is for staff to gain an increase in their comfort and confidence in addressing tobacco dependence. Utilization of their increased knowledge may be demonstrated by initiating tobacco addiction and cessation counseling discussions with the IPPU patients. The Huddle education sessions may be utilized as a vehicle for the implementation of the Centre o f Excellence for Clinical Smoking Cessation (CoE) Ottawa Model for Smoking Cessation program. P atton states “shared understandings emerge as evaluation logic and pushes senders of me ssag s to be as specific as possible and challenges listeners to reflect on and feedback to senders what they think they’ve heard” (2008, p.162). Actively engaging the stakeholders in the d evelopment of the evaluation data capture, collecting the data, and reviewing the post huddle results will allow the staff members to intimately relate to the program and will increase th probability of utilization. It is Patton’s assertion that the act of actively participating in the development of the evaluation data capture, 18 – Evaluating Huddles achievements, and goals has a direct impact in crea ting shared understanding of the program as well as on the level of participatory commitment (p . 163). Pre-implementation work Stakeholders To operationalize the program I will need to meet w ith the stakeholder groups. The goal of the meeting is: a) to facilitate shared understa ndings as a result of coming to an agreement on the evaluation process, collected data, and outcome s/goals, and b) to create an advisory group to oversee and assist with the project. In utilization -f cused evaluation, the stakeholders become key collaborators. I have organized the key stakeh olders using Patton’s power versus interest grid (2008, p.80) categorizing the stakeholders int o four quadrants: High-Power High-Interest (HPHI), High-Power Low-Interest (HPLI), Low-Power H igh-Interest (LPHI), and Low-Power Low-Interest (LPLI). Following Patton’s logic I in tend to empower and collaborate with the HPHI stakeholders utilizing them as the primary int ended users and key informants for the development of the Huddle project and evaluation. I PPU staff members are HPHI as they are the target population of the Huddle education sessions and the primary intended users. The HPLI will be a group to keep informed and consult with a s the project progresses as well as to involve in the post Huddle session evaluation because this group has the ability to impact policy and encourage sustainability related to the project. LP LI stakeholders also need to be kept in the loop as Patton so wisely states-“controversy can quick ly turn this amorphous ‘crowd’ of . stakeholders into a very interested mob” (p.80). Finally the LPHI stakeholder group will be involved as a group to keep informed. This group is articularly interesting as their HI brings ethical considerations into play as their involveme nt increases. Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson are the two companies that sell Nicotine Replacement (N RT) products, hence they have a vested 19 – Evaluating Huddles interest in Tobacco cessation counseling and the us e of NRT. However, they are also a group with the potential to increase the utilization of t he huddle format of in-service education.