3226.0: Monday, October 22, 2001 - 5:10 PM

Abstract #24930

Longitudinal evaluation as a management tool for quality improvement: Oklahoma's Children First Program

Patricia Moritz, PhD, FAAN, Natioanl Center for Children, Families and Communities, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, 4200 East Ninth Avenue, C 288-04, Denver, 80262, 303-315-3008, pat.moritz@uchsc.edu, Maureen McClatchey, PhD, National Center for Children, Families and Communities, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and Elizabeth Hardesty, MPH, Materal-Child Health, Oklahoma State Department of Health.

Record keeping – encounter forms, demographics, maternal and infant health – provide consistent information across all clients in the Children First Program that is available for both program and management data needs. In addition, a clinical management information system is the interface for data analysis providing first line supervisors and local public health managers with current information about caseload, number of home visits completed in various time frames from daily to monthly, and information on the content of home visits, and on referrals and other strategies used by the nurse home visitors. In addition, client focused data include demographic information including changes in school attendance and work participation. Information on maternal health indicators, such as smoking in pregnancy, and on infant health such as birth weight, illnesses and injuries are available in the data system. These indicators can be used for calculating changes in behaviors such as change in smoking behavior, and for comparisons with other sites implementing nurse home visiting. Data on caseload change overtime with management strategies used, on completed versus expected ratios of home visits, content of home visits across the stages of the program, and outcomes for pregnancy, school/work attendance and use of assistance programs compared to other sites implementing the nurse home visiting program will be discussed.

Learning Objectives: Discuss evaluation of a statewide program using a common recordkeeping system in al counties with central and local access to data; and identify evaluation data sources for continuous quality improvement

Keywords: Public Health Nursing, Outcomes, Evidence Based Practice

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma State Department of Health
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

The 129th Annual Meeting of APHA