Providing 360-degree multisource feedback to nurse educators in the country of Georgia: a formative evaluation of acceptability.

BACKGROUND: Due to insufficient nursing education standards in the country of Georgia, 15 health professionals participated in a USAID grant-funded nurse educator faculty development program. These educators then offered continuing education courses and taught more than 1,700 practicing Georgian nurses over 3 years. METHOD: Using a 360-degree multisource feedback model (MSF), self, video, learner, peer, and program coordinator evaluations of teaching effectiveness were completed. After nurse educators reviewed their results and identified areas for improvement, a questionnaire about the perceived acceptability of teacher evaluations was completed. RESULTS: Of the 15 nurse educators, 93.3% indicated that nurse educators should receive feedback through self, learner, peer, and video evaluations, and 100% indicated that nurse educators should receive feedback from the program coordinator. The accuracy and usefulness of the program coordinator evaluation was rated the highest, whereas peer evaluation was rated the lowest. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that MSF was acceptable to Georgian nurse educators.

Preparing nurse educators in the country of Georgia.

This article describes a formal nurse educator train-the-trainer program initiated to educate qualified health professionals to teach contemporary nursing continuing education in the country of Georgia, formerly part of the Soviet Union. A 3-month intensive train-the-trainer program model was used to educate potential nurse educators to provide a foundation for introducing a higher level of continuing education to practicing nurses in Georgia. After the potential nurse educator candidates were interviewed and hired, they were required to attend at least 90% of the classes, achieve a score of 85% or higher on all train-the-trainer class posttests, and achieve a score of 90% or higher on the final examination. Sixteen of 17 nurse educators, who were physicians and nurses, successfully completed the program. These graduate nurse educators subsequently conducted formal continuing education for more than 2,900 practicing nurses, with a goal of implementing a baccalaureate nursing program as well. This program established a foundation for further nurse educator development and improvement in continuing education for currently practicing nurses in the country of Georgia.