Evaluation of an evidence-based education program for health professionals: The Canadian Falls Prevention Curriculum© (CFPC)

IntroductionA staged, mixed methods approach was applied to the development and evaluation of an evidence-based education program for health care professionals and community leaders on how to design, implement and evaluate a fall prevention program. Stages included pre-development, development, pilot testing and impact on practice. The goal of the evaluation was to determine if the Canadian Falls Prevention Curriculum met the needs of the target audience and had an impact on learning and practice.MethodsMethods included a needs assessment, systematic reviews, pre-post tests of learning, follow-up surveys and interviews, and descriptive reports of stakeholder involvement. The needs assessment and systematic review of existing programs indicated that there was a demand for a comprehensive, evidence-based curriculum on fall prevention and that no similar curricula existed. Pre-post test findings showed significant increases in learning and follow-up surveys showed a positive impact on practice.Impact on industryEvidence shows that the most effective fall prevention efforts are those that address the multifactorial nature of fall risk, with proven interventions provided by trained clinicians. The Canadian Falls Prevention Curriculum provides evidence-based training for clinicians and community leaders using a public health approach to fall prevention that includes instruction on how to define the problem, assess the risk, examine best practices, implement the program, and conduct evaluation of the program's effectiveness.