Employing Kirkpatrick’s framework to evaluate nurse training: an integrative review

Abstract

Objective: to evaluate the evidence on the use of Donald Kirkpatrick’s framework in nursing training evaluation. Method: integrative literature review in the Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System and Web of Science databases. Studies that answered the review question “Which is the evidence in using Donald Kirkpatrick’s framework to evaluate training in the nursing workplace?” published in Portuguese, English, or Spanish were included. Results: out of 108 studies retrieved, thirteen were included. The majority evaluated the four levels proposed in the model (reaction, learning, behavior, and results) or, at least, a combination of the first three ones. Different instruments were used to evaluate nursing training, mainly in quantitative approaches for reaction and learning levels and qualitative for behavior and results levels. This approach highlights the flexibility of the model and the importance of choosing a reliable set of instruments, which is crucial to qualify the analysis at each level. Conclusion: Kirkpatrick’s model has been used worldwide to evaluate training in the nursing field and has been shown to be suitable for it, as long as there is an appropriate selection of instruments at each level.