This case study of an evaluation of a nursing practice change in Washington State community residential settings illustrates issues in concurrent policy evaluation and implementation. The legislative policy changed community health nursing practice for nurses delegating to and supervising assistive personnel caring for older and disabled persons in their homes. Authorizing legislation was a culmination of several years of often contentious public and legislative debate. This article discusses the policy history, environment, and goals; the stakeholders involved in the process; the methodological issues and challenges; and the strategies used to ensure credibility with stakeholders.
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