Involving practitioners in continuing education needs assessment: use of the nominal group technique.

The nominal group technique (NGT) is described. An example of this method is provided. The goal was to identify clinical cases that could be used in a practitioner self-assessment tool. Practitioners in three groups were asked to keep a journal about cases they saw in the two weeks prior to their group discussion, individually provide case ideas within the group, and prioritize the cases individually. The groups provided over 192 case descriptions that can be used in a self-assessment tool for small animal practitioners. The NGT is a valuable tool that can identify and prioritize issues.