Nursing Evaluations Discussion Question Paper

• Read the following article:
• Taylor, C., Stewart, L., & Bidewell, S. (2009). Nursing students’ appraisal of their professional portfolios in demonstrating clinical competence. Nurse Educator, 34(5), 217–222. doi: 10.1097/NNE.0b013e3181b2b530

• 1. Based on your evaluation of this article and the assigned readings this week, examine the strategies that you can use to ensure that evaluation standards of varied portfolios are uniform?
  2. Based on your evaluation of this article and the assigned readings this week evaluate the parameters for portfolio evaluation in both the clinical and academic settings. Nursing Evaluations Discussion Question Paper
     

     ORDER YOUR PAPER HERE

If you have access to a clinical or academic portfolio from your work site or local college, please share as an attachment.

Guidelines: Support your responses with scholarly academic references using APA style format.

Assigned Reading this week have been down loaded.

Introduction to Portfolio Evaluation Portfolio evaluation helps students take control of their own learning by using artifacts such as self-evaluations, concept maps, and other evidentiary documents to assess a learner’s growth and mastery of learning objectives. As a nurse educator, your responsibility is to examine each piece of evidence presented in the portfolio and to determine whether or not learning has occurred. You should, however, keep in mind that each individual learner’s portfolio is a reflection of that person’s unique academic or professional journey so no two portfolios will be alike. The purpose of portfolio evaluation differs according to the nursing setting. In the academic setting, portfolio evaluation can be used to test attainment of academic and program outcomes. You can use this evaluation tool to support tenure and promotion decisions or to support program accreditation activities. In the clinical setting, the portfolio can be used for conducting annual employee evaluation as well as for meeting hospital accreditation requirements. In Magnet facilities, portfolio evaluation is becoming a popular way to demonstrate nursing continuing professional education to evaluators from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). It can also be used by individual nurses with advanced nursing certifications as a way of obtaining recertification by demonstrating continued competency in a specific area. The method of portfolio evaluation in academic and clinical settings differs primarily in the focus. In the academic setting, portfolio evaluation can only satisfy a handful of objectives. In the clinical setting, the focus of the portfolio evaluation often encompasses a broader range of competencies Nursing Evaluations Discussion Question Paper.

The learner is often given wider latitude in terms of demonstrable competence through the portfolio evaluation. Organizing a Portfolio Evaluation Although the methods of portfolio evaluation will vary, you should take into account the following considerations when using any of the methods: • Carefully consider which objective the portfolio will evaluate and be open minded about how the learner has defined the relevance of the artifact to measure that objective. • Give more importance to the qualitative assessment of the portfolio than quantitative assessment. • When examining a portfolio, note whether or not the presentation is professional and easy to use. • Remember to check the portfolio for extraneous materials. You should give specific guidelines regarding the types of artifacts that can be included in the portfolio. The academic portfolio often includes a statement of objectives that are to be met through use of the portfolio. Ensure that learners organize the documentation according to the objective that the evidence is intended to satisfy. • In the clinical setting, you need to first understand the purpose of the portfolio. You should ask the learner to include all direct and peripheral documentation that helps support the overarching purpose of the evaluation. • The portfolio should be divided into thematic areas such as professional development, continuing education, certifications, clinical nursing experience, volunteer work, community endeavors, and self-reflection. The artifacts that are used for portfolio evaluation in academia and clinical settings are generally similar, though they may be at a different level of complexity. Some of the work products that are generally used for portfolio evaluation include: • Current resume or curriculum vitae • Statement of beliefs about nursing/philosophy about nursing • Career goals • Employment experiences • Patient care experiences • Proof of continuing education courses or transcripts • Certifications • Employer or academic evaluations • Description of volunteer efforts • Written self-reflections • Statement of competencies Community involvement • Employment interests • Awards • Description of new or relevant clinical experiences • More on Portfolio Evaluation You can use portfolio artifacts to evaluate the learners’ skills and competencies specific to the different nursing settings. In academia, you can use portfolios to evaluate learning outcomes for the course and to determine part of the final grade. In some colleges and universities, the portfolio is used as the basis for a contract grade. In these types of courses, the learner and instructor decide what the student’s final grade will be at the onset of the course. A pre-determined work plan is then developed based on the grade the learner is hoping to earn for the course Nursing Evaluations Discussion Question Paper.

The portfolio is then used to determine how well the student has achieved the predetermined outcomes. In the clinical setting, the portfolio may be used to show that the nurse has achieved set goals from the prior year, has developed new skills and competencies, or has met the requirements for a promotion or pay raise. In order to assess the portfolio, you should first decide on the grading criteria. This grading criteria or analytic rubric should outline the standards that each piece of evidence needs to demonstrate. While building the analytic rubric for portfolio evaluation, you should: • Determine the objective that is being measured • Identify and list the criteria that demonstrate successful completion of each objective • Give examples for each level such as poor, average, or above average • Establish the criteria for each of these levels/Use either alpha or numeric criteria • Decide upon a threshold score (alpha or numeric) • Evaluate an acceptable/passing score for the analytic rubric • Ask a colleague to evaluate the rubric and provide a critical appraisal of the totality of the project • Share the analytic rubric with the learner so that ambiguity is minimized Analytic rubrics for portfolio evaluation should be a group effort. Given the complexity of compiling a portfolio, multiple stakeholders should share in the vision of the completed product. Establish the procedure for scoring a portfolio well before assigning a portfolio project Nursing Evaluations Discussion Question Paper.

Analyzing Portfolio Evaluation A nursing portfolio is a collection of artifacts that reflect a nurse’s or learner’s academic and clinical competencies. Since the intent of the portfolio will vary for each learner, you may not be able to give specific content requirements for a portfolio. However, there is some general content that you should expect as part of any portfolio: • Copies of: o o o o o o o o o o Resume Current nursing license Diplomas/Degrees/Transcripts Continuing education certificates Certifications/Awards Articles that may have been written by the nurse/Newspaper clippings demonstrating the nurse involved in community work Performance evaluations/Employee evaluations Letters of appreciation from patients or colleagues Papers written for school/Examination scores Written philosophy of nursing/Schematics of nursing theories/Journal entries Summary: Portfolio evaluation uses artifacts such as resume, current nursing license, continuing education certificates, performance evaluations, certifications, journal entries self evaluations, concept maps, and other evidentiary documents, to assess learners’ growth and attainment of learning objectives. In academia, portfolio evaluations can be used to test the attainment of academic and program outcomes. In the clinical setting, it can be used for annual employee evaluation, as well as for meeting hospital accreditation requirements. The artifacts that are used for portfolio evaluation in academia and clinical settings are generally similar, though they may be at a different level of complexity. You should establish the scoring procedure, such as an analytic rubric well before assigning a portfolio project to students or staff nurses Nursing Evaluations Discussion Question Paper