How do I evaluate students?
Evaluation can be challenging as it requires you to make a judgment of someone else’s abilities (Smith, 2006). Reflect on your personal values and beliefs when related to what is important in your nursing practice. The following suggestions may assist you in the provision of formative feedback:
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- Collect data on a daily basis throughout the clinical experience. This can be subjective and objective data collected through direct or indirect student observation.
- Observe how the student interacts with patients, family members, and other health care professionals.
- Provide objective and constructive feedback. Frequent positive constructive feedback is essential for student growth. Provide feedback to the student at least once per clinical day. Feedback on areas that the student must strengthen can be difficult but is essential for the student to recognize learning gaps to improve patient care (Smith, 2006).
- The preceptor will provide feedback after 40 hours, at midpoint and end of the practice education experience. The 40 hour and midterm feedback forms provide information on areas of student growth. The final evaluation is summative and is influential in terms of the provision of the final grade. These feedback forms are signed by the student, preceptor and reviewed by the Clinical Faculty. They are used in the determination of the student grade for the practice education experience.