The Master of Nursing Program at La Trobe University would like to move from a cumbersome paper based Clinical Practice Assessment tool to an online system. Terry Young will present the results of the pilot project conducted in Semester 1 2013. The project used the new workbook function in PebblePad 3 which includes self-evaluation, provision of evidence and external user validation.

1. Clinical Assessment
– New opportunities
Terry Young
Curriculum Teaching & Learning Centre

2. Context
•
Clinical assessment of postgraduate students in the School of Nursing &
Midwifery at La Trobe University.
•
Assessment based on National competency standards for a registered nurse.
•
They are the standards by which performance is assessed to obtain and
retain a license to practice as a registered nurse in Australia.
La Trobe University
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3. How it was….. 8 pages of A4 paper
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4. How it was
1. Student completed self evaluation paperwork
2. Met with Clinical Educator to discuss performance and review paperwork.
Student self
evaluation
Interview
with Clinical
Educator
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5. Issues
•
Perceived as paperwork compliance
exercise
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Paper shuffling and version
management
•
Lost paperwork
•
Interview time spent processing
agreed competencies
•
Limited feedback cycle
Tom Ventura from Denver, CO, USA
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6. 6

7. Electronic Clinical Practice Assessment Tool
What did we do?
PebblePad
Templates
Workbooks
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8. Electronic Clinical Practice Assessment Tool
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9. Electronic Clinical Practice Assessment Tool
The paperwork exercise transferred to online environment using PebblePad
1. Student completed online self-evaluation
2. Student provides evidence to support their claims
3. Clinical Educator reviews form before interview and includes feedback
4. Interview - Student and Clinical educator focus on discussion of identified
performance gaps
Online
Self
evaluation
Add
Evidence
CE
previews
Interview
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10. Outcomes
•
Increased efficiencies
More time spent with student dealing with skills gaps and action plans
•
All student data in one place
•
Students took a more active role in their own learning
•
Students sought validation of evidence and found the feedback constructive
•
Surprisingly the Clinical educators did not resist the digital assessment process
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11. Outcomes
“I have seen a real shift in the attitude of
the student group – they seem to be
taking more responsibility for their own
learning, identifying gaps and making
appropriate plans to develop”
Lecturer Practitioner (Emergency) Alfred/La Trobe Clinical School
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12. Benefits
•
A more meaningful beneficial activity for students and staff
•
The collection of evidence to support claims of competency places the onus on
student and promotes a more learner centred approach
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13. Benefits
•
Centralised data management
•
Data Access
Managers, auditors and supervisors can access
•
Potential to collate/analyse student data
Which students need intervention?
Which competencies are students having difficulty with?
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14. Lessons learnt
•
Initially design the process to match the current methodology
> User acceptance/ process familiarity
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Demonstrate to users for feedback and modify based on their feedback
> Ownership
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15. Lessons learnt
•
Ensure users understand why the digital process is being adopted and they
must value the goal.
If they can see the goal, they will be forgiving of any technical/process issues.
•
Review the process with users and they will allow you to modify the original
method to improve the new system
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16. 2014
Disciplines planning to use evidence based portfolios in 2014
•
Post Graduate Nursing Programs
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Dietetics
•
Social Work
•
Midwifery
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17. The stick
Students must ensure they comply with the industry standards
Stick
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18. The carrots
In the process of identifying evidence as
proof of meeting the standard.
We should design activities where
students have the opportunity to reflect
and collect evidence of learning.
Students can identify their own skill gaps.
jules / stone soup
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19. The outcome
This framework encourages them to take responsibility of their own learning.
Wouldn’t that be a good thing!
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20. Thank you
Contact details
Terry Young
t.young@latrobe.edu.au