Mentor Mentor Workshop:Workshop:

Assessing LearnersAssessing Learners

Facilitated by a Practice Education Facilitated by a Practice Education FacilitatorFacilitator

Aim of the Session:

To increase the mentor’s knowledge of student assessment, raising

awareness of the legal, professional and ethical

responsibilities surrounding assessment

Outcomes for the Session

• Provide a clear definition of assessment, Provide a clear definition of assessment, outlining the process, it’s purpose and outlining the process, it’s purpose and provide clear discussion of the strategies of provide clear discussion of the strategies of assessmentassessment

• Discuss the attributes of effective assessment Discuss the attributes of effective assessment and feedback, highlighting the student’s and and feedback, highlighting the student’s and mentor’s responsibility within the processmentor’s responsibility within the process

• Identify clear links with the legal, professional Identify clear links with the legal, professional and ethical responsibility through the use of and ethical responsibility through the use of the NMC Code of Professional Conduct and the NMC Code of Professional Conduct and the QAA Standards for Practice Placementthe QAA Standards for Practice Placement

Assessment

“Assessment can be defined as the measurement of a candidate’s level of competence in theoretical and practical nursing skills”

(Brooker 2001)

Competent

“Possessing the skills and abilities required for

lawful, safe and effective professional practice without direct

supervision”

(NMC 2002)

The Purpose of Assessment

• Measure achievement of skills, knowledge and competencies

• Judge the level of achievement (NMC legal requirements)

• Motivate and enable student progress

• Measure interpersonal, communication and team integration skills

• Early identification / addressing of issues through effective feedback

• Protect the public

The Process of Assessment

FORMATIVEFORMATIVE

• Define current learning outcomes / objectives

• Identify prior learning achievements / deficits

• Continuous collection of evidence, and feedback

SUMMATIVESUMMATIVE

• Match evidence of learning against objectives

• Make judgements based on matching activity

Effective Assessment

• Planned

• Well timed

• Continuous / ongoing

• Honest, appropriate and objective

• Well documented

Effective Feedback

• Specific

• Well timed

• Constructive

• Open / honest

• Involves sharing information

• Descriptive

• Consequential- achieves a result

• Verifiable / accurate

• Focused on behavior not personality

The QAA / NES Standards

“The purpose of the Quality Standards for practice

placements is to inform Students, Mentors, HEIs and

Service Providers of their roles, responsibilities and entitlements in relation to

clinical placement learning”( NES 2003)

Student Responsibilities

Students must :

• Help to set own learning objectives

• Act in a professional manner

• Maintain effective communication

• Give and receive effective feedback

Mentor responsibilities Professional, legal, ethical

• Contribute to the ongoing evaluation of the learning environment and student learning experience

• Provide support, supervision and assessment activities for students

• Undertake relevant mentor preparation

• Act within the NMC Code of Professional Conduct

• Clause 1.4 Clause 6.4

Evidence of Assessment

• Exploration of previous knowledge

• Team integration

• Indirect support

• Documentation

• Professional experience

• Direct observation

• Questioning / listening

• Reflective accounts

Thank YouThank YouANY QUESTIONS ?ANY QUESTIONS ?