Enhancing collaboration across education and research (Symposia): Enhancing assessment using a single practice assessment tool

This multi-method study collected data from Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) registered mentors, undergraduate nursing students and personal tutors from undergraduate nursing academic teams in the north west of England with a number of shared clinical placements who had been utilising a single practice assessment tool, which had been developed collaboratively. Documentary evidence highlighted that there was variation and inconsistencies for training and assessment that required practitioners to be conversant with different systems (Australian Health Workforce Officials Committee (AHWOC), 2005). The aim of this study was to explore the effectiveness of a single practice assessment tool. Methods (Online Questionnaire): 711 participants took part in the online questionnaire, including a wide range sample of key stakeholders from 19 NHS Trusts and 3 Universities. This offered a baseline exploratory assessment of the effectiveness of a single practice assessment tool.
Focus Groups: Four participants were recruited to follow up focus group sessions with the key stakeholders allowing for a deeper analysis of the issues raised.
Results: Following triangulation of the results within the group, the questionnaire and focus groups highlighted the emergence of four themes:
1) general preparation of user groups; 2) content of assessment tool; 3) Assessment processes using the tool; 4) Concepts of student expectation.
Our study identified additional training needs for students and practitioners. Users felt unprepared and that the content of the assessment tool was repetitive, confusing and jargonistic. Interestingly, academics felt fully conversant with the tool. We concluded that users of the tool needed to be included more closely in the development of a revised single assessment tool.