The Experience of Baccalaureate Degree Seeking Nursing Students Undergoing The Process of Clinical Evaluation Appraisal

Abstract

This phenomenological qualitative study examines the experiences of nine baccalaureate nursing students undergoing the clinical evaluation process at two institutions. The clinical performance appraisal (CPA), an identified challenge for faculty and students alike, is a tool utilized for assessing nursing students‟ behaviors in the clinical setting. The national need for registered nurses that is projected to increase 22.2% by the year 2018 is cause for alarm. The importance for nursing faculty to understand and implement the clinical evaluation process is an important part of meeting this need while facilitating student learning. The lived experiences of nine student nurses were collected by way of semi-structured, digitally recorded, and in-depth interviews. Based upon the analysis of data, four major themes emerged: (a) the impact of an absent instructor; (b) all instructors are different; (c) input into the evaluation process; and (d) the evaluation process is a formality. Implications and recommendations for higher education are presented. To complete the study, recommendations for research and conclusions are made.