Nursing students' experiences with the use of authentic rubric and case approach in the clinical laboratories
article abstract
One current challenge for nurse educators is to examine effective nursing assessment tools that integrate nursing knowledge into practice. An authentic assessment allows nursing students to apply knowledge to real-life experiences. Contextualized cases have engaged students in the preparation of diverse clinical situations and the development of critical thinking skills. This study aimed to explore nursing students’ experiences and learning outcomes with the use of an authentic assessment rubric and a case approach. An exploratory qualitative approach using focus-group discussions and an open-ended survey were adopted. Sixteen nursing students participated in three focus-group discussions and 39 nursing students completed an open-ended survey. Nursing students noted that an authentic assessment rubric with a case approach provided clarity for their learning goals; built confidence; developed knowledge, skill competencies, and critical thinking skills; increased awareness of caring attributes and communication skills; and enriched and extended learning through self-, peer- and teacher-assessments. These findings provide rich insights for nurse educators and curriculum developers in the use of an authentic assessment rubric and a case approach in nursing education.
CITATION: Wu, Xi Vivien, Mary Heng, et al. “Nursing Students’ Experiences With the Use of Authentic Assessment Rubric and Case Approach in the Clinical Laboratories.” Nurse Education Today, April 2015, Vol.35(4), pp.549-55 DOI: 10.1016/j.nedt.2014.12.009