Developing a system for the continuous assessment of practical nursing skills

This paper describes the development and preliminary evaluation of a scheme for the continuous assessment of learner nurse development in clinical areas. The developmental process involved in this work is distinctive in at least three ways. First, it seeks to actively involve practising nurses and nurse managers in the construction of the assessment scheme. Second, it operates with a clear commitment to a problem solving, skills based, approach to nurse education and training. Third, it aims to create an approach to the continuous assessment of learner nurse development in which attention is focussed on both generic and specialised nursing skills within a range of areas of clinical application. Within this context, this paper details pre-pilot and pilot work already carried out as well as a strategy for the evaluation of schemes of continuous assessment of this type.