Nursing Student Self Evaluation: What Is It and Why Do Nursing Students Do It?
No one knows what you can do better than you can. Self-evaluation helps you understand what skills you have to offer as well as highlighting things you need to work on. For students in nursing school, a self-evaluation is a vital part of preparing for a post-graduation job search.
What is a Self-Evaluation?
A self-evaluation is a comparison between what you know now and what you knew before starting your studies. You will also need to compare your current knowledge set with your goals. This allows you to define what needs to be done to reach your target.
A basic self-evaluation includes these steps:
- Review your goals. What are you trying to accomplish?
- List the steps you’ve completed towards your goals. What classes, certifications, or skills have you gained that are directly related to your desired results?
- Make a list of the challenges you have faced while working towards your goals. Are there any classes or lessons that were particularly difficult? Things like lack of motivation, time barriers, and interpersonal conflicts should be added too.
- Review any evaluations from instructors, peers, or others who are familiar with your work. Highlight areas of suggested improvement.
- Think of ways to navigate on-going difficulties or solve problems that may prevent you from reaching your goals.
- Rewrite your goals based on the reviewed information.
When performing a self-assessment, use concrete examples to support your observations. If you have a hard time getting motivated for early morning classes, write about the behaviors that you display at those times. For example, I was late to my 9 a.m. class several times last month because I stayed up too late.
Following these steps will help you celebrate your accomplishments while focusing on the work that still lies ahead.
The Role of Self-Evaluation in Nursing Education
Students use a nursing portfolio to track their goals, record accomplishments, and list skills and competencies. Like a resume, a nursing portfolio displays a student’s qualifications. Self-evaluations are an important part of a nursing portfolio, helpful to track your growth over time and determine what you will be capable of doing in the future.
Beyond documenting your progress, a self-evaluation helps students and instructors identify areas that need more work. Once problems are recognized, students and staff can work together to find solutions. Self-evaluations give nursing students the opportunity to excel, regardless of their current skill or knowledge level.
Tips for Successful Self-Evaluation
Most nursing schools provide students with pre-printed templates for evaluations. This makes the process easier, faster, and more effective. However, these tips will help you get the most out of your self-assessment process:
- Be honest: The assessment is primarily for you. When asked to score your knowledge or skill level, don’t exaggerate to make yourself look good.
- Grammar and spelling are important: These files will be seen by hiring managers. Put your best foot forward with good grammar and proper use of the English language.
- Use facts that can be measured and verified: Instead of saying “I’m a good nurse because I care about my patients” you can say “I ensure high-quality patient care by accurately administering medications.”
- Give real-life examples to support your claims: Instead of “I am full of energy,” write about a time you had to use your natural exuberance to solve a problem.
- Stay positive, even when talking about your challenges: Instead of saying “I still don’t know how to start an IV line”, you can say “I will continue to perfect my techniques needed to successfully start IV lines”.
Do you think you have what it takes to work as a nurse? If you want to earn an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing, ECPI University offers this program at an accelerated pace. For more information, connect with a helpful admissions counselor today.
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