Exemplar 4 - Supporting Clinical Placements in Nursing  

Institution: Queensland University of Technology

e-Portfolio context:  Supporting Clinical Placements in Nursing - The lecturer's goal was to significantly enhance the reflective practice abilities of Nursing students through ePortfolio activities in Clinical Placements units. 

Dates of provision: Since 2007 - under review in 2011 as part of the new curriculum development for the Bachelor of Nursing.

Reason for implementation: In 2007/2008, the unit coordinator realised the need to help students develop a more critical approach to clinical reflection. Students were producing descriptive reflections with little thought given to critical thinking and recording of the deeper aspects of practice. In 2009, she used the ePortfolio approach to support students through both the approach and the online tool, to develop more effective reflections and to align these with the ANMC competencies. The ePortfolio tool also supported what was traditionally an integral assessment activity in all clinical placement units and so required little extra time commitment to implement. The students and staff were supported in learning how to use the ePortfolio tool by the Strategic Initiatives team officers.

In addition, nurses in Australia are required to maintain 'proof' of fitness to practice. A number of registered nurses is audited each year and are required to provide evidence they have undertaken professional development activities; they have maintained currency of practice; that they are fit to practice at their chosen level. The ePortfolio program was used to support students in developing this approach to professional practice while at QUT with the view to maintaining such professional practice into the future.

Purpose/s: The purpose of using an e-portfolio approach to clinical placement is to help students reflect their understanding and thinking about experiences they have had in relation to the professional competency areas and provide evidence of the knowledge and skills that they developed as a result of those experiences.  Students enter clinical reflections into their ePortfolio against the ANMC Nursing Competencies. Students release a view of these reflections to meet assessment requirements for the unit. Formative and summative assessments are carried out.

Learning processes involved:  Information capture, Information retrieval, Planning, Reflection, Feedback, Presentation for assessment

Practice: Fully developed

Key staff involved: Lecturer/Unit Co-ordinator and eLearning Services support staff