How would the students evaluate themselves in clinical settings: Results of a Study

Background:

The evaluation of learners performance is one of the important and critical components in teaching-learning process. The aim of this study is to explain the students' experiences of self-assessment in clinical practice.

Material and methods:

In this qualitative study in 2010, semi-structured interviews conducted with 20 Nursing and Midwifery students. The sampling method was purposeful and with maximum variation. All of the participants answered two open-ended questions "how do you assess yourself in clinical practice? and do you remember any clinical situation that you assessed yourself?" The probing questions were used to make deeper the interviews. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using content analysis method. The oral informed consent was obtained for the participation in voice recording.

Results:

The analysis of the students' experiences indicated that the self-assessment criteria are the combination of verbal and non-verbal judgments of instructor, staff, peer & patients & also students self-assessment. Attracting instructor & patients satisfaction and trust, shining among others and being responsible are mental criteria of self-judgment in clinical area. Therefore, the students sometimes didnt accept the external evaluators assessment grading as real ones, since they suppose them superficial & formal.