Learn, Reflect, Practice, Discuss: A Professional Development Pilot for Clinical Nurse Educators

Abstract AIM: The aim of this project was to assess the effect of a professional development pilot on the self-efficacy among clinical nurse educators toward evaluation and assessment of students in the clinical setting. BACKGROUND: Nursing schools employ clinical nurse faculty with varied levels of experience and formal education in teaching. Positive student outcomes are dependent on the competency of their nursing faculty, yet best practices to train and support the professional growth of clinical faculty have not yet been identified. METHOD: A multi-modal professional development pilot including online-learning modules, self-reflection, practice-learning, and peer-mentoring components was designed and implemented with a small group of clinical nursing faculty (n=9). Participants were provided a survey on self-efficacy toward teaching prior to and following this professional development pilot. RESULTS: Mean scores in total self-efficacy toward teaching were somewhat increased following participation in this pilot (r = 0.246, Z = - 0.676, p = 0.499) with a pre-post survey percent change of 3.98 percent (n = 7). More notably the percent change in self-efficacy in the subscale of exam and evaluation increased by 10.98 percent (n = 7). CONCLUSION: Results suggest that this professional development pilot was successful in increasing self-efficacy toward evaluation and assessment of students in the clinical setting among clinical nurse educators