Section 5.1, Page 1
UTHSCSA School of Nursing Faculty/Staff Handbook
Chapter 5: Curriculum Related Information
Effective: Approved by COUS 04/18/09
Section 5.1 Written Clinical Evaluation for
Undergraduate Students
Pages 1-2
Revised/Reviewed: July 2010
Responsibility: Associate Dean for Undergraduate
Nursing Program
CLINICAL EVALUATION
Faculty and student teaching/learning responsibilities:
Clinical evaluation reflects the teaching/learning process or collaboration between the faculty and student to
achieve course clinical objectives/clinical competencies. Information concerning student progress is routinely
shared between student and clinical faculty throughout the semester.
 Faculty are responsible for developing a fair and equitable evaluation process.
 Faculty are accountable to the public for assuring that students are safe practitioners/competent.
 Faculty are accountable to students for providing learning activities sufficient to achieve clinical
objectives.
 Students are responsible and accountable for engaging in learning.
 Students are responsible for reviewing the clinical evaluation tool at the beginning of their clinical rotation
in each course and working weekly toward the accomplishment of the objectives identified.
 Students are encouraged to write anecdotal notes supporting objective attainment on the clinical
evaluation tool weekly.
Clinical evaluation is:
A process for judging a student’s competencies (knowledge, skills, and attitudes) in the clinical arena (both
authentic clinical environment and the laboratory).
An assessment based on repeated observation of student behavior, a compilation of data regarding behavior that
is compared to a set of standards (the evaluation tool) in order to arrive at a judgment regarding the student’s
progress toward achieving clinical course objectives.
Completed in both formative and summative formats:

Formative evaluations are used as a diagnostic tool and should be conducted minimally once a semester.
o

It is an essential tool for providing feedback to students regarding progress toward clinical
objectives both strengths and weaknesses.
o It should be used as a guide to construct further learning.
o It is not a grading occasion, although this formal discussion time should be used by the student and
faculty to carefully plan learning activities that will help the at risk student address weak areas of
performance.

If student is failing to meet clinical objectives at midterm, the student should be
provided the opportunity and know how that a clinical failure final grade will result from
failure to correct deficiencies.
 Therefore, the learning plan should address corrective behaviors in very clear,
understandable language to include:
o Identification of the objective that is not being met
o Behaviors/activities that are necessary to meet the objective with timeframe
for addressing weaknesses.
 Both student and clinical faculty will agree to the plan.
o A copy of the midterm valuation report and the learning plan will be placed in each at
risk student’s official file at midterm.
o All students have the right to receive a copy of their midterm evaluation and learning
plan.
Summative Evaluations are completed at the end of the semester to assign a grade to the student’s
clinical performance (P/F).
o
o
o
Section 5.1, Page 2
It provides a summary of the students’ clinical performance during the entire grading
period.
It summarizes accomplishment of clinical objectives in the specific course, both
strengths and weaknesses and describes students’ behaviors in terms of achieving
clinical objectives.
All students have a right to receive a copy of their final course clinical evaluation and a
copy will be placed in their official file.
Based on preset outcomes (clinical learning objectives/clinical competencies) that are clearly defined and
understandable to both faculty and students.
 Clinical objectives should be written to describe core competencies to be achieved during the specific
course.
o Competencies should provide a framework for faculty to use in observing student
behaviors and providing formative feedback.
 Feedback should be stated in precise and specific language

Verbal or written feedback to students regarding evaluation of competencies
should include both comments regarding specific behaviors and
demonstration of correct procedure when there is a specific skill performance
issue.

Provided timely to the learning experience

Provided in diagnostic format
The clinical evaluation tool:

Is an official document of the student’s performance and
o Will be retained in the student’s file at the school
o Each page is to be initialed by both faculty and student at the time of the
evaluation
o Completed form is to be signed and dated by both the student and the faculty at
the time of the evaluation
o An initialed/signed copy may be provided to the student at the time of the
evaluation
o A copy of the evaluation and the learning plan will be placed in the at risk
student’s file at midterm and the final clinical evaluation will be place in every
student’s file

Should provide sufficient space for written comments for both faculty and students
o Relative to each clinical objective,
o relative to summary comments
o Formative evaluations constitute the faculty and student learning contract
o Unsafe clinical practice is defined as “an act that is harmful or potentially detrimental to
the client, self, or other health personnel (Luhanga, Yong, and Myrick, 2008, p1)”.
o Professional behaviors include application of the nursing process, providing care and
counsel, or health teaching to persons experiencing alterations, in health based on
synthesis of knowledge and understanding of basic scientific principles (Texas Board of
Nursing, Rules and Regulations Related to Nurse Education, September, 2007).
References:
Luhanga, F, Young, O.J., Myrick, F, (2008). Failure to assign failing grades: Issues with grading the unsafe
student. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship. 5(1), http://www.bepress.com/ijnes/vol5/iss/art8
Oermann, M.H., Y Gaberson, K.B. (2006). Evaluation and testing in nursing education. (2 nd Ed.). Springer
Publishing Company, Inc.: New York.
Texas Board of Nursing (Amended September, 2007). Nursing Practice Act, Nursing peer Review, Nurse
Licensure Compact, and Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Compact. The State of Texas.