Instructor Self-Assessment
1
INSTRUCTOR SELF-ASSESSMENT
Deborah Payne, RN, BSN
Objectives
After reviewing this section, the reader will be able to:
 give examples of the stressors faced by new nursing faculty;
 describe how the instructor role in the academic setting differs from that of the bedside
nurse;
 state why self-assessment is important, especially for new faculty;
 give examples of some self-assessment methods that may be useful to new faculty.

Introduction
"As students start the semester, there is apprehension and trepidation. However, when
we complete the semester, I see pride and knowledge. It is a journey we take together.
Sometimes I leave the classroom in awe of my responsibility to the students and the patients they
will touch" (Couvillon, 2003, p. 225).
Challenges Facing New Faculty
Teaching nursing students, in the classroom or in the clinical setting, can be a personally and
professionally rewarding endeavor. However, whether you have been a nurse for two years or
twenty, making the jump from the bedside to academia comes with its own set of challenges,
some anticipated and some that may be unforeseen. In light of the current and projected nursing
shortage, it is crucial to our profession that we assist novice instructors in acclimating to this new
environment so they achieve a sense of fulfillment and flourish in their new roles. To navigate
the challenges of faculty development, the newest members need strong mentorship, an unfailing
support system, and the tools with which to build a solid foundation as a teacher.
Lewallen, Crane, Letvak, Jones and Hu (2003) have described the following stressors inherent in
the new faculty role:
 expectations which may be vague or may change, as well as the inability "to differentiate
between actual and perceived expectations" (p. 258);
 overwhelming workload;
 being unfamiliar with the academic environment;
 the fast pace of change in the world of academia, including technological change which
must be integrated into current programs;
 the scientific information explosion, about which faculty are expected to remain informed
in their particular discipline;
 the changing nature of student demographics and the need to be culturally sensitive and
culturally competent;
 lack of emphasis on meeting needs of new faculty at the institutional level.
In the clinical setting, the faculty instructor also faces the task of teaching student nurses while
safeguarding the patient. "This dual focus," Allison-Jones and Hirt (2004) observe, "requires
special and distinct teaching skills or characteristics that are not innate but are developed over
time and with experience" (p. 238).
Instructor Self-Assessment
2
The Importance of Self-Assessment
While a new instructor's performance is assessed by the students (through faculty and course
evaluations) and his/her mentor or department head (informally during support meetings and
formally during periodic reviews), it is also important that the instructor cultivate and integrate
self-assessment skills during this process. While teaching nursing students, new faculty are
themselves learners, struggling to define and develop their own teaching style.
While a highly structured, teacher-centered teaching style is the approach most commonly used,
a student-centered style "produces students who are more satisfied with the learning process and
have higher critical thinking skills" (Schaefer & Zygmont, 2003, p. 239). An environment
focused on student needs, in which open discussion and questioning of ideas and processes is
encouraged, may not be comfortable for the fledgling instructor, who may prefer a more
"controlled" atmosphere to minimize his/her own feelings of stress. Schaefer and Zygmont
(2003) also point out that "each faculty member has a personal belief system that provides the
basis for a professional belief system" (p. 243). Both provide the underpinnings for an
individual's teaching style. As this amalgam of personal beliefs, professional experience, and
approaches to teaching takes shape, it is important to engage in self-assessment in order to gauge
one's efficacy, identify areas for improvement, and ensure satisfaction within the teaching
environment.
Self-Assessment Methods
As discussed above, performance appraisal comes from many sources: students, peers, mentors,
supervisors and external auditors/observers. All of these players can provide valuable feedback
based on their respective vantage points. Reflection on this input, coupled with honest selfevaluation, can assist the instructor in identifying areas which need improvement. Discussion of
these points with a mentor or supervisor can then be conducted for guidance in implementing the
desired changes in teaching approach or content.
Self-assessment also entails constant reflection upon defining one's professional needs. Are the
expectations of your professional performance clear to you? Do you feel supported by peers?
By superiors? When raising issues or concerns, are they fairly addressed? Have you identified
strong resource people to whom you can turn with questions in their areas of expertise? Do you
understand the chain of command in your academic and/or clinical setting? Are the nursing
program policies governing student performance clear to you? Do you feel comfortable
enforcing them? Do you have the teaching tools you need (textbooks, reference books,
technology-enhanced classrooms, etc.), and understand how to use them? These needs evolve as
the instructor becomes more experienced and gains more confidence in his/her new role.
Discussing questions and concerns with peers can help with problem solving and encourage the
development of collegiality, an important source of support for the new instructor. Humphreys
(1992) encouraged teachers to keep a "diary about themselves as learners" (p. 118) so that
thoughts, feelings, and attitudes can be re-read and analyzed to identify themes that may be
helpful in directing future growth.
Literature review reveals some of the elements instructors need to feel competent, as well as the
characteristics nursing students identify as important in a teacher. Examination of such
discussions can provide food for thought and help instructors focus their efforts in a fruitful
Instructor Self-Assessment
3
direction. For example, Landmark, Hansen, Bjones and Bohler's (2003) study of factors
important in supervising nursing students revealed three areas of emphasis:
 didactics (including "integration of theory and practice, reflection on clinical situations,
clarification of supervision aims and student evaluation") (p. 834);
 role functions (including "feelings of security and awareness in supervision,
differentiation between student and supervisor roles and the meaning attached to being a
role model") (p. 834); and
 organizational framework (including "nursing faculty and clinical field expectations")
(p. 834).
Allison-Jones and Hirt's (2004) study on faculty effectiveness used the Nursing Clinical
Teaching Effectiveness Inventory (NCTEI), the results of which showed that "effective clinical
nurse instructors demonstrate strong teaching ability, professional competence, superior
evaluation practices, good relationship with students, and effectual personality traits" (p. 239).
Articles such as these in the professional literature can be useful in delineating benchmarks
toward which the new instructor can work.
Conclusion
While "an element of anxiety is endemic to any healthy learning process" (Humphreys, 1992, p.
120), the stresses and challenges of the journey to become an effective nursing instructor can be
mediated by mentoring, strong professional support, the development of realistic expectations
and by ongoing self-assessment as a means by which to identify and address one's learning
needs. Recognizing the urgent need to recruit and retain new faculty, some nursing programs
have implemented developmental plans designed to shepherd novice instructors through this
process (Nursing Faculty Development Initiative, 2004). This role transition may be difficult at
times, but the payoff can be enormously satisfying. Schaefer and Zygmont (2003) observe that,
"The shift in focus, from care of the client to facilitating student learning, is not a direct one,"
however, "(n)urturing in the context of care often leads to nurturing in the context of learning"
(p. 244). As the nursing education environment continues to evolve to meet the challenges of
incorporating technology, evidence-based teaching and changes in the teaching/learning
environment (Speziale & Jacobson, 2005), we must foster learning and adaptation among the
newest members of our ranks.
Instructor Self-Assessment
4
References
Allison-Jones, L. L., & Hirt, J. B. (2004). Comparing the teaching effectiveness of part-time
and full-time clinical nurse faculty. Nursing Education Perspectives, 25(5), 238-243.
Retrieved March 5, 2006, from the Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition database.
Couvillon, J. (2003). Faculty matters. Nursing Education Perspectives, 24(5), 224-225.
Retrieved March 5, 2006, from the Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition database.
Humphreys, K. (1992). "I must be crackers." Teacher self-appraisal for professional
development: Reflections based on a case study of a group of teachers. School
Organisation, 12(2), 115-125. Retrieved March 5, 2006, from the Academic Search
Premier database.
Landmark, B. T., Hansen, G. S., Bjones, I., & Bohler, A. (2003). Clinical supervision – Factors
defined by nurses as influential upon the development of competence and skills in
supervision. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 12(6), 834-841. Retrieved March 5, 2006,
from the Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition database.
Lewallen, L. P., Crane, P. B., Letvak, S., Jones, E., & Hu, J. (2003). An innovative strategy to
enhance new faculty success. Nursing Education Perspectives, 24(5), 257-260.
Retrieved March 5, 2006, from the Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition database.
Nursing faculty development initiative: Palm Healthcare Foundation funded grant project.
(2004). Retrieved February 28, 2006, from http://www.fau.edu/nli/initiative.pdf
Schaefer, K. M., & Zygmont, D. (2003). Analyzing the teaching style of nursing faculty.
Nursing Education Perspectives, 24(5): 238-245. Retrieved March 5, 2006, from the
Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition database.
Speziale, H. J., & Jacobson, L. (2005). Trends in registered nurse education programs 19982008. Nursing Education Perspectives, 26(4), 230-235. Retrieved March 5, 2006, from
the Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition database.