Comprehensive practicum evaluation across nursing program

With the inception of a new competency-based nursing curriculum, faculty in a baccalaureate nursing program developed a comprehensive laboratory and clinical evaluation program aimed at progressive, criterion-based evaluation across four semesters of the nursing program. This article provides background for the development of the program, the resources needed, and specific evaluation activities for the four semesters targeted. Course content and program year competencies, progressively built from one semester to the next, guided the design of the practicum evaluations. Faculty report satisfaction with the ability of this program to determine whether student performance is consistent with competency achievement. Refinements have been made to alleviate student stress and evaluator consistency.