Use of anecdotal notes by clinical nursing faculty: a descriptive study

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Clinical Performance Evaluation
• Qualitative Research Methods

Background:

• Anecdotal notes are widely believed to be a common tool for documenting clinical performance in nursing education.
• Empirical research on the frequency and patterns of anecdotal note usage by faculty has been lacking.
• The Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) evaluation model provides a framework for assessing educational practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the frequency and patterns of anecdotal note usage by clinical nursing faculty.
• To adapt the CIPP evaluation model for application in clinical nursing education.
• To develop a supportive tool for faculty utilizing anecdotal notes in student evaluation.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive research design was employed to collect quantitative data.
• A faculty questionnaire, based on the adapted CIPP model, was developed and administered.
• Sixty-four nursing faculty from six institutions participated in the study.

Main Results:

• 97% of clinical nursing faculty reported using anecdotal notes in student evaluation.
• The majority of faculty utilize anecdotal notes on a weekly basis.
• Faculty feedback informed the development of a new tool to aid in note-taking.

Conclusions:

• Anecdotal note usage is a prevalent practice among clinical nursing faculty.
• The study highlights the need for structured support and tools for effective anecdotal note-taking.
• A faculty tool was created to enhance the process of documenting clinical performance.