The use of skills inventories to assess and grade practice: Part 1--design and implementation

Employers increasingly require evidence of competent practice and cost-effective education that is fit for purpose. Historically, universities providing nurse education have been more concerned with the testing and grading of theory at undergraduate level which ultimately defines degree classification. This may be at the expense of recognising excellence in clinical practice which should be the ultimate goal of any nurse education programme. This paper reviews the development and introduction of an assessment tool to grade clinical competence in higher education level 6 post-registration critical care courses using a skills-based assessment strategy. The knowledge and practice components for each skill are defined within a standardised template. A number of skills pertinent to the area of practice and academic module are then collected in a skills inventory for assessment and grading which contribute to degree classification.