Evaluating individual performance in higher education: a new challenge for nurse educators

Area of Science:

• Higher Education
• Nursing Education
• Performance Evaluation

Background:

• Increasing demands for accountability and efficiency in higher education.
• Nurse education's integration into the university sector.
• Need for effective staff appraisal systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the evaluation of individual performance in higher education, focusing on nursing departments.
• To identify transferable strategies from school-based appraisal systems.
• To examine the impact of research assessment exercises on academic staff.

Main Methods:

• Review of staff appraisal purposes and criteria for self-appraisal.
• Analysis of experience in introducing teacher appraisal in schools.
• Consideration of different teaching environments and research demands.

Main Results:

• Identification of successful individual performance evaluation procedures in schools.
• Exploration of implications of the 1992 Research Assessment Exercise for nursing departments.
• Strategies suggested for nursing departments to adopt.

Conclusions:

• Individual performance evaluation is a valuable departmental function.
• Successful evaluation can foster an environment conducive to total quality management.
• Leveraging existing school-based groundwork can alleviate staff burdens during sector integration.