Use of the clinical exemplar in performance appraisals

Clinical exemplars enable nurses to demonstrate the critical thinking and decision making that define the delivery of excellent patient care. Exemplars are an important tool for making the invisible work of nursing visible to nursing colleagues, other health care professionals, and the health care consumer. In today's climate of health care reform, nurses must showcase their skills and talents if they are not to be replaced with less well trained, unlicensed health care personnel.