Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference
Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007
Conference Proceedings
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Title: Enhancing Continuing Professional development
through portfolio based learning.
Nicky Genders ( MA; BA(Hons); CertEd; DipPSN; RN)
Principal Lecturer
DeMontfort University
Faculty of Health & Life Sciences
Charles Frears Campus
266 London Road
Leicester
LE2 1RQ
0116 2013911
ngenders@dmu.ac.uk
Historically nurses have been less confident in some key skills than
others, for example, information technology and application of
number (numeracy), being better at the softer skills of
communication. However, the number of errors in drug calculation
has sharpened the debate regarding nurses’ ability to calculate
drugs effectively. This has led to changes to nursing curricula to
include calculation/numeracy testing where this was previously
absent and for some admissions departments to acknowledge Key
Skill qualifications in numeracy at level two or above as evidence of
numerical skill. The acknowledgement of Key Skill development,
namely numeracy, to nursing practice has clearly been driven by
the recognition of aspects of poor practice, the importance of which
cannot be underestimated. However, it is equally important to
recognise the place of other Key Skills in improving professional
practice. Whilst Key skills may currently be embedded in preregistration
nursing curriculum there is now a case for
strengthening the role of Key Skill development as an integral part
of nurse education. One way of doing this is through a structured
approach to portfolio development using a Key Skills framework.
However, there is little evidence of the efficacy and effectiveness of
using key skills in portfolio development
Study Aims, methodology and methods:
An in depth-literature review was undertaken to inform
questionnaires and interview schedules aimed at exploring student
nurses perception of portfolio building in education and qualified
nurses’ perception of portfolio building in practice. Research
findings from this first stage will be used to inform the development
of portfolios for higher level courses and their use in performance
review of practice.
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