Exploring the Skills Prioritised in the Assessment of Students Pursuing Adult Nursing, Post-COVID: A Qualitative Analysis.
Carmel Bond, Joanna M Painter, Donna Barnett
PMID 40308006WHAT IT FOUND
Adult nursing students are assessed mainly on technical tasks like catheterisation and wound care.
Compassion and communication are rated but rarely described in detail. Assessors prioritise demonstrable physical skills over relational qualities.
Key findings
01Assessors prioritised technical proficiency and initiative in core clinical skills such as aseptic technique, venepuncture, and patient assessments.
02Relational competencies like compassion and communication were frequently mentioned but lacked elaboration on how they were applied in practice.
03The term 'holistic' was rarely used, and mental health assessments were notably absent from the adult nursing student feedback.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was conducted at a single university in the north of England, so findings may not reflect assessment practices nationally or globally. The data came from written documentation, which may not capture the full richness of verbal feedback or the contextual nuances of student-assessor interactions. The tick-box structure of the assessment tool may have simplified or constrained how relational skills were recorded.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the lack of detailed comments on compassion as evidence that assessors do not value it. The study shows it is frequently mentioned, but the written format may not encourage the elaboration seen in verbal feedback or other assessment types.