Assessment of graduate entry nursing students, recommendations for best practice

Abstract

Assessment of graduate entry nursing (GEN) students must be recognised as distinct. Programmes of study for graduate entry nurses are compressed and the students possess knowledge and skills that are unique, as such, the assessment strategy utilised must recognise these unique characteristics. A subgroup the GEN network, six members from four international higher education institutions, was established to explore the assessment of graduate entry nurses. Five meetings were conducted between February and July 2024 from which endorsements for assessment were collaboratively evaluated and agreed. Through collaboration, subgroup members have made recommendations for best practice for the assessment of GEN students to have the greatest potential of supporting student learning and stakeholder expectations. Assessments should be sufficiently academically challenging to enable students to demonstrate higher level thinking alongside the application of new and evolving knowledge and skill to meet pre-registration nursing standards in a condensed timescale.