How to prepare for the mid-term and final assessment 

As a registered nurse mentor , you observe, guide, assess and follow the students closely during the clinical placement period, and this means that your views and opinions are crucial regarding the students’ development and learning. We encourage you to prepare for the assessment meetings and be in active dialogue with the students.  

Preparation for the mid-term assessment

In preparation for the assessment meetings, you as the nurse mentor are encouraged to use the Resource for learning, supervision, and assessment of nursing skills in specific learning situations.

• You could try starting with one or more specific learning situations (a morning care session, for example) and observe and document your assessments of the student’s nursing skills. 
• Feel free to review your assessments together with the student prior to the assessment meetings. What has the student mastered (is good at doing) and what does the student need to be even better at (areas for improvement)? Here, it is important that you explain your assessments. This can help create a sense of security for the students. 

Preparation for the final assessment

In preparation for the final assessment, you as the nurse mentor are encouraged to use the Resource for learning, supervision and assessment of nursing skills in specific learning situations.

• You could try starting with one or more specific learning situations (a morning care session, for example) and observe and document your assessments with particular emphasis placed on areas of growth that were identified during the mid-term assessment.  
• Feel free to review your assessments together with the student prior to the assessment meetings. What has the student mastered (is good at doing) and what does the student need to be even better at (areas for improvement)? Here, it is important that you explain your assessments. This can help create a sense of security for the students. 

Conducting the mid-term and final assessment meeting

During the mid-term and final assessment meeting, the student’s progress is clarified in relation to the learning outcomes specified in the assessment forms. The mid-term assessment clarifies how the student, the nurse mentor and the nurse educator can best collaborate further in order for the student to achieve good progression in the remainder of the clinical placement period. 

The focus of the assessment meeting is not just to tick boxes in the assessment form (such as satisfactory/unsatisfactory). The focus is centred around progress of study, areas of growth and further learning and learning processes.  

It is important to create a safe climate and learning environment for the student during the assessment meeting. It is also important that the interviews are conducted in a supportive and objective manner with a focus on the positive things and how the student can work further on what should be improved. 

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