NURS FPX 6111 Assessment 2 Criteria and Rubric Development

NURS FPX 6111 Assessment 2 Criteria and Rubric Development

Name

Capella university

NURS-FPX 6111 Assessment and Evaluation in Nursing Education

Prof. Name

Date

Criteria and Rubric Development

In nursing education, crafting effective criteria and rubrics is essential for accurately assessing student learning outcomes. This significance is particularly pronounced in the context of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at Mountainside Teaching Hospital, where the curriculum aims to prepare students for the complexities of modern healthcare (Nickum et al., 2022). Focusing on the “Enhancing Palliative Care for Geriatric Patients in Long-Term Care Settings” course within the BSN program, the development of precise criteria and rubrics becomes paramount. As the healthcare landscape evolves to address the needs of an aging population, nurses must possess comprehensive skills in palliative care.

Part 1: Assessment Description and Rationale

Learning outcomes in the Enhancing Palliative Care for Geriatric Patients in Long-Term Care Settings course will be evaluated by reflective assignments. These assignments use virtual experiences, palliative care documents, and assignments to encourage self-reflection, critical thinking, and empathy by documenting personal experiences, interactions, and emotional responses related to palliative care (Schooley et al., 2024; Waldrop et al., 2023). They assist in integrating theoretical knowledge with practical experiences and developing a deeper understanding of palliative care challenges and personal and professional growth (D’Aoust et al., 2021).

The assignments are based on course objectives and focus on compassionate and holistic geriatric care (Ramazanzadeh et al., 2023). Structured self-reflection is provided in reflective assignments to help learners develop self-awareness and critical thinking (Schooley et al., 2024). This documentation facilitates the empathic understanding of the complexities of palliative care. It gives the learners theoretical knowledge and practical implementation to develop a full-practice approach to patient care.

Assembling and Administering Tests for Learning Outcomes

There are multiple steps in ensuring validity and reliability in test design. Second, learning outcomes that are aligned with course objectives are identified. Competencies are assessed in appropriate formats such as multiple choice, short answer, or essay questions (Shahzad et al., 2022). The test items should be designed to assess students’ understanding of palliative care principles, application of evidence-based strategies, and recognition of ethical dilemmas. The tests should be structured logically with clear instructions about the answers’ time limits, resources, and formats. The question types are diverse and cover everything.

Fairness is upheld through secure administration procedures such as standardized testing conditions and disability accommodations. Rubrics guide instructors in scoring and analyzing results for improvement (Ramazanzadeh et al., 2023). Uncertainty about the alignment of the test items with learning outcomes may result from challenges in selecting and developing effective test items. Validity and reliability can be improved by expanding assessment strategies to evaluate student competencies thoroughly.

Domains of Learning the Tool Will Evaluate.

The learning evaluation is holistic since it includes cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains that cover all palliative care competencies. Exams and quizzes measure cognitive skills, assessing the learning of palliative care principles, symptom management, and ethical considerations (Efendi et al., 2023). Clinical simulations and observations are used to evaluate psychomotor abilities, including pain assessment, medication administration, and patient comfort techniques. Reflective assignments and self-assessments help assess the affective domain by helping students explore empathy, ethical dilemmas, and cultural competence in patient care (Efendi et al., 2023). Nevertheless, there are knowledge gaps in assessing the interconnectivity of these domains in real-world clinical settings. Integrated assessment strategies could be developed to improve the evaluation process, gaining a more holistic view of how ready students are to provide palliative care (Enoch et al., 2022).

Grading Expectations Communication To Learners

To ensure transparency and shared understanding of grading expectations in the “Enhancing Palliative Care for Geriatric Patients in Long-Term Care Settings” course, instructors should provide detailed grading rubrics with clear criteria for each performance level (Non-performance, Basic, Proficient, Distinguished). These rubrics should align with course objectives and learning outcomes, illustrating specific behaviors, skills, or knowledge required for each grade. Instructors should also communicate the weighting of each criterion, offer examples of exemplary performance, and clarify how these expectations help learners track their progress toward achieving excellence (Ramazanzadeh et al., 2023). 

Processes for Determining Validity and Reliability

Validity is ensured by aligning assessment items with course objectives and reviewing content with subject matter experts (De Brún et al., 2022). Reliability is maintained through standardized test administration, item analysis (difficulty, discrimination index, correlations), and rubric-based grading. Pilot testing helps refine assessment instruments, ensuring accurate measurement of learning outcomes. Standardized conditions and objective grading contribute to reliability (De Brún et al., 2022). Strengths include alignment with course objectives, expert content reviews, and rigorous reliability analysis (D’Aoust et al., 2021). However, subjectivity in content validation and limited pilot testing could affect assessment accuracy. Maintaining standardized conditions across different settings remains a challenge, but ongoing refinements enhance effectiveness.

Part 2: Creating a Grading Rubric

Course Title: Enhancing Palliative Care for Geriatric Patients in Long-Term Care Settings

Learner: Nurses enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program

Faculty: Nursing educators specializing in palliative care

Date: February, 2025

C#

Criteria

Non-performance

Basic

Proficient

Distinguished

C1

Demonstrates understanding of palliative care principles

Unable to articulate basic concepts of palliative care

Articulates some basic concepts of palliative care

Demonstrates a thorough understanding of palliative care principles

Provides exceptional depth of understanding and ability to apply palliative care principles in complex scenarios. 

C2

Applies evidence-based strategies in symptom management

Unable to identify evidence-based strategies for symptom management

Identifies some evidence-based strategies for symptom management

Applies evidence-based strategies effectively in most situations

Applies evidence-based strategies in complex symptom management scenarios, also provides strengths and weaknesses of the proposed strategies. 

C3

Communicates effectively with patients and families

Demonstrates ineffective communication skills with patients and families

Communicates with patients and families with some effectiveness

Communicates effectively and empathetically with patients and families

Describes exceptional communication skills, fostering trust and understanding with patients and families. Provides clear and

explicit evidence for

claims.

C4

Integrates ethical principles into practice

Fails to recognize ethical dilemmas or apply ethical principles

Recognizes ethical dilemmas and attempts to apply ethical principles

Integrates ethical principles effectively into practice

Demonstrates exceptional ability to navigate complex ethical dilemmas and uphold ethical standards

C5

Demonstrates cultural competence in care delivery

Displays insensitivity or lack of awareness towards cultural considerations

Shows some awareness of cultural considerations in care delivery

Demonstrates cultural competence in addressing diverse cultural needs

Exhibits exceptional sensitivity and adaptability in providing culturally competent care. Acknowledges

underlying assumptions.

C6

Concise Writing (APA Format)

Fails to adhere to APA format and lacks clarity in writing

Demonstrates basic adherence to APA format with some clarity in writing

Writes concisely and adheres to APA format consistently

Writes exceptionally concisely and accurately adheres to APA format, enhancing clarity and professionalism in writing

 

Assumptions

Several assumptions about the learning environment and course objectives are made to base the progression of performance level criteria. Secondly, it assumes that learners have differing prior knowledge and skills regarding the palliative care provision of geriatric patients. Furthermore, it assumes that learners can be taught to acquire and display mastery of the targeted competencies. Also, the progression of the assumption that learners’ performance levels should be getting higher as learners engage with course materials and participate in learning activities as well as with instructions and advice. 

Conclusion 

When developing criteria and rubrics for the “Enhancing Palliative Care for Geriatric Patients in Long Term Care Settings” course, learning outcomes and assessment methods are carefully considered to evaluate student performance. Performing level criteria that are clear and distinct from course competencies serve as a basis for communicating how students will be graded transparently. The instructors use strategies for validity and reliability to ensure the assessment is fair and accurate through content alignment and rigorous item analysis. In the end, well-designed criteria and rubrics improve the assessment process, allowing students to master the basics of skills in palliative care provision.

References

D’Aoust, R. F., Brown, K. M., McIltrot, K., Adamji, J.-M. D., Johnson, H., Seibert, D. C., & Ling, C. G. (2021). A competency roadmap for advanced practice nursing education using PRIME-NP. Nursing Outlook70(2), 337–346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2021.10.009 

De Brún, A., Rogers, L., Drury, A., & Gilmore, B. (2022). Evaluation of a formative peer assessment in research methods teaching using an online platform: A mixed methods pre-post study. Nurse Education Today108https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2021.105166 

NURS FPX 6111 Assessment 2 Criteria and Rubric Development

Efendi, D., Gracia, J., Natalia, R., & Chen, K.-H. (2023). The effect of virtual reality on cognitive, affective, and psychomotor outcomes in nursing staffs: Systematic review and meta-analysis. BioMed Central Nursing22(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01312-x 

Enoch, L. C., Abraham, R. M., & Singaram, V. S. (2022). A comparative analysis of the impact of online, blended, and face-to-face learning on medical students’ clinical competency in the affective, cognitive, and psychomotor domains. BioMed Central Medical Education22(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-022-03777-x 

Nickum, A., Johnson, E., Raszewski, R., & Rafferty, R. (2022). Focus on nursing point-of-care tools: Application of a new evaluation rubric. Journal of the Medical Library Association110(3), 358–364. https://doi.org/10.5195/jmla.2022.1257 

Ramazanzadeh, N., Ghahramanian, A., Zamanzadeh, V., Valizadeh, L., & Ghaffarifar, S. (2023). Development and psychometric testing of a clinical reasoning rubric based on the nursing process. BioMed Central Medical Education23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04060-3 

Schooley, A., Spoljoric, D., Covington, K., Garwood, J., Klosinski, K., & Mordi, S. (2024). Reflective clinical judgment questions to educate the next generation of nurses. Journal of Nursing Education63(3), 182–185. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20240108-01 

Shahzad, S., Younas, A., & ALI, P. (2022). Social justice education in nursing: An integrative review of teaching and learning approaches and students’ and educators’ experiences. Nurse Education Today110https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2022.105272 

Waldrop, J., Reynolds, S. S., McMillian, J. M., Graton, M., & Ledbetter, L. (2023). Evaluation of DNP program essentials of doctoral nursing education: A scoping review. Journal of Professional Nursing46, 7–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2022.11.009 

NURS FPX 6111 Assessment 2 Criteria and Rubric Development