BACKGROUND: Self-assessment in nursing education is a ubiquitous tool for developing independent learners and critical thinkers. However, self-assessment may be influenced by both demographic and perceptual factors, making it far more complex than students or instructors realize. METHOD: A demographically heterogeneous group of nursing students (N = 322) was asked to evaluate their performance of a standard clinical procedure-the insertion of a needle into a peripheral vein of an arm simulator; their assessments were compared with those of an instructor. RESULTS: Self-assessment is influenced by gender, age, and faith. When student and instructor assessments were compared, a mismatch was found for gender and faith. In addition, a significant positive correlation was found between evaluation mismatch and self-efficacy. CONCLUSION: Results of self-assessment, commonly considered an effective tool for teaching skills in general, and clinical work in particular may be skewed by both demographic and perceptual factors. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(2):70-76.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.
BACKGROUND: Self-assessment in nursing education is a ubiquitous tool for developing independent learners and critical thinkers. However, self-assessment may be influenced by both demographic and perceptual factors, making it far more complex than students or instructors realize. METHOD: A demographically heterogeneous group of nursing students (N = 322) was asked to evaluate their performance of a standard clinical procedure-the insertion of a needle into a peripheral vein of an arm simulator; their assessments were compared with those of an instructor. RESULTS: Self-assessment is influenced by gender, age, and faith. When student and instructor assessments were compared, a mismatch was found for gender and faith. In addition, a significant positive correlation was found between evaluation mismatch and self-efficacy. CONCLUSION: Results of self-assessment, commonly considered an effective tool for teaching skills in general, and clinical work in particular may be skewed by both demographic and perceptual factors. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(2):70-76.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.