Analysis of Student Performance Ratings

Abstract

Evaluation procedures in schools of nursing differ depending upon tradition and the orientation of those responsible for student assessment. Traditionally, faculty in schools have used anecdotal or graphic ratings which attempt to give an overall estimate of the student's capability. While these global estimates are useful in assessing whether or not the student meets some minimum standard of "safety to practice" they provide little information about differences in competencies between students or classes in a program. Proponents of the more recently developed behavioral rating scales (sometimes called "BES," sometimes "BARS" or "BOS") express the need to assess performance in terms of behaviors which are critical to job success or failure (Campbell, Dunnette, Lawler and Weick, 1970). The reason for this is that behavioral measures are based on what a person actually does as opposed to what might be inferred from factors which are not entirely under his/her control or from attitudes or traits (Latham and Wexley, 1977).