Assessment of clinical practice and the role of the nurse teacher.

The assessment of the practice of student nurses in the UK is a complex process that has evolved from school based practical assessment, carried out by nurse teachers to clinically based continuous practical assessment where students are assessed by clinical staff (i.e. registered nurses) on the ward. The role played by nurse teachers in the latter model is an advisory one in which they offer guidance to the clinical staff completing the assessment. Nurse teachers also monitor the process of assessment by monitoring and responding to learner evaluations of their clinical experience and by undertaking educational audit. This system is not without problems and raises questions about the ideal 'location' for assessment of clinical skills and the respective roles of registered nurse and the nurse teacher in the assessment process. It will be argued that the present system of distancing the nurse teacher from the assessment of practice creates a conflict in which perhaps the least experienced practitioners contribute the most to the assessment of clinical skills. A change in this system demands a review of the nurse teacher's role with particular focus, first of all on time spent in clinical practice. This paper presents a preliminary analysis of this problematic issue. There are implications in this analysis for teachers and other groups of health care professionals.