how much should we include in self evals

[mel2009]

Hi everyone,

Each week we have to submit a self evaluation to our clinical professor. I am in my second semster and have not come across this situatuin before and thought I would seek out help from all of you...

the basic question is how much do professors really want us to include in our self evals and more specifically should we discuss issues and frustrations we may have with another student? I don't want to be seen as a whiner but these are suposed to account how we feel in response to the clinical experience... thoughts on this? thanks everyone!!

[TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN]

Try to keep it balanced, and pick your battles!

[ayla2004, ASN, RN]

do you have a form to fill in?

otherwise using a reflection model may be useful so you can identify weakness and strengths and what you an build on the uik is very keen on Johns Model of reflection.

[WDWpixieRN, RN]

I would be honest about your own strengths and weaknesses. We are asked about our interaction with the staff on the floors and I usually included the good and the bad without whining. Document patient interaction, how you felt you did with any new skills (or even old ones) and where you have room for improvement and where you did well.

As for "issues and frustrations" with other students -- don't go there. Nursing school is about how YOU are doing; it's not about how your peers are doing or the petty problems that can come up. You should have enough to handle with that alone.

If you are having problems with fellow students, that is perhaps something that should be addressed one on one and only if it is something that you think will detract from your ability to get through the semester.

I know in our case, these evaluations can be kept for future reference. I wouldn't want something that might document that I've had problems "playing well with others" in my file.

[mel2009]

thanks for the advice. After a night's rest, I can see that if I had a question about doing it then I shouldn't include it. Thanks for the reality check...

[Jules A, MSN]

Imo its like answering a job interview question so I always keep mine as upbeat and superficial as I think I can get away with. I'm in school to learn and while I have no delusions that I don't have a lot left to learn I am also confident that most of what I need improvement on are things that will come with time and practice. My self-evals reflect those thoughts.