Georgia Southern University - College of Health and Human Sciences

Welcome to the School of Nursing Guide to Portfolios. In this self-instructional module, you will find out everything you need to know in order to prepare your student portfolio.

Topics covered include:

Technology Requirements

Introduction

What is a Portfolio?

What are the Purposes of a Portfolio?

What are the Outcomes I will achieve from Completing a Portfolio?

How can a Portfolio Help Me?

What is the Portfolio Process?

What Should be in My Portfolio?

How do I actually Set up my Notebook for the Portfolio?

What do I need to do at the end of each Program Year?

Printable Copies of all Forms

Hear an Introduction to this Module

There are several things you must consider before you can attempt to complete this module successfully. Please read the following information carefully. If you do not know how to do some or all of the following, you must find someone who can help you.

This module will give you an overview and instructions for creating and maintaining your nursing portfolio. At the bottom of this page, links are provided to printable copies of all forms or necessary items that are referred to in this module.

Audio clips provide additional information that we hope will help make it easier to work on this project. You can listen while viewing or scrolling down the page to see bulletted information that is being discussed in the audio recording. A tip: When you click on the headphones--and a RealPlayer screen pops up--it is helpful to minimize it in order to move it out of the way of the text on that page (minimize by hitting the little (-)negative square up in the right hand top corner of the RealPlayer screen).

WHAT IS A PORTFOLIO?

Hear what a portfolio is, what its purposes are, and outcomes you can achieve by completing one.

• Purposeful
• Collection of Materials
• Communicates Your Development

WHAT ARE THE PURPOSES OF A PORTFOLIO?

• Development of Self-Assessment and Self-Reflective Skills
• Documentation of Professional Development and Accomplishments
• Application of course content to clinical experiences
• Attainment of programmatic learning outcomes

WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES I WILL ACHIEVE
FROM COMPLETING A PORTFOLIO?

• Self Awareness through reflection and self-evaluation
  
• Empowerment through analysis and critique of your own work

HOW CAN A PORTFOLIO HELP ME?

Hear How a Portfolio Can Help You.

• Reflect on academic and clinical experiences
• Decisions about quality of your work
• More effective critical thinking
• Reflect on professional growth
• Empowerment to take control of learning
• Develop toward critical, reflective practitioner
• Enhances self-esteem by focus on accomplishments
• Documents achievements
• Obtain position/job promotion by showcasing abilities

WHAT IS THE PORTFOLIO PROCESS?

Hear about the process of doing a portfolio.

During your first BSN course OR on admission to MSN Program:

You will complete the Student Guide to Portfolio Module (the module you are currently reading). Read and review the module, asking questions about any parts of the module that you don't understand. Meet with your Faculty Advisor regarding your portfolio and its initial development.

Is there a special process for students who are in the RN-BSN or RN-MSN Programs?

Yes. RN-BSN students will submit their portfolios to their advisors/mentors twice while enrolled in the nursing program. Those times will be:
1. After completion of 14-15 semester hours of nursing courses.
2. After completion of the next 13-14 hours of nursing courses.

RN-MSN students will submit their portfolios once while enrolled in RN-BSN courses-after completion of all RN-BSN courses. Times for submission of portfolios by RN-MSN students who are enrolled in MSN courses will be determined by the MSN Program Director.

Procedure: The RN-BSN Office will track the students' progress toward completion of nursing courses, and students are to keep a record of semester hours completed for the purpose of submitting portfolios. Any questions should be directed to:
June Alberto, DNS, RN RN-BSN Program Director.

Using Your Portfolio Content Grid:

You will collect required materials for inclusion in your portfolio for specific courses. Please use a colored highlighter to mark the courses on the grid that you completed during the semester for which your portfolio is being evaluated. Use a different color for each semester and identify what semester each color represents (for example, Junior I, Junior II, Senior I, Senior II)

WHAT SHOULD BE IN MY PORTFOLIO?

Hear about what should be in your portfolio.

The portfolio consists of selected samples of your work from selected courses throughout your program. Refer to the Content Grid for your program (for printable copy, see link below) to see which pieces of work need to be included.

For each portfolio entry, an Outcome Evaluation Tool (OAT) must be completed.

GROUP PROJECTS:

There is one form for Group Outcomes (Group OAT) that is the same for all programs. This Group Outcome Assessment Tool (OAT) should be completed for any required Portfolio entries that have a group component or group requirements. Your faculty member can verify which projects require this form.

INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS:

There is another OAT that includes 3 areas (Critical Thinking, Communication, and Therapeutic Nursing Interventions) that is unique for your particular nursing program.
It is to be used for all Individual Portfolio Entries. Be certain you have the correct form for your particular Portfolio entry and program. This self-assessment will facilitate the evaluation of your own strengths, growth, and challenges.

HOW DO I ACTUALLY SET UP MY NOTEBOOK FOR THE PORTFOLIO?

Ideally, your Portfolio is your own personal document that should be designed using your own style. However, that being said, there are some guidelines that will help to provide consistency across the Program and between students, so that faculty can find and address the appropriate items in your Portfolio in a timely manner.

The Portfolio is arranged in a 4" ring binder of any color desired. At the front of the notebook, include the Content Grid for your Program, so it will be easy to see where you are in the program and which is your current Portfolio submission. Because we are making changes in the curriculum at the baccalaureate level in Fall of 2002, please be certain that if you are in an earlier class, you use the content grid that was appropriate when you began your program. If you are in the class of Fall, 2002, please use the Content Grid that is printable below.

The Portfolio is divided into sections as follows:

1) YEAR (i.e. Junior, Senior, Year 1 MSN, Year 2 MSN).
2) Then, inside "YEAR", insert tabs by SEMESTER (i.e. for Pre-Licensure BSN students, you would have tabs for Junior I, II, III, and IV semesters).
3) Within Semesters, organize tabs for EACH COURSE in which there is a portfolio requirement during that semester.

For each assignment, OATs are placed in front of each assignment, so they are easily accessible for your advisor. Your advisor is responsible for viewing your Portfolio with a longitudinal "eye" so to speak... he or she will use your Portfolio data to evaluate your progress over time, longitudinally.

You can use your imagination in designing your Portfolio. Remember that it is a Professional Document that should reflect your growth and development in the nursing profession, and one that you may wish to share with potential employers, other professionals, as well as perhaps family and friends.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO AT THE END OF EACH PROGRAM YEAR?

Hear what to do at the end of each of your program years.

STUDENT ANNUAL EVALUATIVE SUMMARY

At the end of each of your program years, you will submit your "Student Annual Evaluative Summary" along with your Portfolio. The summary is a comprehensive self-assessment of your professional growth and development in the areas of
1) Critical Thinking; 2) Communication; and 3) Therapeutic Nursing Interventions. This comprehensive self-evaluation looks across the entire year. The criteria on your Outcomes Assessment Tools (OAT) provide you with a clear focus as to the expectations for addressing each of these areas in your Annual Evaluative Summary.
Be sure to use your completed OAT forms for writing your self-assessment.
The summary is 1-3 typed pages, double-spaced, in narrative form.

Your Annual Evaluative Summary includes the following:

A. Introduction (give a brief description of where you are in your professional development since you began the nursing program)

B. Growth in Critical Thinking with examples

C. Growth in Communication with examples

D. Growth in Therapeutic Nursing Interventions with examples

E. Summary of your strengths and areas for development in the upcoming year (whether it is your Senior Year ahead; or your first year as an R.N.; or your second year of graduate study; etc.)

Clicking on the rose below will provide an exemplar of a Junior and Senior year's Annual Evaluative Summary that was done by a baccalaureate student during the program. You can print this example. It gives you an idea about how to write this narrative piece. Sometimes, it is difficult to analyze and summarize how you have grown professionally; however, this is a very meaningful part of the Portfolio, and helps you and your faculty to see a longitudinal picture of how you are doing in the program overall.

At the end of the academic year, your portfolio and your Annual Evaluative Summary are submitted to your advisor, in order to receive a grade in the indicated course. If a portfolio is not submitted, you will receive an incomplete (I) in that course until submission.

Upon receipt of your portfolio, your advisor reviews the contents, all of your OATs, and completes the Faculty Advisor Portfolio Evaluation Form. The Faculty Advisor Portfolio Evaluation Form is a composite of the OAT and includes an evaluation of your Annual Evaluative Summary.

QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR PORTFOLIO?

You may feel free to ask any faculty member about your portfolio. However, your advisor is a great resource, because he/she will be the one who will receive, review, and evaluate your Portfolio throughout your program.

FOR PRINTABLE COPIES:

(PDF Format: You need Adobe Acrobat to print these)

PROGRAM	CONTENT GRID	OUTCOME ASSESSMENT TOOL (OAT)	FACULTY ADVISOR PORTFOLIO EVALUATION FORM	GROUP OAT
BSN
RN-BSN and RN-MSN
MSN