Practice to Perform: Formative Mini-Skills Checkoffs Prior to High-Stakes Summative Assessment for Practice-Ready Students.

Abstract

In previous years, students expressed their concerns regarding the high-stress nature of the summative skills checkoff, and pass rates were not as high as expected. To evaluate the impact of mini-skills checkoff assessments and the use of standardized patients (SPs) on summative skills pass rates and nursing students' perceptions of this teaching approach. A mixed-methods approach was used with a convenience sample of 46 sophomore nursing students. There was a significant difference in the summative skills checkoff pass rates after including mini-skills checkoffs and SPs ( P < .01). Four dominant themes emerged: emotional impact, preparation and learning, confidence and competence, and readiness. Evidence from this pilot study suggests the inclusion of continuous, low-stakes assessments over time, with learner feedback bridges the gap between clinical practice, simulation, and classroom learning.