Affective learning assessment of beginning nursing students.

Abstract

Objectives: Nursing education commonly includes aspects of cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning. Subsequently, the evaluation of student affective learning has been recognized as an important aspect within educational processes. Affective learning is crucial to professional nursing role development. However, a gap in the literature exists in measuring and evaluating affective learning in nursing students. Using the taxonomy developed by Krathwohl, Bloom, and Masia (1964. Taxonomy of educational objectives, handbook II: affective domain. Philadelphia: David McKay Company, Inc.), faculty developed a tool for students to rate their perceived level of affective learning.

Methods: Faculty launched a quality improvement project to evaluate the accuracy of student self-assessments of affective learning at the end of their first nursing course.

Results: Student and expert identification of the level of affective learning were not statistically different, which demonstrated that students accurately identified their affective level. The sample demonstrated competency through the first level of affective learning (i.e., receiving).

Conclusions: Cultivating professional values can significantly impact the lives of patients and communities. Use of the tool may lead to a deeper understanding of student nurse development of affective competencies.