Development of an electronic portfolio system for recording of continuous professional development (CPD) and competency for nurses

Development of an electronic portfolio system for recording of continuous professional development (CPD) and competency for nurses
Key messages


1. Portfolios are necessary to allow nurses to prove Competency and Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for AHPRA. These Portfolios need to promote and prompt nurses to reflect on CPD activities.

2. Worldwide there is growing need to migrate from paper-based portfolios to electronic portfolios which provide users with the digital tools to demonstrate their life-long learning skills, and development over time.

3. E-portfolios - are personal online spaces for clinical staff to access services and store proof of CPD. They will become more useful as clinicians grow and start moving between different types of learning and different institutions.

A professional portfolio is a document of how an individual has contributed to their ongoing professional development. It generally comprises the three aspects of Assessment, CPD and Recency of practice:

• Assessment can involve a personal reflection on the individual’s own competency to practice, a completion of a checklist against the standards or even a professional review by the employer,
• CPD is a formal record of 20 hours. Learning needs must be identified and the record of CPD must show that the individual has met these needs. It must also include a reflection on how this learning will assist you in their practice, and
• Recency of practice can be proven with the inclusion of an updated resume within the portfolio (Ceely, 2010)

The purpose of a portfolio can be defined as a “visual representation of the individual, their experience, strengths, abilities and skills” McCready quoted in Casey & Egan.(Casey & Egan 2010) A portfolio can be a storage portal for certificates but should also provide evidence that is valid, sufficient, authentic, reliable and current. A well constructed portfolio should show evidence of how learning occurred together with practical applications. Generation Y especially see learning opportunities as crucial to their development. (Cubit & Ryan 2010)
Electronic Portfolios are a flexible vehicle to showcase professional development. Its advantage is that in can be published in a variety of formats, including via the internet. It can be distributed/replicated with ease and is transferrable to new work environments. Several multimedia tools are available to make portfolios interactive. These include images, video, audio and technologies like shockwave and JavaScript. (Lewis & Baker 2007) The portfolios can also be easily accessed through any devise with an online capability including mobile phones. Due to the electronic nature of these portfolios it can enable real-time documentation of activities and learning.
Portfolios can provide evidence of understanding of concepts as well as attainment of the skills to organise, synthesize and communicate achievements. Portfolios can ensure that the individual has significant input in their own learning goals.


References

• Casey, D., & Egan, D. (2010). The use of professional portfolios and profiles for career enhancement. British Journal Of Community Nursing , 15(11), 547-552.
• Celery, M. (2010). National Registration and Professional Portfolios: What does it all mean? Journal Of The Australasian Rehabilitation
• Nurses' Association (JARNA) , 13(2), 4-6.
• Cubit, K.A., Ryan, B., (2010) Tailoring a Graduate Nurse Program to meet the needs of our next generation nurses, Nurse Educ. Today, doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2010.03.017
• Garrison, D. R. (2011). Assessment and Evaluation. In E-Learning in the 21st Century. (2nd ed.). (pp. 106-107). New York, USA: Routledge.
• Lewis, K., & Baker, R. (2007). The development of an electronic educational portfolio: an outline for medical education professionals. Teaching & Learning In Medicine, 19(2), 139-147.
• Mills, J. (2009). Professional portfolios and Australian registered nurses' requirements for licensure: developing an essential tool. Nursing & Health Sciences, 11(2), 206-210. doi:10.1111/j.1442-2018.2009.00457.x
• Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (2010, July).Continuing professional Development Registration Standard

This project was supported by a Practice Development Scholarship PDS-03-12 from the ACT Nursing and Midwifery Office