Effective feedback collection is essential for continuous improvement in educational institutions, particularly in clinical education. This process enables educators to share insights and make informed recommendations to enhance the learning experience. At Auburn University College of Nursing (AUCON), Preceptorship Placement Coordinator Kris Morrell, BSN, RN, and Clinical Placement Coordinator Abby Bell, BSN, RNC-OB, have implemented innovative practices to enhance their evaluation process and improve response rates.
Bell highlighted a significant shift since implementing ACEMAPP. Previously, using a different platform, the response rate was less than 5% due to the cumbersome selection process for clinical sites and instructors. “With ACEMAPP's tailored evaluation features, the response rate has dramatically increased,’ she said.
ACEMAPP allows schools and clinical sites to customize surveys, including questions and distribution frequency, facilitating data collection before, during, and after clinical experiences. This streamlined approach makes it easier for students to provide feedback, and coordinators to efficiently compile findings, resulting in comprehensive and actionable data.
The clinical evaluations align with the university's existing evaluation scale, ensuring consistency across student experiences. “Once completed, evaluations are organized and shared confidentially with the appropriate clinical instructors and sites, a systematic approach that ensures feedback reaches those who can act on it, fostering a culture of continuous improvement,” said Morrell.
Bell emphasized the benefits of having evaluations integrated with credentialing processes, allowing students to receive targeted surveys relevant to their specific rotations and instructors. This targeted approach simplifies the process and enhances the relevance of feedback.
To further improve response rates, faculty have refined their strategies. Evaluations are kept concise, and surveys are opened earlier, allowing students to provide feedback while experiences are still fresh in their minds. This proactive approach has led to more meaningful feedback, enabling quicker identification of potential challenges.
Ultimately, the experiences of Kris Morrell and Abby Bell at AUCON highlight the value of a streamlined, integrated evaluation process. By leveraging a platform like ACEMAPP and ensuring that feedback is easily accessible and actionable, educational institutions can significantly improve their response rates and the quality of the insights they receive. Adopting these best practices can lead to more effective and meaningful feedback collection for organizations looking to enhance their evaluation processes.
“This illustrates our partnership with a vendor to enhance the collection of evaluation data, which is essential for continuous program improvement,” said Dr. Caralise Hunt, associate dean for academic affairs at AUCON. “Bell and Morrell are consistently seeking ways to enhance the student and faculty experience in areas such as clinical placement, credentialing, and evaluation. This initiative is a great example of those efforts."
