Diagnostic Assessment Practice

Assessment Practices
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Introduction
Practical or clinical learning is important for students that aspire in the healthcare sector because it forms a critical part of their registration. Students in a healthcare setting are normally expected to meet various learning outcomes and this therefore makes assessment to be mandatory. A student in a clinical learning environment is always under supervision since work based learning is meant to help them acquire the necessary practical skills required for their profession. This article offers an analysis of the various suggestions for assessing students in a healthcare setting and provide recommendations regarding student assessment based on the analysis.
Student Assessment Practices
Diagnostic assessment Practice
This practice is normally conducted at the beginning of a student’s placement and it involves assessing the difficulties facing individual students as well as assessment of experiences, interests, abilities and skills (Burgess & Mellis, 2015). Both formal and informal measurements are used to determine the abilities of a student. Examples of informal modes of measurement include questioning, discussions and observation while formal measurements may involve some theoretical and practical tests. This practice is in most cases used to evaluate teaching methods and for planning purposes. Diagnostic assessment is normally conducted after induction and initial meetings involving the supervisor, mentor and the student (Zasadny & Bull, 2015). Formulation of action plans and learning contracts in a healthcare setting also takes place before diagnostic assessment.
Formative Assessment Practice
Formative assessment is a student assessment practice that involves building accumulative records of what the student achieves during their daily learning experiences. Teachers or supervisors can extend or modify programs based on this assessment. According to Zasadny and Bull (2015), informal observations are made by supervisors throughout the student’s time in a healthcare setting. There are different criteria of interpersonal skills or cluster skills that students are supposed to achieve in the course of their placement and therefore the formative assessment practice provides students with a perfect opportunity to explore these skills. In the course of the assessment, the supervisor provides their professional opinion on the kind of cluster skills to pursue through honest discussions with the students. Student progress is also discussed during formative assessment. There should be a correct environment for the supervisor and the student to reflect on the student’s performance and this can be achieved through advance preparations. In instances where the students needed some special support, the administration of the healthcare facility where the student is stationed is normally involved (Zasadny & Bull, 2015).
It is always a good idea to conduct a formative assessment in the middle of a student’s placement when the students are ready for assessment. Zasadny and Bull (2015) observe that students can always get discussion topics when they reflect on their own progress. The sup...