Chapter 6: Assessment and Evaluation Methods in Advanced Practice Nursing Education
Authors:
Susanne Friis Søndergård, Professor,
Hanna Hopia, Principal Lecturer, Associate Professor,
Josefin Bäckström, Associate Professor, Senior Lecturer
Introduction
This chapter will comprehensively summarise formative and summative evaluation and assessment tools and guidelines relevant to APN education, highlighting best practices for evaluating educational outcomes and competencies which are essential in Advanced Practice Nursing. Numerous methods and tools in this chapter may apply to education at both
Assessment is central to APN education, as it bridges academic learning and clinical practice. Unlike undergraduate programmes that often assess discrete skills or knowledge, APN assessment must capture the integration of theory, advanced clinical judgement, leadership, and person-centred decision-making. Assessment not only measures learning but actively shapes it. This is particularly evident in APN education, where students develop as autonomous and reflective practitioners through ongoing feedback, self-evaluation and critical reflection on their readiness for advanced roles. This chapter outlines key theoretical principles of assessment, including validity, reliability, and fairness, and presents three core approaches to evaluating competence in APN education: self-assessment, peer assessment, and instructor assessment. These perspectives underpin both formative and summative practices, which are explored alongside the use of rubrics as tools for promoting transparency, consistency, and meaningful educational dialogue.
Keywords: competency-based assessment, clinical reasoning, formative and summative assessment, feedback and reflective practice, assessment criteria
