Skills Monitoring in the Work Environment – Pilot Project for Placement Improvement

OBJECTIVES
Rīga Stradiņš University has developed and implemented a skills monitoring system to manage students skills acquisition in theory (level A), simulated environment (levels B1,B2) and work environment (levels C1,C2). During lectures and practical classes, RSU academics are able to ensure skills acquisition and assessment at levels A-B2, but so far, the skills monitoring was not practically related to the skills acquisition in the work environment, during the placement within the study process. To evaluate the concept of skills monitoring in the work environment, a pilot project “Skills monitoring in the work environment” was implemented in cooperation with healthcare institutions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
The pilot project was implemented in cooperation with partners - Emergency Medical Service, Paul Stradins Clinical University Hospital, and Children's Clinical University Hospital, to monitor skills for 2nd (Nursing Studies) and 6th (Medicine) year students (08.2022-01.2023). For the project, a potential list of placement skills and an electronic skills reporting system were developed, in which the placement supervisor assessed the students' skills after each on-duty shift. After the placement, the participants were invited to the focus group discussions to provide feedback on the concept of skills monitoring in the work environment.

RESULTS
Participants admit that a structured list of skills provides an opportunity to prepare for the planned placement and to manage the acquisition of skills more purposefully during the placement. The electronic reporting system is more convenient, and skills assessment by levels enables a structured assessment of the student's abilities, as well as provides the university with objective feedback on the student's preparedness for practice in a real work environment.

CONCLUSIONS
The results of the pilot project show that the concept of skills monitoring provides support to placement supervisors in managing placements, ensuring structured assessment of the student's skills, and such approach should be improved and introduced at all placement sites.