Exploring the Perceptions and Practices of Nursing Faculty in Evaluating Basic Laboratory Skills of Nursing Students

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of the study is to explore the perceptions and practices of nursing faculty in evaluating basic laboratory skills among nursing students at Oman College of Health Science (OCHS).

Methods: This research is an exploratory descriptive qualitative inquiry. Ethical approval was secured from the OCHS Central Research Committee. A total of 15 faculty members from all seven OCHS branches were deliberately selected for semi-structured face-to-face and online "Zoom" interviews, facilitating reflective discussions regarding their experiences, perspectives on current laboratory evaluation methods, and challenges encountered during the process. The collected data were transcribed and coded utilizing qualitative software (Taguette).

Results: Data was analyzed using thematic analysis, based on Clarke and Braun 's (2016) framework, which revealed two main themes: The thematic analysis yielded two overarching themes: (1) checklist-driven evaluation of basic laboratory skills reflects a strong reliance on structured checklists as the primary mechanism for determining student competence, and (2) the nature of the evaluation process in laboratory skills assessment captures the broader assessment context, including faculty roles, assessor judgement, and structural constraints that shape evaluation practices.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that while the nursing faculty recognize the importance of using checklists during the laboratory assessment, they emphasize consistency and objectivity in the assessment process. Thus, there is a need for clear guidelines and more standardized tools. Also, the findings recommended that there be adequate institutional support and resources to improve assessment quality.