Effect of 360-Degree Feedback on the Evaluation of the Clinical Skills of Nursing Students of Ardabil University of Medical Sciences

Background and Aims Continuous clinical evaluations and necessary interventions based on their results have a certain effect on improving the educational process at all levels. Considering such effects, especially in nursing, we aimed to compare the 360-degree feedback in assessing the clinical skills of nursing students in Ardabil University of Medical Sciences. Methods The present interventional study was conducted on the undergraduate Freshman nursing students of the 2014-2015 academic year (48 students) in Ardabil University of Medical Sciences in the burn ward of Fatemi Hospital in Ardabil City, Iran. The data gathering tool was a three-part researcher-made questionnaire for assessing clinical skills. Data analysis was performed in SPSS, using descriptive and inferential statistics, including Independent Samples t-test and Paired Samples t-test. Results In the present study, the total mean±SD scores of the traditional and 360-degree grading based on the score of 20 were 15.8±0.88 and 17.66±0.61, respectively. Moreover, the results of Independent Samples t-test indicated a significant difference between the two methods (P<0.031). Conclusion According to the obtained results, the use of 360-degree feedback, considering its potential characteristics, can reduce the gap between theory and practice by involving coaches and nurses. Furthermore, this method can effectively reduce the aura errors and evaluation of students' taste by masters and trainers. In addition, it can provide students with more realistic scores in clinical settings and reflect their strengths and weaknesses.