How the StrengthsFinder© Assessment Assists Faculty in Building Consensus to Achieve Consistency in Student Evaluation

Supported by recent findings from the National Council for State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) study, (Hayden, Smiley, Alexander, Kardong-Edgren, & Jeffries, 2014), simulation is quickly developing into a core teaching strategy for nursing education. Evaluation of learning during simulation, an essential component in the NCSBN study, informed nurse educators about valid and reliable mechanisms to assess achievement and competency in practice. The growing interest in using simulation to evaluate student competency led the National League for Nursing (NLN) to conduct a four-year study to evaluate the process and feasibility of using mannequin -based high fidelity simulation for high stakes assessment in pre-licensure RN programs (Rizzolo, Kardong-Edgren, Oermann, & Jeffries, 2015). Achieving clarity about the specific behaviors students need to exhibit in order to demonstrate competency is paramount. Equally important is the training of evaluators to assure satisfactory intra/inter-rater reliability. Furthermore, it is vital that faculty are aware of their own strengths and biases as they embark on evaluating students in simulation, and other environments.

The aim of this study was to extend work begun by the NLN Project to Explore the Use of Simulation for High Stakes (Rizzolo, 2014) (hereafter called NLN High Stakes Project) to explore fair and balanced high-stakes evaluation of student nurse performance in a simulation. The focus of this study was on testing the impact of an evaluator training intervention on reliability of high-stakes assessment in simulation. Furthermore, the study sought to find out if increasing faculty self-awareness of their strengths and personality characteristics could improve inter/intra-rater reliability. A training intervention for faculty evaluators was developed based on best practices in simulation and evaluation as well as general education principles and previous work by the NLN and NCSBN.

In order to investigate if specific faculty personality characteristics are associated with evaluator performance, each participant completed the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment tool (Rath, 2007). The Clifton StrengthsFinder tool is a web-based assessment of normal personality from the perspective of Positive Psychology. Positive Psychology includes dimensions of happiness and well-being by which individuals, groups, and organizations can flourish (Gable & Haidt, 2005). One characteristic of Positive Psychology is the identification of distinct talents or strengths and the maximization of these abilities. Positive Psychologist Don O. Clifton developed the concept of a strengths-based approach after conducting multiple research studies (Gallup Inc., Strengths, 2016; Gallup Strengths Center, 2017). The driving force behind Clifton’s discovery was based on one question, “What would happen if we studied what was right with people versus what was wrong with people?” (Clifton & Nelson, 1992).

The Clifton StrengthsFinder is a web-based assessment of normal personality from the perspective of Positive Psychology. The Clifton StrengthsFinder presents 177 items to the participant. Each item consists of a pair of potential self-descriptors, such as "I read instructions carefully" versus "I like to jump right into things." The participant is then asked to choose the descriptor that best describes them, and to identify the extent to which that chosen option is descriptive of the person. The participant is given 20 seconds to respond to a given pair of descriptors before the assessment automatically presents the next pair. This assessment helps identify areas where the person has the greatest potential for building strength. It measures recurring patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior (Rath, 2007).

The Clifton StrengthsFinder profile was de-identified for each participant in the study data, but participants were given access to their own profile results and were able to use the results to their own advantage in their personal and professional lives.

Clifton noticed commonalities amongst the thirty-four themes and clustered them into four domains: executing, influencing, relationship building, and strategic thinking (Rath & Conchie, 2008). The executing domain traits primarily highlight productivity and attention to detail, while influencing characteristics show persuasive tendencies. Relationship building focuses on relational collateral and the good of the organization, and strategic thinking centers on possibilities and options (Rath & Conchie, 2008).

This study was multi-site, and involved a mixed methods approach. The StrengthsFinder component of the study had both quantitative and qualitative survey questions. This presentation describes the results of one portion of a nationwide, experimental study that looked at factors affecting inter and intra-rater reliability among nursing faculty evaluating performance during simulation, specifically using the StrengthsFinder assessment to assist faculty in building consensus to achieve consistency in student evaluation. The findings from the StrengthsFinder component of this study suggest it is valuable for nursing faculty to be aware of their strengths when evaluating students. The results of this study will help inform best practices for faculty when evaluating students.