Introduction
For both graduate students and advanced practice nurses (APNs) aiming for professional development, the e-portfolio is a vital tool for self-presentation. It serves as a comprehensive digital record of their professional life, encompassing credentials, employment history, practical skills, and career aspirations (Darvish et al., 2014). Thanks to enhanced visual features and ease of use, the electronic version surpasses the paper portfolio. Specifically, it streamlines the self-assessment process, allowing users to quickly evaluate their competencies and identify areas that require strengthening (Reid et al., 2021). This efficiency makes the e-portfolio the recommended choice for these professional groups.
Developing and Using E-Portfolio
For several reasons, it is critical to develop and use an e-portfolio as a graduate student in higher education and as an APN for professional development. First, it serves as an example of reflective practice for students who reflect on their current level of knowledge (Handeland et al., 2021). A portfolio enables individuals to identify their strengths and weaknesses that require improvement. As a result, it provides future nurses with the opportunity for professional development. It offers a genuine chance for them to enhance their level of awareness.
Second, creating and using the e-portfolio enables APNs and graduate students to effectively represent their skills (Handeland et al., 2021). It increases the chances of finding a position that corresponds to their professional expectations.
Another purpose is the opportunity to present extensive information in a CV. Even though a typical CV contains primary data about education, certificates the nurses obtained, and significant competencies, it is represented concisely. It enables individuals to add details that do not fit the shortened format of self-representation (Koukourikos et al., 2021). As a result, the potential employee might see the information that is especially critical for them. Additionally, the detailed narration enables the e-portfolio author to identify minor issues that require further attention.
Types of E-Portfolios and Items
The choice of items that every person includes in their e-portfolio may vary. The types of e-portfolio determine the selection of the information they feature. For instance, there are presentation portfolios that showcase the best works of a student or nurse. The learning portfolio describes the current projects of the person. Another type is the assessment portfolio, which analyzes the existing competencies. Additionally, a hybrid approach to creating a digital portfolio can be developed that serves multiple purposes (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2021).
Included Items
The most typical items in the e-portfolio are current and past projects that a student or an APN has created, descriptions of the subjects they have studied, and samples of their work. These items can be represented in various file formats, including text, video, or images. The crucial point is that the e-portfolio is a self-selective representation of their competencies (Peltonen et al., 2019). As a result, there is a comparatively high level of subjectivity in the choice of materials used in the e-portfolio. Additionally, how a person uses visual and multimedia content also depends on the author’s aesthetic taste and the individual’s personal preference for using it.
Three additional examples of items that should be included in the digital portfolio are samples of the student’s work, their certificates, awards, and honors, as well as a description of their participation in volunteer work and extracurricular activities. Work samples enable readers of the e-portfolio to observe the practical application of the student’s knowledge and their ability to work as APNs (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2021).
The information about the certificates, honors, and awards the student has received serves as evidence that the graduate student possesses a sufficient level of competence, enabling them to begin working as a nurse (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2021). The information about the student’s participation in various extracurricular activities and volunteering demonstrates their motivation to help others and pursue a career in nursing.
Challenges
One challenge associated with developing an e-portfolio is effectively evaluating one’s own role in team projects. It is challenging to analyze participation in volunteering or extracurricular activities, where there are typically many people who engage in the same activities (Koukourikos et al., 2021). For this reason, graduate students should strive to develop a balanced view of their professional training. It is vital to be modest in evaluations, yet to highlight the student’s best qualities, which is often a complicated task. Overcoming this challenge is closely tied to the development of adequate self-esteem.
There are two more challenges related to developing the e-portfolio. First, it is often challenging for graduate students to identify their best work and effectively represent it in a way that clearly communicates its value to others. It is essential to select the appropriate tone of description, convey the message that makes this work vital, and highlight the author’s personal contribution to the task’s fulfillment (Koukourikos et al., 2021).
The second possible challenge is the technical side of creating the e-portfolio. These problems arise while creating the digital portfolio and choosing the correct information format (Koukourikos et al., 2021). For instance, some graduate students and APNs may need assistance in combining textual files, video materials, and images of the correct size into a single digital document.
Conclusion
Therefore, the e-portfolio serves as a means of analyzing strengths and weaknesses during education and presenting skills to potential employers. As a result, this self-reflexive description format is critical for both graduate students and APNs. It is recommended that postgraduate students begin working on their digital portfolios while studying. It enables them to critically analyze their goals and competencies, thereby improving the results of their learning. Additionally, it will help them secure a position as an advanced practice nurse that aligns with their level of knowledge and aspirations upon graduation.
References
Darvish, A., Bahramnezhad, F., Keyhanian, S., & Navidhamidi, M. (2014). The role of nursing informatics on promoting quality of health care and the need for appropriate education. Global Journal of Health Science, 6(6), 11-18. Web.
Handeland, J., Prinz, A., Ekra, M., and Fossum, M. (2021). The role of manikins in nursing students’ learning: A systematic review and thematic metasynthesis. Nurse Education Today, 98. Web.
Koukourikos, K., Tsaloglidou, A., Kourkouta, L., Papathanasiou, I. V., Iliadis, C., Fratzana, A., & Panagiotou, A. (2021). Simulation in clinical nursing education. Acta Informatica Medica, 29(1), 15–20. Web.
McGonigle, D. & Mastrian, K. (2021). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (5th ed.). Jones and Bartlett.
Peltonen, L. M., Nibber, R., Lewis, A., Block, L., Pruinelli, L., Topaz, M., Perezmitre, E. L., & Ronquillo, C. (2019). Emerging professionals’ observations of opportunities and challenges in nursing informatics. Nursing Leadership, 32(2), 8–18. Web.
Reid, L., Maeder, A., Button, D., Breaden, K., & Brommeyer, M. (2021). Defining nursing informatics: A narrative review. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, 284, 108– 112. Web.
