Best practices in clinical skills assessment methods: A scoping review

Objective This scoping review examines literature on assessment methods for psychomotor clinical skills in laboratory settings and identifies best practices used by educational institutions. This review aims to inform the development of a new evidence-based assessment model to enhance student learning, support growing nursing cohorts across Canada, and promote safe patient care. Methods Joanna Briggs Institute and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Scoping Review Extension both guided the procedure of this scoping review. After searching seven databases, 27 sources meeting the inclusion criteria were extracted and charted. Results Three primary themes emerged from this scoping review: standardized clinical exams, integration of digital or video-based assessments, and competency and performance-focused assessments. These approaches are interconnected and key to evaluating clinical skills in undergraduate education as no single assessment approach can adequately capture one's clinical competence, knowledge, and skills. Conclusion Findings suggest that effective evaluation of clinical skills requires integrated assessment models that are consistent in structure, authentic to the clinical setting, and provide students with meaningful formative feedback. Continued refinement of assessment design, examiner preparation, and alignment with real-world clinical practice is necessary to facilitate reliable assessment of a nursing student's readiness to practice.