developing a professional portfolio in nursing

Developing a Professional Portfolio in Nursing

Marilyn H. Oermann

A professional portfolio is a collection of carefully selected materials

that document the nurse's competencies and illustrate the expertise of

the nurse. Since a portfolio is developed over time, it also provides a

way of monitoring professional development. By periodically reviewing

the portfolio, nurses can assess their progress in meeting personal and

professionai goals and can better plan their careers in nursing. This

article describes professional portfolios, their uses in nursing, and how

to develop and maintain one.

Marilyn H. Oermann, PhD, RN, FAAN,is il professor in the College of Nursingat Wayne State University In Detroit,Michigan.

11 nurses should maintain aprofessional portfolio toreflect on their own devel-opment of knowledge andskills over time, present

levidence of compefendes,and market themselves when apply-ing for career ladder positions or newjobs in nursing.

A professional portfolio containsmaterials fhat document the nurse'scompetencies and experiences andIllustrate the career pat±i of the nurse.Artists, photographers, designers, andother professionals use portfolios toshowcase their work for clients andpotential employers. Portfolios in nurs-ing accomplish the same purpose —they showcase the nurse's backgroundand expertise for others fo review. Thisarticle describes professional portfolios,their uses in nursing, and how todevelop and maintain one.

Professional PortfoliosA professional portfolio is a compila-tion of carefully selected materials that

dt5cumenf the nurse's competencies.The materials placed in a portfolioillustrate the background, skills, andexpertise of the nurse (Trossman,1999). The portfolio also provides away of monitoring the nurse's ownprofessional development- By periodi-cally reviewing the portfolio, nursescan assess their progress in meetingpersonal and professional goals andcan better plan their careers in nursing.

The portfolio does not replace theresume or curriculum vitae, but pro-vides information not available fromfhese alone. A resume and curriculumvitae list the educational institutionsattended, the positions held, andother background informafion aboutthe nurse. The portfolio provides evi-dence of the competencies andexpertise of fhe nurse developed as aresult of fhese experiences.

Types of PortfoliosThere are two types of portfolios, best-work and growth and development(Gaberson & Oermann, 1999; Oer-mann & Gaberson, 1998). Best-workportfolios provide evidence of thenurse's competencies and expertise.These portfolios are used as doaimen-tafion for career ladder promotions,job applications, annual performancereviews, accreditations, initial andcontinuing certification, and situa-tions in which other people will bereviewing the portfolio. These portfo-lios contain carefully selected materi-als that are organized, labeled, andprepared for review by others.

Growth and development portfo-lios are designed for nurses to monitor

In the portfolio, the nurse can listprofessional goals to be achievedand related time frames, and the

nurse can use the portfolio tomonitor progress in meeting them.

their progress in meeting personal andprofessional learning goals. Nurses usethis type of portfolio to evaluate tiieirown learning and development, notfor others to review. The growth anddevelopment portfolio is a workingdocument that provides ongoing evi-dence of competencies. The nurse canthen select materials from this docu-ment to include in a best-work portfo-lio that is shown to others.

Uses of Portfolios in NursingPortfolios in nursing may he used forprofessional development, for careerladder promotions and wifh joh app-lications, for annual performanceappraisals, as documentation of em-ployee performance for accreditationsurveys, when applying to education-al programs, and fo document contin-uing competence.

Professional DevelopmentA portfolio enables nurses tt) monitorthe development of their competenciesover a period of time. The documentsin a porftoiio provide evidence of whathas been accomplished fo meet per-sonal and professional learning needs,progress in achieving career goals, andwhere further learning is needed.

Used in this way, the porffolioserves as a plan for professional devel-opment. Registered dietitians and di-etetic technicians recently beganusing the portfolio for recertification;the porffolio includes a learning plan,a log of completed continuing profes-sional activities with supporting docu-

mentation, and an evaluation of out-comes of learning (l'erfel, 1999),

In nursing the porffolio could beused as a continued competency doc-umenfation tool. Nurses could listlearning acfivities they have complet-ed, evaluafe fheir effectiveness in pro-mofing professional growth and con-tinued competency, and specify goalsto be accomplished.

In using fhe portfolio as a plan forprofessionai development, fhe nurseprogresses fhrough four steps, similarto the nursing process.

I Step 1 is the learning needsassessment in which the nurse

evaluates his or her own knowledgeand skills to identify areas for furfherlearning. From this needs assessment,the nurse identifies personal and pro-fessional goais fo be met. This step issimilar to the assessmenf and diagnos-tic phases of the nursing process(Oermann, 1998).

2The next step is to develop aplan for meefing those learn-

ing needs. The plan may include inser-vice and continuing education, com-pletion of .selected clinical experiencesand other types of learning acfivifies,independent pracfice of skills, readingof arficles and other types of publica-tions to fill gaps in knowledge, andmany ofhers. All of these acfivitieswilh accompanying due dafes areincluded in fhe learning plan.

3The third step is implemenfa-tion of the plan, which involves

completing tiie activities specified in it.The implementation dafes are includ-ed, thereby providing a record of con-

tinued learning and development forreview by others. It also is helpful foinclude a list of maferials fo be collect-ed for fhe portfolio that provide evi-dence of the learning activifies com-pleted, such as records of confinuingeducation.

4The final step is evaluation offhe oufcomes of learning and

revision of the plan if indicafed. In fhissfep, fhe nurse assesses progress madein meefing learning needs and decideson areas for continued professionaldevelopment. The portfolio includesthe plan for professional developmentwith accompanying maferials fhat val-idafe completion of the learning acfiv-ities, competencies developed andmaintained, new knowledge gained,and other outcomes of learning. Table1 provides a sample professional devel-opment plan that can be included in aportfolio.

A porffolio used in this way alsohelps nurses in planning their careers..All too often nurses change posifionswifhouf considering where they wanfto he in 1, 5, and 10 years, and they donot evaluate how each position fitsinto their career plans. In the portfo-lio, the nurse can list professionalgoals to be achieved and related timeframes and can use the portfolio tomonitor progress in meeting them. Inthis way, the portfolio is a career-plan-ning joun^al fhaf guides setting careergoals and making career decisions(Koch etal., 1998).

Career Ladder Promotionsand Job iVIobilityAnother use of the portfolio is forcareer ladder promotions within theorganization and for seeking new posi-tions in nursing. The portfolio providesjustification for a career ladder promo-tion in fhe clinical setting and containsdocuments that support it {Brooks etal., 1998).

The nurse also can use a portfoliowhen applying for a new position. Theportfolio demonstrates to the potentialemployer the knowledge, skills, andrelevant experiences of the nurse. Withthe portfolio, nurses can more easilymarket fhemselves to potential em-ployers, illustrating their value and howthey could fulfill the demands of theposition. Portfolios allow nurses to takecontrol of their professional develop-ment (Brooks & Madda, 1999). A relat-ed advantage is that the portfolio isreadily available for career transitions.

74 Orthopaedic Nursing - March/April 2002 - Volume 21 • Number 2

TABLE 1Sample Plan for Professional Development

Learning Needs

Patienteducation

,1

Goal

Improve knowl-edge and 5killsfor teachingpatients withvaried healthproblems

LearningActivities

with Due Dates

Develop teachingplans for patientson unit/adaptstandardizedplans; have man-ager or anotherexpert nursereview them(due 10/01)

Attend CEprogram onpatient teaching(due before1/02)

Read articles onpatient teaching(due 9/01)

Review Internetsites that couldbe used bypatients on unit(due 11/01)

Serve on unitpatienteducationcommittee(join by 10/01)

Activity andDate Done

3 plansdeveloped andreviewed bymanager;9/22/01

Attendedinserviceprogram on11/12/01

Read two articles(see portfoliodocuments);9/2/01

Served on com-mittee to rev\ewsites; completedliterature reviewand evaluated 28Internet sites.Project complet-ed 1/4/02

Committeemember;developedpamphlet oncalciumsupplements

ContactHours

4 contact hours

Passed CE testwith article for2 contact hours

Evaluation

Improved under-standing of howto adapt teach-ing materials forpatients. Writtenplans met criteriaestablished bymanager andused in facility

Passed posttest

Able to useconcepts inown teaching;improvedstrategies forteaching olderpatients

Sites beingdeveloped ashandout forpatients;improvedknowledge ofusing Internet forhealth teaching

Continuingcommitteemember

SupportingMaterials in

Portfolio

3 teaching plans

Copy ofprogram;certificate ofattendance;posttest results

Articles;certificateindicatingcontact hoursreceived

Worksheets forreview of sites;final document

Committeeminutes;summary report

Annual Performance AppraisalsIn addition to self growth and profes-sional development, the portfolio alsois a valuable tool for annual perform-ance appraisals. When portfolios areused for self-growth, fhis is defined asformative evaluation. This type ofevaluafion gives feedback to the nurseabout progress in developing compe-tencies for practice. Formative evalua-

tion identifies where further learningand development are needed.

Annual performance appraisals, aform of summative evaluation, aredone at periodic intervals to indicatethe extent to which the nurse hasachieved specific competencies. Sum-mative evaluation certifies the compe-tencies of the nurse at a particularpoint in time (Oermann, 199K, 1999;

Oertnann & Gaberson, 1998).For annual reviews the nurse can

collect and organize documents thatdemonstrate achievement of the per-formance standards. The portfoiiothen shows how the nurse met thesestandards or exceeded them. The port-folio can be subinifted to tiie managerbefore tiie annual review so the man-ager has this documentation when

Orthopaedic Nursing - March/April 2002 - Volume 21 • Number 2 75

It is best to save more materialsthan needed for the current portfoliobecause at a later time^ the purpose

of the portfolio might change.

completing the review. In this way theportfoiio validates and supplementsknown information about the nurse(Brooks & Madda, 1999).

Accreditation SurveysPortfolios also can be used for accredi-tation surveys as a means of doai-menting employees' performance andto provide additional data to supportthe accreditation standards. With JointCommission on Accreditation ofHeaithcare Organizations surveys, theportfolio complements the humanresource files by containing docu-ments tliat vaiidate the nurse's compe-tencies (Brooks & Madda, f999).

Applications for NursingEducation ProgramsIn some nursing education programs,a portfoiio can be submitted with theapplication materials. The portfoliocarl be used to summarize past educa-tional and work experiences as a basisfor advanced placement in tiie nurs-ing program. Once accepted into theprogram, the nurse can expand theportfoiio to include new knowledgeand skills acquired in the program.

Continuing CompetenceDocumentationPortfolios provide documentation ofcontinued competence of the nurse.There are some proposals being con-sidered that would require RNs tomaintain a professional portfolio forrelicensure and certification.

Exampies of documents for theportfolio are skili assessment invento-ries; testing at specified intervais (e.g..

computer-simulated testing in thepractice specialty, initial specialty certi-fication, or recertification testing);appraisals of role expectations andindividual abilities; academic nursingeducation; continuing education dir-ected toward the nurse's area of clinicalpractice; and partnerships hetween theregulatory body and employers for thepurpose of validating nurses' compe-tency in practice (McGuire et al., 1998),

Nurses in Engiand are required tomaintain a personal professionai pro-file, a portfolio, as a record of their pro-fessionai development and how theyfulfilled the requirements for continu-ing education (English National Boardfor Nursing, Midwifery and HealthVisiting, 1998).

Portfolios are an effective way ofvalidating competencies for recertifi-cation. In a portfolio nurses can col-lect materials that provide evidence oftheir continuing competencies andhow they developed them.

Documents to Includein a PortfolioThe documents in a professional port-folio are selected according to its pur-pose. Materiais in a portfolio for selfgrowth and career development wiildiffer from ones in a portfolio de-signed to justify a career ladder pro-motion. Differences also occur be-cause of variations in nurses' clinicalspecialties, units and settings in wbiciiemployed, responsibilities, and goais.Nurses vary in the competencies theyneed to maintain, which ultimately

affecfs the documents placed in aportfolio. As a result, no two portfo-lios will be fhe same.

Because there are so many docu-ments that could be placed in a port-folio, the nurse should be selectiveabout what to include. The portfolioshould contain materials that ilius-trate the nurse's competencies, high-light achievements and educationalaccomplishments, and achieve thepurpose of deveioping the portfolio,rather than every document producedill a career.

For example, to demonstrate com-petencies in muitidisciplinary collabo-ration, the portfolio might includematerials developed by a collaborativepractice team on which the nurseserved, revised pathway and order setdeveloped by the team noting thenurse's role in this team effort, educa-tional program developed for nursingstaff to prepare them for using thenew pathway, minutes of meetingsand the nurse's participation in them,and a letter from selected team mem-bers summarizing the nurse's con-tributions. Table 2 illustrates thetypes of documents that might beplaced in a portfolio.

As documents are collected for theportfolio, the nurse should label anddafe fhem. It is best to save morematerials than needed for the currentportfolio because at a later time, thepurpose of the portfolio might change.Materials can be organized in files sothey are not misplaced, or they maybe placed directly into the portfolio.Rather than placing ail documents inone file, it is best to develop a filingsystem that matches the purposes ofthe portfolio. For instance, if fhe port-folio is intended to justify a career lad-der promotion, files can be preparedfor each criterion to be met; then asdocuments are collected, they can beplaced in the file that relates to the cri-terion.

O'Halloran (1996) suggested usingat ieast four separate files:• Education, which contains the res-

ume or curriculum vitae, other for-mal education, the license numberand state, certifications with titlesand organizations, and awards

• Performance, including position des-criptions and evaluations of perfonn-ance, reference letters, commenda-tions, and other evidence of meetingperformance expecfations

• Community service and profession-


TABLE 2Materials for Professional Portfolio

• Resume

• Plan for professional development with supporting documentsthat verify activities completed and learning outcomes

• Academic transcripts indicating completion of nursingprograms and additional course work

• Health records

• Job description

• Performance appraisals

• Competency checklists

• Certifications (e.g., ACLS and specialty certifications) withrenewal dates and hours completed toward recertification

• Continuing education (with documentation of contact hours)and relationship to personal and professional goals

• Inservice education programs attended (e.g., skill updates,competency validations, unit-based programs, and others) withrecord of attendance

• Other types of educational experiences cbrhpleted in the organi-zation with record of attendance

I Materials produced for patients and staff (e.g., teachingforms, skills checklists, and others); quality improvementprojects; and other materials that indicate knowledge,competencies, and expertise of nurse

I List of committees, materials developed by committees, anddocumentation of participation (e.g., minutes of meetings,reports of committees, summary of responsibilities forcommittee work)

> Presentations given on unit, in clinical agency, in community,and in other settings; documents developed for presentations(e.g., programs, lecture outlines, handouts, sample trans-parencies and slides [hard copies], learning activitiescompleted by participants, and others); and summariesof participants' evaluations

I Projects on unit and institution-wide, grants, and research studieswith documentation of own role, funding if applicable, timeframe of project, results, and how findings were disseminated(include reports of projects)

I Writing samples (e.g., published articles in refereed journals,papers in non-refereed journals, columns, newsletters, bookreviews, summaries of literature reviews, letters to the editor,flyers, and otber examples of writing skills)

al nursing activities in the commu-nity, such as membership in nursingand other types of organizations,conimittee work, and other types ofparticipation

• Continuing education witb docu-mentation of programs attended,CEUs and contact hours received,and outcomes of learning from theseprograms

When the portfolio will be re-viewed by others, the nurse shouldselect the most relevant documents toinclude, orgariize them logically, andlabel eacb one. In organizing and label-ing the materials, the nurse shouldmake the relationship clear betweentbe docaiments and competencies theyvaiidate, should indicate how thematerials support a performance ap-praisal or career ladder promotion, andshould clarify how they demonstratetbe nurse's knowledge and expertise.Review of the portfoiio by a colleaguewill often show where furtlier clarifica-tion is needed.

The portfolio can be placed in athree-ring binder with pockets, it istime-saving to develop as many docu-ments as possible on the computer so

tbey can be updated easily. When theportfolio is reviewed by others, forinstance, with annuai performanceappraisals or when applying for a newposition, it should "look profession-ai." Tbis means that materials shouldbe typed, sections should be labeled,and a table of contents should be pre-pared. The nurse's name and contactinformation should be easy to find.Often nurses include their resumes orcurriculum vita in a portfolio, whichcan be placed in the beginning.

Next StepNurses across clinical speciaities andsettings need a portfolio for the rea-sons outlined in this article. The port-folio should be started now if notdone already to avoid lost opportuni-ties to save documents for it. With somany career opportunities avaiiaiiiefor nurses, the portfolio might beneeded at any time when the nurse ispursuing a promotion in the clinicalsetting, considering a new position inthe agency, or applying for a new pos-ition. Once initiated, the portfolio canthen be maintained and reviewed

periodically to monitor growth anddevelopment and to document prog-ress in meeting career goals.

ReferencesBrooks, B.A., Barrett, S., & Zimmermann,

RG. (1998). Beyond your resume: Anurse's professional "portfolio."Juurnai of Emergency Nursing, 24, 555-557.

Brooi<s, B.A., ^ Madda, M. (1999). Mow toorganize a professional portfolio forstaff and career development, journalfor Nurses in Staff Development, 15{1],5-10.

English National Board (ENB) for Nursing,Midwifery and Health Visiting. (1998).The future of professional practice: TheUKCC's ."Standards for education andpractice following registration. .Accessed15 January 2001. Avai lable from http://www,tjnb.org.uk/respspr'Ki26.htm.

Gaberson, K., & Oermann, M.H. (1999).Clinical teaching strategies in nursingeducation. New York: Springer.

Koch, L., Schultz, D., & Cusick,J. (1998).Encouraging rehabilitation counsel-ing students to devetop a portfolioas a career development tool. Reh-abilitation Education, 12, 261-267.

References continue on next page

Orthopaedic Nursing - March/April 2002 - Volume 21 • Number 2 77

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references, amtinued from previous page

McGuire, C, St.inhope, M., & Wcisenbt'tk, S. (1998). Nursingcompetence: The Kentucky perspective. Ndtionut Council ofShite Hoanls of Nursing, 79(2). Accessed LS January 2001.Avaitable from http://www.ncsbn.org/t'iles/publitations/issLies/vol 192/compky 192.asp.

Oermann, M.H. 11998). frofessional reflection: Have you lookedin the mirror lately? Oiihopaedic Niir-^iiiii, /7(4), 22-26.

Oermann, M,H, (1999). Developing a teaching portfolio, jourim!of Professiomil Nursing, 15, 224-228.

Oermann, M.!!., & Ciaberson, K. {1998). Evaluntioii nnd te.stin};innursing I'dueiitioii. New York: Springer.

O'Halloran, V.E. (1996). Maintaining career marketability as aprofessional nurse. Nursing h'oiuni, :iH4), 29-.i3.

Pertel, D.G. (1999). How to design your professional development2(X)I portfolio, journal of the American Dietetie Assoeintion,99. 53(1-537.

Trossman, S. (1999, March-April). The professional portfolio:Documenting who you are, what you do. The AinericnnNurse. 3H2), 1-3.

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