E-Portfolios in Nursing: A Tool for Professional Development and Career Growth

This article discusses the concept of e-portfolios in nursing and their benefits for professional development and career growth. It covers the different types of e-portfolios, their applications in the education sector, and the job responsibilities of advanced nursing practitioners. The article also highlights the author's academic certifications, degrees, and career goals.

Running head: NURSING ASSIGNMENT
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Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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Section 1:
An e-portfolio or an electronic portfolio can be defined as an online resource that
stores, records and archives important learning material, artefacts and reflection records for
the benefit of an individual learner (Nielsen, Pendersen & Helms, 2015). E-portfolios
therefore serve as examples that reflect professional and personal growth (Nielsen et al.,
2015). E-portfolio is also known as a digital portfolio or an online portfolio. As mentioned
by, Karsten et al. (2015) it forms a collection of the electronic device that helps in the process
of assembling and managing information stored by the user on the web. The assembled
information might comprise of electronic media such as images, blog entries, hyperlinks,
multimedia graphics or texts. Electronic portfolios critically demonstrates the ability of the
user to showcase self-expression. A stated by Green et al. (2014), e-portfolios can be
compared to dynamic portfolios that highlight the personal achievements of the user and can
be modified with the progression of time. It can be stated in this regard that e-portfolios serve
as learning records that represent the actual evidence and level of achievement gathered by
the student. In addition to this, it should also be mentioned that the learning records presented
within an e-portfolio depict the learning plan. According to Feather and Ricci (2014), a
learning plan can be defined as an academic tool that aids individuals to critically enlist
communities of interest and organizations to pursue higher education and certification
courses. Therefore, it can be said that the level to which an individual learning environment is
capable of capturing and displaying a learning environment could also be considered as a
miniature version of an electronic portfolio. According to Eynon et al. (2014), it has been
mentioned that e-portfolios present examples of evidence-based practices that aids in
planning a career path for future professional development and professional experiences.
Studies mention that E-portfolios are similar to traditional portfolios and facilitate

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individual’s perception and critical reflection on their learning experience. This helps in the
promoting awareness about learning strategies and needs and accordingly design academic
and professional goals. According to Collins and Crawley (2016), it has been mentioned that
an electronic portfolio is similar to a traditional and paper-based portfolio. However, the use
of electronic portfolios have been associated with stronger and better learning outcomes.
According to Chang et al. (2017), electronic portfolios have been characterized under
three categories that include developmental portfolio, assessment portfolio and showcase
portfolio. A developmental e-portfolio has been typically compared to a portfolio that
highlights the advancement of the skills and abilities of the student within a stipulated period
of time-frame. The developmental portfolio serves as a communication platform between the
student and the tutor. On the basis of the developmental portfolio, the tutor accesses the level
of academic progress and performance of the student within a particular domain. As stated by
Bulman and Schutz (2013), a showcase portfolio emphasises upon the work-based experience
and skills of an individual within a particular work domain. This type of e-portfolios widely
find their application to assist employers to recruit experienced employees for a particular job
role. As mentioned by Andrews and Cole (2015), a career portfolio is a type of showcase
portfolio that is used by the employees to seek employment for a specific job role. It
highlights the educational qualifications, skills and professional experience gathered by the
employees while working in different organizations. Most of the e-portfolios are a mix of the
three types of e-portfolios discussed above. In such cases, the resulting e-portfolio is known
as a hybrid-portfolio.
Electronic portfolios find their application in a wide range of domains that include the
following (Chang, Lee and Mills, 2017):
 Academic institutions such as schools and colleges
 Applying for higher education in Universities

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 Continuing the process of professional development
 Applying for job-opportunities or publishing professional advertisements
 Applying for psychological therapy groups
 Conducting an assessment
 Approving an accreditation
 Recognition of the process of prior learning experiences
E-portfolios find extensive application in the field of the education sector. It should be noted
in this context that the e-portfolios managed by the students provide them with an opportunity
to organize, archive and display the learning goals and the associated academic progress
(Feather & Ricci, 2014). Also, the electronic format of the record helps the assessor to
critically evaluate the portfolios of the students over the internet or on secondary memory
devices such as CD-ROM, DVD or Zip disk. The popularity and increased demand of the e-
portfolios within the educator sector can be attributed to the associated advantages over the
traditional portfolios. The advantages can be accounted as the continuous communication
process that allows the instructor to review and provide a feedback in an asynchronous
manner (Green et al., 2014). Also, it provides an opportunity to the students to reflect upon
their practical experiences and that serves as the meaningful purpose to create the portfolio. It
should be noted in this regard that the e-portfolio of a student is shred with a prospective
employer in order to critically record the achievements acquired in an academic program and
the ability to acquire the learning goals. The two domains that extensively encourage the
students to create an e-portfolio are the Nursing and the Education department. In most of the
developed Nations, it is expected that the nursing students must create an e-portfolio in order
to apply for specialization training and to assume the role of advanced nursing practitioners
(Nielsen et al., 2015). Also, pre-service and fresh teachers are required to create e-portfolios
in order to gather teaching certification and licensure. E-portfolios used by the students are

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based upon a number of academic disciplines that include, Math, Science, Business,
Architecture, Engineering and Communications. The major functions served by academic
electronic portfolios within the education domain can be enlisted as follows (Karsten et al.,
2015):
 Record and document skills and learning
 Document and critically track development within an academic course or a program
 Plan an education course or a program
 Critically evaluate and monitor performance
 Look for job opportunities
 Evaluate the advantages and application of the course
Therefore, it can be mentioned that the e-portfolios encourage critical thinking and
promote the successive development of technological as well as literacy skills. Apart
from the students, educators also make use of electronic portfolios in order to record
course and discipline designs so as to promote learning objectives in collaboration with
the teaching professionals. E-Portfolios thus help in reinforcing an independent and an
autonomous thought perspective of aspirants willing to explore educational and job
opportunities (Eynon et al., 2014). Therefore, in this regard, I would like to state that
creating an e-portfolio would help me in showcasing my level of academic education,
professional experiences, personal strengths, learning interest and career map. It would
also include a section of critical reflection based upon my professional experience that
would allow me to analyse my strengths and weaknesses. The online portfolio thus
created by me would be used to apply in different academic institutions offering
certification courses for speciality programs and advanced nursing practices. It would
allow me to assess my strengths and weaknesses and highlight the areas where I would
need to acquire training in order to attain professional excellence. In addition to this, it

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should also be mentioned that the e-portfolio would help in the process of networking and
allow me to apply for better job opportunities in order to boost my professional career. It
would also help me in remaining updated with the latest job vacancies for advanced
practitioners across Australia and increase my chances of recruitment in reputed
healthcare organizations.
Section 2:
This section of the paper would highlight my accomplished academic certifications,
degrees and my career goals. I have always aspired to work in the healthcare sector in
order to serve people and enhance their quality of life. The nursing profession seemed
extremely appropriate to me as it fulfilled both the criteria of my dream job. As a
registered nurse, my primary responsibility would be to care for people and alleviate their
standard of life with appropriate medical assistance and treatment intervention. However,
the journey to assume my desired job-role is a lengthy journey that offers critical
challenges throughout. However, I consider determination and optimism to be my key
strengths.
I have completed my Bachelor of Science in Indian and at present, I am pursuing my
Graduate Diploma Course in Nursing, from Australia. After the completion of my
Graduate Diploma Course in Nursing, I am planning to acquire sufficient training in order
to qualify the APHRA criteria for bridging Courses (Nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au.,
2018). On qualifying the criteria, I would be recognized as a Registered Nurse. However,
my career growth curve would not remain static at that point. This is because I plan to
become an emergency nurse practitioner and work at the acute Care Unit in the long run.
In this regard, it should be noted that the Advanced Nursing Practitioners are
professionals who are highly experienced and educated. The APNs, are experts at

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assessing, investigating, diagnosing and prescribing an intervention discourse to a patient
in need. According to Paterson and Chapman (2013), it has been stated that within NHS
Greater Glasgow and Clyde a total of more than 100 APNs are working across diverse
care units, ranging from primary to intensive care unit. The APNs represent excellent
competency skills within the scope of practice. In addition to this, APNs also showcase
freedom and independence in critical decision making process and in the planning and
designing course of an intervention strategy (Registerednursing.org, 2018). The decisions
made by the professionals are made using the high level of expertise, skills and
knowledge. It also includes the authority to refer, admit and discharge patients depending
upon the appropriate clinical requisite. It is critical to note in this regard, that the
advanced nursing practitioners also represent excellent ability to coordinate and maintain
communication with the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary healthcare team of
professionals which serves as an important criterion to render holistic care to the patients
(Nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au., 2018).
As already mentioned above, my area of career interest to assume the job role of an
advanced nursing professional and work within the emergency care unit. In order to work
as an APN, the first step that has to be taken by me after the completion of my Diploma
Degree in Nursing is to enrol myself in a Master’s program. It should be noted in this
regard, that numerous specialization areas are offered under the APRN category. The
specialization areas include, the Nurse Practitioners, Certified nurse-midwives, certified
registered nurse anaesthetists and Clinical nurse specialists
(Nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au., 2018). Also, the advanced nursing practitioners may
work within varied healthcare settings that include, hospitals, ambulatory clinics and
long-term facilities. In addition to this, the advanced nursing professionals also work with
a specialized population that might include, older adults, neonates, paediatrics or women.

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The key job responsibilities of the advanced nursing professional have been
represented in a clear and articulate manner in the table given below
(Nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au., 2018):
Requisites: Advanced Nurse Practitioner
Education APRNs are expected to possess a master’s
degree in order to be eligible for the APRN
specialization exams.
Job-responsibilities The duties vary on the basis of the
specialization. For instance, the nurse
anaesthetists work within surgical setting.
Authority On the basis of the specialization, APRNs
possess the authority to prescribe
medications independently
Common Practice Settings APRNs work in healthcare settings which
might include long-term care un its, surgical
settings or private practice clinics. APRNS
might as well work within educational or
healthcare policy settings.
Licencing and Certification The Australian Nursing and Midwifery
Accreditation Council, which is also known
as the ANMAC is responsible for providing
certification to the eligible candidates who
successfully qualify the APHRA criteria
Continuing Education requisites The criteria for continuing education is
dependent upon the area of specialization

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and involves a theoretical knowledge of the
subject as well as practical experience
Population Focus The major areas of population focus is
directly dependent upon the area of clinical
specialization and might include, Certified
Registered Nurse Anaesthetist, Certified
nurse-midwife, clinical nurse specialist,
paediatric and gerontology nurse
practitioner and emergency nurse
practitioner
Common clinical collaborators Within the hospital setting the Nurse
practitioners are expected to maintain
coordination and effective with other
interdisciplinary healthcare teams
Emergency nurse practitioners are a group of advanced nursing professionals who
work within the emergency care unit (Registerednursing.org., 2018). The professionals are
efficiently trained in managing the illness and injury of patients belonging to diverse age
groups. The nurses are efficiently equipped to manage patients within busy emergency
rooms. It should be noted in this context that assistance and supervision by the physicians
might or might not be required depending upon the condition where they are placed.
Emergency care nursing professionals diagnose and treat patients who present with
emergency symptoms (Registerednursing.org., 2018). The nurses perform assessment and
collect information about the physical, psychological and environmental conditions that could
have potentially affected the condition of the client. In addition to this, emergency nurse

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practitioners also impart education to the patient and the family members of the patients and
adapt a family-centred approach to devise care (Nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au., 2018).
Therefore, the emergency practitioners effectively improve the access to care.
On qualifying the NCLEX-RN examination after the completion of my Diploma
course, I would qualify the requisite and eligibility to obtain the licensure for practicing as a
RN (Registerednursing.org., 2018). Further, I would enrol myself to pursue a master’s degree
program or a doctoral degree program in Nursing and obtain a BSN licensure. While pursing
the MSN, I would opt for the emergency nurse practitioner speciality domain. In this regard,
it should be mentioned that Emergency Nurse Practitioner Board Certified Credential is
offered by the ANCC that offers certification to eligible candidates through portfolio
assessment where no exam is required. I plan to join the American Academy of Emergency
Nurse Practitioners in order to obtain my BSN certification Licensure
(Registerednursing.org., 2018). The credential is valid for a time period of 5 years
(Registerednursing.org., 2018). I also plan to obtain additional certification in Basic Life
Support to enhance my academic achievements.
It should be critically noted in this regard that being an emergency nurse would
require me to work under challenging circumstances with extensive work load independently.
Therefore, obtaining a certification in Critical Care would prepare me to effectively manage
emergency situation. It would enhance my decision making skills and expertise to manage
critical clinical scenario and render effective treatment. Emergency Nurse Practitioners serve
as esteemed healthcare professionals who help in the process of delivering holistic and
comprehensive care to the patients and at the same time attain positive patient outcomes.
Some of the responsibilities and duties that I as an Emergency Nurse Practitioner would be
required to follow would include (Registerednursing.org., 2018):

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 Conducting patient assessment and rapid assessment of patients across their lifespan
 Diagnosis of the patient and prescribing intervention
 Performing triage and assessing the acuity of patients
 Ordering for diagnostic tests and interpreting the results
 Conducting bedside procedures, such as, suturing, accessing central line and
intubations
 Admitting the patients to the hospital
 Discharging patients from the Emergency Department
 Collaborating with the physicians in complicated cases
 Referring the patient to specialists as and when required

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Reflection:
Reflection forms an integral part of professional nursing practice (Paterson and
Chapman, 2013). According to Jayatilleke & Mackie (2013), it has been mentioned that the
Gibbs reflective cycle encourages the professionals to think and analyse clinical situations in
a systematic manner. The Gibbs Reflective Cycle covers five important steps that include,
Description, Feelings, Evaluation, Analysis, Conclusion and an Action Plan (Husebo et al.
2013). All the six steps are equally important and help professionals to critically reflect upon
their clinical experiences in order to identify the existing lacunae within the scope of practice
and undertake sufficient steps to attain expertise (Howatson-Jones, 2016).
According to my clinical experience so far, I feel that I have yet to learn a lot about
professional excellence and acquire skills for clinical expertise. In this regard, I would like to
mention one clinical incident that clearly displayed my inability to render culturally safe
intervention to a patient during an abdominal assessment.
Description:
I was required to perform an abdominal assessment of an aboriginal male who was 35
years old. I proceeded to perform the assessment but did not educate the patient about his
medical health condition. I further failed to seek consent from the patient that whether or not
he was comfortable with me performing his abdominal assessment. This clearly reflects my
inability to render a culturally safe intervention and care to the client.
Feelings:
On critically reflecting upon the clinical incident, it can be mentioned that I had not
considered the comfort and the convenience level of the client. It can further be mentioned
that I had failed to take note of the cultural background of the client.

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Evaluation:
On evaluating the clinical condition, it can be stated that the clinical experience might
have elicited a negative impact on the psychological health and though process of the client.
It can further be evaluated that my capability as a nursing professional was questionable.
Overall, the incident reflected my lack of knowledge in cultural competence.
Analysis:
On critically analysing the clinical scenario, it can be mentioned that I need to work
on my competence skills and my clinical decision making ability. I should be stringently
aware about the ethical code of conduct of the nursing profession and accordingly endeavour
to improve myself and enhance the quality of care provided by me.
Conclusion:
It can be mentioned in this regard that I should have been proactive in consulting with
my seniors and supervisors before performing the assessment. I should have recollected the
nursing ethics and accordingly proceeded with the assessment procedure.
Action Plan:
Therefore, in order to improve my skills on cultural competence, it is important for
me to draft an action plan and accordingly take steps to work on my lacuna and improve the
quality of my professional practice. The two key areas, where I would require to work upon
include, decision making ability and cultural competence. In order to improve my skills, I
would attend workshops on cultural competence, browse through online academic resources
that deal with cultural competency and follow blog postings of the experienced nursing
professionals who share their experience about cultural competence and managing patients
from diverse ethnic backgrounds. In order to enhance my decision making skills I would
work under the supervision of my seniors and acquire skills from practical experience.

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Therefore, to conclude, I would expect to acquire success in providing effective and holistic
care to the patients in order to obtain positive patient outcomes.

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