E-Portfolio: My Journey to Becoming a Clinical Nurse Educator

This e-portfolio documents the journey of an individual aspiring to become a clinical nurse educator. It includes an introduction outlining the purpose and design of the e-portfolio, emphasizing its importance for showcasing skills and achievements. The portfolio delves into various types of portfolios, such as showcase, education, and learning portfolios, and highlights key design characteristics like easy navigation, coherency, variety of materials, and systematic interrelation. It incorporates Gibbs' reflective cycle for professional reflection and Benner's stages of clinical competence to illustrate the individual's growth from a beginner to a proficient practitioner. The portfolio also includes personal hobbies, a philosophy of nursing, and aspirations to create online educational content, demonstrating a commitment to continuous learning and professional development within the nursing field. The ultimate goal is to meet the requirements for becoming a clinical nurse educator in Australia, emphasizing the importance of education, experience, and adherence to professional standards.

Running Head: MY E-PORTFOLIO: THE MAKING OF CLINICAL NURSE EDUCATOR
My E-Portfolio: The Making of Clinical Nurse Educator
Institution
Student name
Date

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Introduction
Hello and thank you for taking time to tour my clinical nurse educator e-portfolio.
Hultquist (2016) defines an e-portfolio as portfolio as an assemblage of ones works in electric
format that serves as an evidence of his or her academic and co-curricular activity over time.
According to Hoever et al (2016) an e-portfolio may comprise a variety of electronic files in
various formats say videos, images or text. Why would one need a portfolio? Recent researches
have indicated that at least four out of five potential employers approve of electronic portfolio as
being ideal to them in gaining an insight into job applicant’s skills, knowledge and achievements
(Booth et al, 2016 p.57). An e-portfolio therefore provides an easy and convenient way of
gaining a job seeker’s background and has proved more effective than just a mere presentation of
a curriculum vitae or interview. Roux & Halstead (2017) claim that interviews would take really
short time if an electronic portfolio had been submitted earlier prior to the interview. To
students, like myself, an e-portfolio provides all the necessary chances to brand and market my
talents, skills and abilities. It will also provide an opportunity to enhance my soft skills and place
them at a competitive edge with peers and at acceptable levels with employers or internship
opportunity providers.
Portfolio design and its characteristics
Booth et al, (2016 p.57) advises that when thinking about the design and ideal
characteristics of an e-portfolio, it is prudent keep in mind the target audience and the purpose it
is intended to achieve. It is imperative, therefore, that one gains an understanding of the various
types of portfolios and how they are used before coming up one. This is because the design and

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characteristics of a portfolio may vary from one type to another depending on the type of
portfolio being deigned (Girouard & Bailey, 2017).
This section will, therefore, highlight the various types of portfolios in contemporary life
before looking at the design principles and the ideal characteristics of a well-designed e-
portfolio. Although there are several types of e-portfolios in use for different purpose across the
globe, there exists three major types of electronic portfolios namely the showcase portfolio,
education portfolio and a learning portfolio (Roux & Halstead, 2017). According to Hultquist
(2016), a professional e-portfolio, also known as the showcase portfolio is a demonstration of
milestones of the students’ academic journey and the knowledge acquisition processes he or she
went through to attain his or her current academic status. Developed by students as part of full
filling their academic requirements for a certain course, learning e-portfolios are a showcase of
learning processes and serve as an evidence of learning having taken place or currently taking
place Roux & Halstead (2017). Learning portfolios are shared among colleague students to elicit
peer feedback and form a vital part of learning process. Last but not least, assessment of
education portfolios are used to assess ones general and specific academic skills and
competencies. By application of both summative and formative reviews, a feedback on the
eminence of evidence submitted by students in their portfolios is generated and relayed back to
instructors, departments and colleges (Hultquist, 2016).
With the knowledge of types and uses of e-portfolio, I will now focus on the design and
characteristics of an e-portfolio.
1. Easy to navigate

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The experience on goes through while navigating an e-portfolio or any website for that
matter is synonymous to user friendliness one experiences while interacting with a certain
software in a computer or any other electronic device (Girouard & Bailey, 2017). An e-portfolio
should be designed in such a manner that it allows quick and easy navigation from content or
item to another in a systematic way. Navigations should thus be placed in a desirable order.
Ironside et al (2017 p.190) observes that many sites have since taken keen consideration on this
aspect and taken it to a whole new level, making it an unavoidable part of the browsing
experience.
2. Coherency
Hoeve et al, (2014) contents that one of the most fundamental strengths of a modern e-portfolio
is its ability to create a narration environment. The content should be coherent and flawless and
this easily controls the experience of the user, easily swinging him to the author’s side. June et al
(2016 p.183) however cautions that the developers should avoid the temptation to overwrite and
fall into lengthy stories that end up bogging the readers.
3. Includes variety of materials
Urden et al (2017) likens a portfolio as court exhibits that must not just be proven but
seen. He adds that they must be enough to convince the reader of the narrator’s story. A well
designed e-portfolio should contain several images, documents, links and any other hard
evidence that can be easily accessed as proof of works done.
4. Systematic interrelation between the artefacts

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Lastly the materials presented should be short, precise accurate and relate to one another
in a systematic way. They should also be consistent to the story in the portfolio Nardi & Diallo
(2014 p.231) for instance it will be embarrassing to say that one graduated in the year 2017 while
the certificate indicates otherwise.
Gibbs reflective cycle
I acknowledge that there are different type soft model used by individuals to reflect on
experiences. I will however dwell on the Gibbs (1988) model of professional reflection. In order
for a reflection to be successful, this model suggests a six-stage approach. The first step is
description in which the context of an event is explored and covers fine details such as what
transpired, where and how it happened (Booth et al, 2016 p.57). Next is the feelings step that
allows the narrator to explore his or her thoughts and feelings at the time of the event (Cherry &
Jacob, 2016). The third step is evaluation in which one is allowed to make their own discernment
about the event. It is followed by analysis which involves an inner thought about what happened
bit by bit and why or how it ought to have happened. In conclusion stage, potential options that
may be used to handle a situation are explored. Lastly, is the action plan in which one comes up
in what to do so as to effectively deal with such a situation should it arise again.
Banners stage of clinical competence
I joined this university four years ago then a beginner and have gradually gone through
and for that matter still going through the famous Benner’s stages of clinical competences. Being
a part time practitioner and part time student and a hospital experience spanning over two years,
I can confidently consider myself a stage four practitioner or simply proficient. This journey has
however not been a short one, enrolling as a mere beginner, to advanced beginner and moving to

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competent practitioner before attaining my current status is not easy (Hultquist ,2016). Besides I
still have the expert level ahead of me combined with a vast ocean of experience to be gained
through continuous knowledge advancement and practice.
Four years ago, I had no medical background knowledge or experience. Then I could not
discern the application of skills and knowledge I was gaining. As a novice, I appreciate all the
basic skills and values I acquired mostly through observation. A years later when we started
going for supervised rounds in wards, I became so happy that I was able to exhibit some level of
acceptable performance. I was also able to execute light assignments independently and this built
a great deal of confidence in me. I have since then, been able to confidently say that I am a
competent practitioner having mastered all the skills, can make critical decisions and I am able to
handle complex situations without struggle. In life it is difficult to truly realize ones dreams but
as both (June et al 2016 p.185) and Urden et al (2017) observe, ones dreams are as valid as life
itself as long as one lives. At this stage in my career, I would rate myself proficient as I am able
to flexibly and efficiently execute all the nursing assignments during demonstrations to students
and in real life practice.
Artefacts included
I want to be a clinical nurse educator. Being a nurse educator is such an important role
because you are training professionals on how to care and preserve generations (Masters, 2018).
Furthermore, a nursing trainer can practice anywhere in the world (Adelman-Molalla, 2014).
Being a nurse or a nursing educator is a respectable and highly sought profession because anyone
in this career touches lives and hearts. Becoming a nurse educator is a process with stringent
merit and criteria to be met (Jorgensen, 2015 Kearney-Nunnery, 2015). To be a clinical nurse

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educator in Australia, one must meet all the Australian Health Practitioner regulatory Authority
(AHPRA) requirements which include having no criminal record, proficiency in English
language, possession of professional indemnity insurance, having a four year bachelor’s degree
in nursing from any recognized institution in the world, a postgraduate diploma from accredited
Australian medical school and clinical experience of over four years. Applicants must also show
evidence of progressive and continuing professional development as well as being engaged in
active practice for a certain number of hours. On my journey, I already have a bachelor’s degree
in nursing and currently pursuing a postgraduate diploma in the same field. With two years
hospital nursing experience, I am only two years short of achieving my dream.
Hobbies
One does not need a whole day with me to realize that I am one camera-happy individual.
I enjoy shooting and or appearing in videos. I realized that apart from just recorded video, I can
do an online live educative video. Along with online videos I anticipate to open an online forum
that discusses any emerging issues and solutions in the field of Nursing. It is on this forum that I
will do trials for webinars. Webinars re web based seminars in which one can teach certain
aspect in real time (Nardi & Diallo, 2014 p.231). I will later upload it on YouTube. Click on
projects to view the tentative design of my Nursing Forum webpage.
Philosophy of nursing
My nursing career education experience and practice has been nothing short of an eye
opener. I had since childhood remained convinced that nursing entails only one area; critical care
but came to learn that nursing is such a broad, diverse and dynamic field. Entering and being in
nursing profession is one moving experience. It involves providing practical care to patients and
this creates a great impact in both the care-giver and the client’s lives (Hoeve et al 2014 p.302).

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As a nurse, one acts as the patients advocate by providing first hand care and relaying the
patients’ needs to the right channels (Ironside et al., 2017 p.191). I want to be the kind of a
caregiver that any patient would feel comfortable around, trust and one that patients would speak
to with their hearts, hope and confidence. All along, I have learnt to embrace respect and
compassion as the two most fundamental values in nursing. I always serve with the wise counsel
of Booth et al, (2016 p.57) keeping in mind that as an immortal being, I have been through and
still might find myself in a situation that I am completely dependent on a healthcare giver, and
will expect the same compassion I give to my patients from whoever will be attending to me.
Amongst my colleagues, I value honesty and loyalty. Honesty is the fuel that powers trust
(Girouard & Bailey, 2017). I want my colleagues to know that they can always call on me and
that I will be always be professional in my practice both as a nursing practitioner and a nurse
educator.
I believe that everybody irrespective of his or her gender, age, racial background or
socio-economic standing in the society deserves dignified treatment and compassion. As Ellis et
al. (2014), puts it, compassion is the first step towards recovery. As an aspiring clinical nurse
educator, I look forward to providing holistic approach in delivery of my content to the learners
as whatever I tell, do or instruct them to do will certainly bear an impact in their present and
future practice as nurses. It is therefore vital as Wilkins et al. (2017), advises, to take care of the
wellbeing of not just the body but mind and soul of a patient as well. A nurse coordinates
patients care through provision of primary healthcare and consulting with other experts outside
their scope of practice.
Now let me talk about clinical nursing educator as a profession. Although I have only
been in the wards for two a years, I have learnt quite a lot juggling between classes and hospital

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as a student and as a care giver. I consider myself being lucky to pursue my Nursing degree
India. The medical curriculum in India is one of the most rigorous and demanding programs in
the world. I have detailed how I was able to achieve requirements for a registered nurse during
the four years of my studies. Visit my blog (www.myname.wix/professional/lifeincampus) for a
detailed narrative. Meanwhile here is a snippet of how I have been able to travel through the
academic journey since landing at the university.
Objective 1: Communication
Over the four years, I have come to learn that collaboration and effective communication
with colleague healthcare members, student nurses, and patients is the key towards the successful
implementation of patient-centered model in healthcare service delivery. As Urden et al
(2017) and Roux & Halstead (2017) content, nurses’ key role is to support their clients who in
this case are patients. A nurse is thus the voice of the voiceless (Cherry & Jacob, 2016). I will
always remember one instance when one patient confided in me that he had been smoking
marijuana for over five years and was planning to quit. My teamwork, communication and
collaboration skills came in handy. I talked to him about the benefits of staying free from hard
substances just like we had learnt in class. I also talked to his attendant and helped her with some
tips to apply in helping the patient achieve his goal. Long-time smoking of marijuana bears
detrimental mental effects to an individual. I then talked to our resident psychiatrist and booked
the patient in for a series of counselling and evaluation sessions. Quitting an addition of over
three years is incredibly difficult (Lalani, & Marshall, 2018) but following this encounter and the
collaboration we had had, I felt confident that the patient was eventually going to quit smoking.
As an educator, the same spirit of teamwork, effective communication and consultation is
paramount. This may be from educator to learner, learner to educator or educator to educator.

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Objective 2: Critical thinking
As a learner, decision making becomes part and parcel of my every breath in decision
making. Back in my second year of nursing studies, our lecturer would mention that the way we
were accustomed to react to situations was not the way she was trained to. A lot has changed and
will certainly continue to evolve as practices in the medical field keep changing. He who that
refuses change sharpens the sword that will eventually pierce his goals (Chang et al., 2018 p.32).
A rigorous academic environment demands anyone who is involved in the ecosystem of service
delivery to be a sharp astute critical thinker. Alligood (2017) and Bender (2016) both warn that
failure to critically think and take the right decision when it is due may harbors detrimental
effects given that nursing is all about live saving. This challenges me because I aspire to be both
a life saver and a trainer of life savers. I cannot afford to take a back seat, not even once.
Objective 3: Leadership
As an educator, one must demonstrate a considerable influence to learners. As Veenema
et al. (2018) and Pijl-Zieber et al. (2014) content, a real teacher influences. I could not agree with
him anymore. Having been influenced to be what I am today, I believe in the culture of sound
mentorship since the ones I teach look after me and I will one day be accountable for their
behavior in practice. I have learnt to think and rethink before making a decision, communicate
well, respect my colleagues, students and patients the same way I would expect them to respect
me. This does not however imply that I am perfect; as a human being I have my own weaknesses
and do make mistakes. As Andradite al (2018) and Moran et al (2016) advice, strong leaders
admit their faults and learn from them. Although I find it difficult openly admitting my
weaknesses, the few occasions I have accepted my fault have won me a number of friends. I was
privilege to attend last year’s annual interuniversity leadership summit where I learnt a lot about

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styles of leadership such as diplomatic, aristocratic, laissez sphere, charismatic and
transformative style. In my gallery you can view the photos I took while attending the summit
and in my blog you can download the report I submitted to the faculty when I came back.
4. Mission
My mission in life is to become a clinical nurse educator.
5. Video clips
I love teaching just as much as I love clinical nursing and each of the professions has its
half of me. I am pleased to present my online teaching video that I am working on. In my video
titled “The demise of Physical Examination”, I explore the significance of physical examination
as a basic procedure and how it has come to be overlooked (Iwasiw & Goldenberg, 2014) at the
expense of patient’s lives. The goal of the presentation is to emphasize the need for thorough and
proper physical examination for patients before moving to advanced medical testing procedures.
Click on the thumbnail to view the presentation slides
6. Links
For more information about my project, career or any general enquiry, please feel free to
reach me [e-mail] or visit my blog at
www.myname.wix/professional/lifeincampus and let us share our experiences.
7. Reflection
Goals
The uncertainty nature of the future leaves everyone in a state of apparent dilemma and
possibly preparation. Being flexible and adaptive is thus the key to success especially in medical
field (Carrington et al., 2016 p.285). These goals are key milestones that I have identified and
commissioned myself to achieve in my professional career.

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Short term goals
After graduation, I intent to secure a full time job as a registered nurse so that I can
continue gaining more experience in nursing practice. Within one to two years, I would like to
enroll for a postgraduate program to obtain a master’s degree in Nursing but not before seating
for advanced nursing practitioner (ANP) certification exams. With this I will become an expert
professional.
Long term goals
My long term key long term goal is to continuously remain in active nursing practice gain
the required experience and knowledge so that I can easily rise through my professional ranks. It
is my hope and desire that with time, multiple years of experience and knowledge acquisition, I
will be able to attain a doctorate of Nursing and become a consultant nurse. I want to be a lecture
nursing at university. This will make me more flexible, open minded, adaptive to new emerging
trends and rely on evidence based research guided by the maxims of professionalism nursing. I
look forward to utilizing my expertise to not only save lives in wards and emergency rooms but
also molding lives and careers in class and lecture halls.
Future career development
My ambition is to become a clinical nurse educator. A nurse educator is a trained nurse
that teaches other future nurses. She is in charge of various training and development
responsibilities in a medical facility. Her overall mandate is to ensure that student nurses acquire
the relevant skills required to fulfill the merit of a qualified nursing practitioner
Duties and responsibilities

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As a nurse educator, one will bear the responsibility of designing, developing and
teaching the academic curriculum in accordance with the laid down guidelines from governing
authorities. He or she will also evaluate and revise the syllabus when need arises and help the
learners identify their respective learning needs. She is responsible for proper use and care for
equipment and supplies within the teaching facility, and offers nursing services to patients as
demonstrations in the course of her duties.
Qualifications
To merit as a clinical nurse educator, one must be a holder of at least a bachelor’s degree
in nursing, possess a valid nursing license and must undergo a postgraduate nurse educator
certification. These credentials coupled with over four years of experience in active practice in
hospital environment places one at a competitive edge for this position.
Based on these requirements, the major milestone I still have to gain are; experience,
completion of my postgraduate nursing education, and acquisition of nursing educator certificate.
Only then will my dream come true.

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