Improving communication and collaboration in a DNP program through the use of technology: Enhancing student and faculty experience through technology-based clinical evaluations

Abstract

Problem Statement: Submitting clinical evaluation forms has relied upon hard copy paper forms, resulting in inefficiencies in completing these important documents, and causing delays in submissions. A technology-based solution to address this issue may contribute to decreased time expended on this process for both students and faculty, and overcome some of the most frequently encountered challenges related to timely submission of paper evaluation forms. Purpose: The purpose of this project was to develop a streamlined process for submitting clinical evaluations on the UH Kuali Build platform. Methods: The UH Kuali Build evaluation forms were developed and piloted with eligible participants. A pre-questionnaire survey and a post-questionnaire survey were designed to evaluate the effectiveness and user-friendliness of the platform. Results: A total of 35 participants volunteered to participate. The mean difference in scores from pre-implementation to post-implementation Likert-type questions increased by 2.01, 1.66, 1.74, 1.9, 2.3, and 2.26 from questions one to six, respectively. The mode increased from 2 in the pre-implementation questions to 5 in the post-implementation questions. The mean and mode increases indicate that the Kuali Build forms improve user workflow and are recommended over the current paper-based forms. Qualitative data revealed that, on average, participants took one minute to complete the Kuali Build evaluation forms, compared to 10 minutes for the current paper-based evaluation forms. Discussion Results indicate that the Kuai Build forms enhance participants’ workflow and efficiency during the clinical evaluation submission process. Overall results suggest that users accept and are more willing to utilize the Kuali Build evaluation forms compared to the current paper-based evaluation forms. The project demonstrated how technology can be applied to improve the efficiency of the clinical evaluation process, ultimately saving time and effort for both DNP students and faculty.