Allow nursing students ample time to learn and be given guided practice before conducting an evaluation of performance.
Observe students in action. Note the student's attention to and care of the patient. Qualify the student's ability to communicate with the patient (some patient's may have limited ability to communicate) about the patient's condition. Weigh student's application of theory and knowledge learned in the classroom. Gauge the ability of the student to be nimble in their assessment of the patient. Confirm that the nurse is safely administering medications and noticing changes in the patient's condition.
Ask students to keep a daily or weekly journal of their experience in the clinical setting. Read the journal periodically. The journal can provide insight into experiences between patient and nurse that the instructor missed in the patient's room. Hold one-on-one conferences with students to counsel students on events that were noted in the journal and provide practice pointers.
Require nursing students to write a review of one another anonymously. Any student malfeasance or corner cutting will likely be known by the group of students working together.
Review patient charts kept by each nursing student. Assess whether each student is documenting changes in a patient's condition. Determine whether the student is systematically planning and implementing patient care.