Nursing ;STRATEGIES FOR ACADEMIC PORTFOLIOS

Academic Portfolios for Nurse Scholars

Every individual in any given profession ought to create and develop a proper academic
portfolio. Mothers are increasingly recognizing the essence of the same as time goes by. An
academic portfolio can be defined as a collection and documentation of materials that can help
showcase an individual's experiences, achievements, and skills. An academic portfolio can be
used for various purposes, including but not limited to seeking employment, documenting
professional growth, and applying for graduate school. A well-crafted portfolio can help nurse
scholars gain recognition and beat the competition to achieve their professional goals.

Portfolio Building Strategies

Various strategies can be used to build an effective academic portfolio that can steadily
serve its purpose. To build a solid portfolio, a nurse scholar ought to identify and clearly set
achievable goals (Mikhail, 2021). Nurse scholars should already know the goals they want to
achieve and how they systematically align with the nursing profession. In the same context, one
should also be able to establish why they need the portfolio and the given purpose which they
seek to accomplish (Daphney et al., 2020). Therefore, a given professional portfolio should be
tailor-made to meet its purpose, be it looking for employment or even applying for graduate
school.
A nurse scholar should also document the right documents and content when creating a
professional portfolio. When documenting professional and academic achievements, one should
include material such as transcripts, curriculum vitae, personal statements, awards and honors,
letters of recommendation, evidence of professional development, writing samples, and other
related documentation. It is also important to note that the portfolio content should be organized
in a way that speaks professionalism. In this regard, the portfolio content should be arranged in a

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way that is easy to navigate and access. When using soft copies, the materials should be arranged
in a systematic manner that the reader would be able to easily navigate through. When using hard
copies, essentials such as binders and folders should be used to help with arranging the portfolio
professionally.
A nurse scholar Should also write a reflective statement as part of growing and stabilizing
their professional portfolio. Basically, the drafted reflective statement should give the reader an
overview of one's academic portfolio (Ashipala et al., 2022). The reflective statement should also
point out or highlight key achievements that are necessary for making the portfolio stand out.
Additionally, a reflective statement should also be able to spell out how one’s professional
portfolio reflects their set goals. It is also important for nurse scholars to periodically update their
professional portfolios occasionally. Individuals should be able to document every little
achievement they make in their professional journey. In this regard, the professional portfolio
should always be revisited and updated to keep it relevant and timely. Timely updates can help
with the documentation of new goals and newly gained experiences.

Conclusion

Professional portfolios are very important in helping document one's growth and exhibit
one's knowledge and experience achievements. In this regard, nurse scholars ought to keep a
well-drafted portfolio that can help communicate their achievements and goals. A professional
portfolio can be used for different purposes, including but not limited to looking for employment,
highlighting academic achievements, highlighting professional experience, or even applying for
higher education. Effective portfolios can help highlight and showcase one's achievements,
which is an important part of professional growth. Therefore, nurse scholars Should keep a
professional portfolio but highlight their experiences and achievements. The portfolio should be

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tailored towards the right audience each time it is given out, and individuals need to get feedback
from others regarding their portfolios.

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References

Ashipala, D. O., Mazila, B., & Pretorius, L. (2022). A qualitative descriptive enquiry of nursing
students' experiences of utilising a portfolio as an assessment tool in nursing and
midwifery education. Nurse Education Today, 109, 105259.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2021.105259

Mikhail, J. N. (2021). Building Your Scholarship Portfolio: One Brick at a Time. Journal of
Trauma Nursing| JTN, 28(2), 78. https: