Carr, EloiseMill, Megan2017-07-142017-07-1420172017http://hdl.handle.net/11023/3952Background: The Registered Nurse role requires competency of the affective domain; demonstrated by the ability to listen, respond to interactions, demonstrate appropriate attitudes, and display commitment. There is a paucity of research exploring the evaluation of student nurses’ competency in this domain. Aim: To explore how clinical nursing instructors evaluate students’ affective competency. Methods: 12 instructors from a large urban university were interviewed and data was analyzed using qualitative interpretive description methodology. Findings: Affective competency is highly valued in nursing, lacks consensus in definition, exists in a hidden curriculum, and is assessed through observation, dialogue and reflective writing. Explicit connections between assessment and evaluation are lacking. Discussion: Clinical nurse instructors are gatekeepers to the nursing profession. Affective competency is observed rather than evaluated, and an ontological turn in nurse education might change the motivation for affective evaluation; away from competency and toward being a nurse. Word Limit:engUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.NursingAffectiveEvaluationCompetencymaster thesis10.11575/PRISM/25966