Using Real-Time Power BI Formative Feedback to Improve Nurse Anesthesia Students' Clinical Competence: An Educational Intervention.

Background and aims: The escalating complexity of diseases and the burgeoning demand for proficient nurse anesthetists underscore the critical need for graduates optimally equipped to deliver competent care across varying patient conditions. Given the gap between the expected and actual clinical competencies among graduates, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of formative assessment coupled with immediate online feedback on the clinical competence of anesthesia nursing students in peri-anesthesia care.

Methods: This educational intervention was conducted with the participation of nurse anesthesia students who were enrolled into intervention and control groups. The intervention entailed providing immediate, web-based feedback on students' performance through a visual dashboard on Microsoft Power BI, along with weekly assessments using the Common Clinical Assessment Tool (CCAT). The control group received traditional, verbal feedback.

Results: Statistical analysis revealed significant improvements in clinical competence scores in the intervention group compared to the control group. The intervention group showed a notable progression in clinical competency scores from baseline to endpoint (mean scores: 35.06 ± 1.62 to 79.58 ± 1.02), significantly outperforming the control group (mean scores: 29.93 ± 1.38 to 62.09 ± 1.47, p-value < 0.0001).

Conclusions: Integrating formative assessment with immediate online feedback (e.g., Microsoft Power BI) demonstrably enhances clinical competence in student nurse anesthetists. This study advocates for such advanced feedback mechanisms in competency-based nursing education to address competency gaps. These innovative approaches to education and evaluation hold promise for preparing competent nurse anesthetists, potentially leading to improved anesthesia care quality and patient safety.