Strategies for Academic Portfolios

Strategies for Academic Portfolios

A nursing academic portfolio is a document that lists your credentials, experience, and professional accomplishments. To your colleagues, prospective employers, and college staff, the document provides a detailed description of your journey to where you are now as a professionally trained nurse. The document differs from a curriculum vitae in that it usually includes important information such as college schools attended, current and previous nursing jobs held, and other historical details and data. It also serves as evidence of the skills and knowledge you have gained as a result of these encounters.

A professional portfolio can serve many purposes for a nurse. For starters, nurses can use the portfolio to further their professional development. A portfolio enables nurses to assess their skill development over time (Oermann, 2002). A portfolio’s records document what has been done to meet the requirements of personal and professional development, success in meeting career objectives, and where more progress is required. Second, the portfolio can be used by the nurse to apply for promotions and new job opportunities (Oermann, 2002). To prospective employers, the portfolio demonstrates the nurse’s expertise, abilities, and related perspectives. Nurses can sell themselves more effectively to potential employers by demonstrating their interest in the position and how they can meet the demands. Finally, a nurse can use a portfolio to apply for advanced nursing education (Charlotte, 2015). During the application process for some nursing advanced education programs, a nurse must submit a professional nursing portfolio. As a supporting document for admission to advanced nursing programs, the portfolio summarizes the nurse’s previous education and work history.

A nurse can employ a variety of strategies to ensure that their portfolios stand out to advanced training programs and potential employers. First, the portfolio’s layout should be organized and simple. At first glance, the portfolio should pique the interest of the potential employer. Irrelevant information should be avoided because it discourages the employer from reading the rest of the portfolio (Smith, 2011). A person can use either a paper or electronic professional portfolio. An electronic portfolio is preferred over a paper portfolio because it is simple to update and access at any time. Second, the information in the portfolio should be organized sequentially. One should begin with general projects and work their way up to those that have a significant impact on them. The most influential project in your portfolio leaves an impression on the employer. Finally, it is critical to make the portfolio appealing to your target audience. The more the collection’s content resonates with the audience, the more likely it is that they will consider you for the position. As a result, a person should always strive to employ a strategy that distinguishes their portfolio from others.

An academic portfolio is a great way to document your nursing experience. The document provides additional information about the nurse’s educational history, projects, and skills that a resume cannot express. The portfolio can be used by a nurse for a variety of purposes, including professional development, applying for promotions and transitioning from one department to another, and applying for advanced education programs in nursing. In order to differentiate their professional portfolios from others, one can use three different strategies, including keeping the layout simple, sequencing the projects in order of importance, and making the content engaging.

References

Charlotte, D. (2015). Developing a professional nursing portfolio. Nursing made Incredibly Easy, 13(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NME.0000457285.39465.5c

Oermann, M. H. (2002). Developing a professional portfolio in nursing. Orthopaedic Nursing, 21(2), 73-78. https://www.nursing-informatics.com/Oermann.pdf

Smith, L. S. (2011). Showcase your talents with a career portfolio. Nursing, 41(7), 54-56. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NURSE.0000398641.62631.8e

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In the realm of marketing, a successful branding strategy is one of the most important contributors to organizational success. A solid branding strategy can help add visibility and credibility to a company’s products.

Similarly, nurse scholars can build a personal brand to add visibility and credibility to their work. You can begin building your brand by developing and maintaining an academic portfolio. Such activity can help share the results of your efforts and contribute to your success. This Module’s Discussion asks you to consider and share strategies for building your portfolio.

o Prepare:

Reflect on strategies that you can pursue in developing portfolios or portfolio elements that focus on academic achievements.

Review one or more samples from your own research of resources focused on portfolio development.

Post an explanation of at least two strategies for including academic activities and accomplishments in your professional development goals. Then, explain how those goals may align with the University’s emphasis on social change. Be specific and provide examples.

Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ posts by offering additional ideas regarding academic achievements to include or offering alternative ways of presenting the current achievements.