FAQS

What is an ePortfolio?

An ePortfolio is an online representation of your academic and professional accomplishments and achievements.  It is a great way to keep all of your experience and accomplishments in one place to really highlight your abilities and capabilities as a nurse.

Why should I create an ePortfolio?

If you are a currently practicing nursing, an ePortolio can help you reflect on your skills and experience to help you determine how qualified you are for the positions you are seeking.

If you are a new nursing graduate, an ePortfolio can help you reflect on how your clinical and classroom experience helped your professional growth since you began nursing school. You can also take the time to outline your short-term and long-term goals in the profession.  

ePortfolios are also a way to show your innovation in your profession and can help you stand out among other applicants.  A well-developed ePortfolio gives your potential employer an deeper insight into the scope of your experience, education, evaluations, and awards.  It provides them with a more in-depth look into who you are as a professional.

What should I include in my ePortfolio?

While the content provided can vary, here is a list of items usually included in an ePortfolio:

• Name and contact information 
• Education
• Certifications and licensure information 
• Organization affiliations and professional development information
• Resume or CV
• References with contact information 
• Experiences with examples to demonstrate leadership, communication skills, and teamwork
  • If you are a student:
    • Clinical experience with facility names, units, departments, and rotations.
    • Examples of coursework that demonstrate mastery of knowledge and skill
  • If you are a practicing nurse:
    • Clinical position
    • Leadership roles (both formal and informal)
    • Research and quality-improvement projects
• Volunteer work
• Transcripts
• Copies of evaluations
• Letters of recommendation

It is up to you how you want to organize these typical ePortfolio inclusions.

How do I create an ePortfolio?

The first step in creating an ePortfolio is deciding what to include and to gather those items.  Once you have everything you want to include, you will need to look for a platform on which to create your ePortfolio.  A quick Google search for ePortfolio platforms will yield some great options, or, you can use Hiration, a Rasmussen-recommended career resource.

References

Hannans, J. & Olivo, Y. (2017). Craft a positive nursing digital identity with an ePortfolio. American Nurse Today, 12(11). https://www.americannursetoday.com. 

Klingensmith, A. (2018, January 12). How to create a nursing portfolio. https://dailynurse.com/create-nursing-portfolio/

Schneider, A. (2016). Building a professional nursing portfolio. https://www.rn.com/nursing-news-building-professional-nursing-portfolio/.