The Journal of Medical Education and Development

This study reports on the structured implementation of the Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise (Mini-CEX) as a process-oriented assessment strategy for sixth-semester nursing students during their intensive care unit (ICU) clinical practicum. Grounded in direct observation, immediate formative feedback, and staged performance appraisal, the Mini-CEX offers a robust framework for evaluating authentic clinical competence in high-acuity settings. Evidence accumulated over a three-year period demonstrates that the Mini-CEX contributes significantly to the enhancement of students’ clinical proficiency, professional reasoning, and self-efficacy, while facilitating the accurate identification of specific learning needs and informing the design of targeted educational interventions. Furthermore, the findings indicate that this approach promotes greater learner engagement in patient care activities and substantively improves the overall depth and quality of students’ clinical learning.