Co-designing a student-led digital assessment resource (SCAR-V) to enhance clinical reasoning in undergraduate nursing education: A qualitative study

Background Developing clinical reasoning and assessment literacy is central to undergraduate nursing education, yet students often struggle to demonstrate higher-level reasoning in written assessments. This study explored how co-design, guided by the Double Diamond framework and Interpretive Descriptive analysis, could inform the creation of a digital resource to support this progression. Objectives To examine students' and educators' experiences of assessment and learning across Levels 5 and 6, and to co-design a peer-led digital resource to enhance clarity, authenticity, and inclusion in assessment guidance. Methods A qualitative co-design workshop was conducted with five students and three educators from an undergraduate adult nursing programme at a UK university. The session followed the Discover and Define phases of the Double Diamond framework. Data were analysed using a hybrid thematic approach within an Interpretive Descriptive framework. Results Five interrelated themes emerged: Bridging the learning divide; Scaffolded clarity and feedback; Authenticity through peer voice; Designing for inclusion and universal accessibility; and Partnership in practice. Participants highlighted the need for transparent scaffolding, accessible multimodal guidance, and peer-led exemplars to enhance confidence and academic progression. Conclusions Integrating co-design with interpretive analysis enabled collaboration between students and educators to translate lived experiences into tangible educational innovation. The resulting Student Curated Assessment Resource Video (SCAR-V) exemplifies how partnership-driven design can strengthen assessment literacy, foster belonging, and promote inclusive learning cultures in nursing education.