The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of qualified nurses in assessing student nurses’ clinical skills. The writer’s interest in this area arose from the findings of reports in the UK and Ireland. These reports suggested that nurses do not feel adequately prepared for their roles in clinical assessment. The literature reviewed for this study highlights some of the difficulties surrounding assessment. Two areas identified are: lack of preparation for a role in assessment and the subjective interpretation of competence. A constructivist approach underpinned this study, using a combination of methods to gather and analyse the data. Focused interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of four experienced clinical nurses. A questionnaire was distributed to 108 qualified nurses, using a convenience sample. The interview data were analysed using Colaizzi’s seven-step method and the questionnaire analysed using SPSS 8.0 for Windows. The responses to both instruments suggest that nurses believe clinical staff have an important role in clinical assessment. However, the need for support from managerial and educational staff was identified. Changes in the nurse education programme and uncertainty regarding what constitutes ‘competence’ have contributed to difficulties with assessing student nurses’ clinical skills. Lack of preparation for a role in assessment compounds these difficulties. Taking cognisance of these factors, recommendations are made for an approach to a new clinical assessment strategy, with reference to the An Bord Altranais (2000) Domains of Competence.