1. What is Practice Assessment?
Practice Assessment is the second component of the College’s Quality Assurance (QA) Program. While all members must participate in the first component, Self-Assessment, the College randomly selects nurses to participate in Practice Assessment.
Nurses are eligible for selection in Practice Assessment after their second year of registration. In 2012, a total of 400 RNs and RPNs in the General and Transitional classes, and 200 in the Extended Class (Nurse Practitioners), will be selected for Practice Assessment.
All nurses randomly selected for Practice Assessment will have their Learning Plan assessed by a Peer Assessor and will complete multiple-choice objective tests based on the practice documents selected by the College. The tests assess a nurse’s knowledge and application of the principles and indicators identified in the practice documents.
The practice documents chosen for 2012 are:
Nurse Practitioners (NPs) also have to complete an objective test that assesses an NP's knowledge of the Nurse Practitioner practice document, the Canadian Nurse Practitioner Core Competency Framework and the information in the NP Practice Resources section of this website.
A subset of NPs selected for Practice Assessment will also be required to participate in a Chart Review and Interview or Practice Simulation Assessment.
2. How will I know I have been selected for Practice Assessment?
Notification packages are mailed to nurses who are randomly selected for Practice Assessment. The package includes a letter explaining the process.
3. What should I do if I am selected for Practice Assessment?
Once you receive your notification package, read the letter enclosed in the package – it explains the Practice Assessment process.
You have to confirm your participation by completing the online confirmation form. Once you submit your confirmation, you will be able to access the multiple-choice objective tests and Practice Assessment guide online. The guide will explain the Practice Assessment process.
You will have one hour to complete each test. There are resources available to help you prepare for the test, including a sample test available online. You can also participate in teleconferences that are specially organized to provide support and respond to any questions you have about the Practice Assessment process. The notification package includes information on how to register for one of these teleconferences.
4. What is the role of the Peer Assessor?
A Peer Assessor is a practising nurse with an in-depth knowledge of the College’s practice documents. During Practice Assessment, a Peer Assessor reviews a nurse’s Learning Plan and other specified assessment results. The College’s Quality Assurance Committee then reviews the Peer Assessor’s report and can recommend follow-up activities or direct that the member complete remedial learning activities.
5. What does the Chart Review and Interview Assessment involve?
This assessment involves a chart-stimulated recall and behaviour-based questions to assess an NP’s application of the Canadian Nurse Practitioner Core Competency Framework and the Nurse Practitioner practice standard. The assessment is conducted by a College-assigned Peer Assessor, who is also an NP with the same specialty certificate.
The assessment is occurs in two parts. The assessment involves the NP using actual client charts to answer questions about the management of client care. The Peer Assessor will ask questions about the care provided to understand the NP’s clinical reasoning process, diagnoses, interpretation of clinical findings and treatment plans. Although the NP is asked to show the documentation related to the question, it is not a chart audit.
For competencies that cannot be assessed using a chart or specific client scenarios, the NP will be asked situation-based questions. These may include competencies related to health promotion, leadership or professional responsibility.
The assessment occurs in the NP’s place of work and will take approximately 2-3 hours.
6. Does the federal and provincial privacy legislation restrict a peer assessor from reviewing client charts?
A Peer Assessor is an employee of the College. According to the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991, the College has the authority to review personal information for the purposes of conducting an assessment and gathering information about nurses’ care of clients.
7. What if I am selected for the Chart Review and Interview assessment but I do not work in a clinical practice setting?
You should notify the Quality Assurance Administrator using the contact information provided in your notification package. The Quality Assurance Committee may then decide on an alternate assessment option for you.
8. What does the Practice Simulation assessment involve?
Practice Simulation is a clinical assessment that involves an NP rotating through a series of stations, using standardized clients. The assessment provides a standardized means of assessing the NP’s competence in conducting physical examinations, as well as history-taking skills, communication skills, and the ability to make a diagnosis and develop a plan of care for treating clients. The assessment will be conducted in Toronto. NPs selected who live greater than 120 km from the assessment site will be reimbursed for their travel and accommodation.
9. When will nurses start being selected for the Practice Simulation assessment?
For 2012, NPs in the Primary Health Care Specialty will be randomly selected to participate in this assessment; nurses selected to participate will be notified in March, and the actual assessment will take place June 19, 2012. A variety of resources will be provided by the College to help members prepare for this assessment.
10. I have been selected for Practice Assessment. Once I have completed the process, can I tell my colleagues about it?
You can tell your colleagues about the overall process of Practice Assessment: that you had to write the multiple-choice tests and complete your Learning Plan. You can mention the fact that a Peer Assessor reviewed your Learning Plan and test results and wrote a report for the Quality Assurance Committee. But you cannot tell them specifics about the test, for example, the actual questions that were on a test.
If you are an NP who completed the Chart Review and Interview assessment, you can explain the process to co-workers: how a Peer Assessor came to your practice setting and asked questions related to the Canadian Nurse Practitioner Core Competency Framework and your scope of practice. Again, you cannot tell them specifics, such as questions the Peer Assessor asked during the interview.
When you started the Practice Assessment process, you agreed to keep the content of the tests and other assessments confidential. Breaching this confidentiality agreement may result in an investigation and a finding of professional misconduct.