Registered Nurses Canadian Competency Assessment Program
If you are applying to become an RN in Ontario and you do not meet the nursing education requirement after an assessment of your nursing education, you will have the option to complete the Registered Nurses Canadian Competency Assessment Program (RNCCAP).
The RNCCAP is a standardized evaluation of knowledge, skill and judgment for internationally educated nurses (IENs). The RNCCAP is administered by Touchstone Institute.
The RNCCAP is based on the Entry-to-Practice Competencies for Registered Nurses. These are the competencies an entry-level RN is expected to possess, based on their education and experience.
The RNCCAP evaluation uses the format of an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). This evaluation takes place in a setting similar to real-life healthcare situations in Ontario.
The RNCCAP Process
Here are the steps to complete the RNCCAP:
- Open an application to register as an RN with CNO if you have not already.
- If CNO identifies that your nursing education does not meet substantial equivalence, we will notify you that you have options to meet the education requirement, including completing the RNCCAP.
- CNO will send your name and email contact information to Touchstone Institute. It is important to update CNO with any changes to your contact information, including your email address.
- Touchstone Institute will contact you by email with instructions for registering on their applicant portal for the next RNCCAP exam. Touchstone charges an evaluation fee that is separate from CNO’s application fee.
- About eight weeks after you complete the RNCCAP, CNO will receive your results. CNO will advise you of your next steps through the applicant portal:
- If you meet the nursing education requirement, CNO will advise you that you are eligible to write the registration exam (if you have not already passed the NCLEX-RN.)
- If you do not meet the nursing education requirement, CNO will advise you to complete an Education Pathway.
About the RNCCAP
The RNCCAP is offered both in-person (in Toronto) and virtually, depending on the date. Further information about the RNCCAP format can be found on the Touchstone website.
You must be referred by CNO. If you do not meet the nursing education requirement based on an assessment of your nursing education, CNO will send your name and email contact information to Touchstone Institute. They will contact you by email about registering for an upcoming session.
If you are applying to become an RPN and CNO informs you that your nursing education does not meet substantial equivalence, you will be given the option to complete a Competency Assessment Supplement.
If you are applying to become an NP, and CNO finds gaps in your nursing education and experience, you will be given the option to complete a Competency Assessment Supplement.
No. The RNCCAP is available in English only. If you apply to CNO and would like to complete a nursing education equivalency assessment in French, contact CNO in writing. Note that there is a fee for this evaluation option.
No. You can complete the Education Pathway instead of the RNCCAP to meet the nursing education requirement. You can choose the option that best suits your needs.
It is important to be prepared to take the RNCCAP. If you arrive at Touchstone Institute on the day of your assessment, and you feel you are not able to complete any part of the RNCCAP for any reason, do not begin the RNCCAP. Before the test starts, tell a Touchstone examiner that you are not able to participate and contact CNO for further instructions. If you withdraw before starting any part of the evaluation, you can reschedule it for another date.
If you start the evaluation but are unable to continue, tell a Touchstone examiner. They will document your reasons for withdrawing and send this information to CNO. CNO will assess the information and contact you about the next steps.
About objective structured clinical examinations
The RNCCAP is an objective structured clinical examination, or OSCE, for RNs.
An OSCE is an assessment that allows applicants to demonstrate their nursing knowledge, skill and judgment in a simulated health care setting.
During the OSCE, applicants rotate between stations, interacting with patient-actors who present with different health issues. Please refer to Touchstone Institute’s resources and sample OSCE scenarios.
An OSCE allows applicants to demonstrate their knowledge, skill and judgment in a setting that is as close as possible to real-life nursing experiences they would encounter in Ontario.
The OSCE is based on Entry-to-Practice Competencies for Registered Nurses. These include all the competencies that a practicing Canadian nurse is expected to possess. Please refer to Touchstone Institute’s website under “Exam Format” to learn more about the content and blueprint.
Preparing for the RNCCAP
It is important to ensure you are ready to take the evaluation. Touchstone Institute has resources available to help you prepare for the RNCCAP.
The RNCCAP will assess many areas of your foundational knowledge, including the sciences and humanities, as well as your ability to communicate.
Communication is a key part of the OSCE. This includes:
- reading charts or notes related to health issues
- participating in a conversation with a patient or another health professional
- completing a health assessment to take a history
- documenting care provided
- discussing the specifics of a health scenario
If you cannot communicate effectively in English, it may be difficult to complete the evaluation successfully. You should be confident that you can read, write, listen and speak English at a level that allows you to practice nursing safely in Ontario.
To help you prepare, you can also:
CNO’s evaluation of the RNCCAP
Touchstone Institute will provide CNO with your examinee report approximately eight weeks after your RNCCAP. Touchstone assigns one of three achievement levels to each assessment category as follows: Demonstrated, Partially Demonstrated or Not Demonstrated. These achievement levels are used to determine your overall score.
If you achieve an overall score of 3.5 or higher (out of five) on the RNCCAP, you will meet the nursing education requirement.
If your overall score is less than 3.5, CNO will direct you to take an Education Pathway to meet the Nursing Education requirement.
After the RNCCAP
You must contact Touchstone Institute if you have any questions about your RNCCAP results.