VANAP intro primer 021617 v2

Editor's Notes

• #2: Hello – I am so pleased to join you today. I want to thank CHC, the Weitzman Institute, and the NCA project team for inviting me here to discuss accreditation and its relevance for postgraduate training programs. I am Candice Rettie, the Executive Director of the National Nurse Residency and Training Consortium, called the Consortium or NNPRFTC, for short. A quick aside, the picture at the bottom of the slide is a recent graduating class from the NNPRFTC’s NP residency program. Next slide please.
• #3: Next slide please.
• #4: So what is accreditation? I want to quickly differentiate between certification and accreditation. Certification refers to an individual’s qualifications or credentials. Accreditation refers to the determination of quality of a program or an institution. So, certification is individual and accreditation is institutional or programmatic. The Consortium offers programmatic accreditation – we focus on postgraduate NP training programs. Definitions of Accreditation: AAAHC: Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care: “Accreditation is an external, independent review of a health care delivery organization against nationally-accepted standards and its own policies, procedures, processes and outcomes.” The US Secretary of Education determines that recognized accrediting organizations are reliable authorities as to the quality of … training provided by the institutions or programs they accredit. USDE recognition is important for training programs that require federally recognized accreditation, such as the US Dept of Veterans Affairs. The Consortium has set up its policies and procedures so that we can pursue USDoE recognition as soon as possible. First we have to have completed several accreditation reviews over the course of at least 18 months- 2 yr. Quickly, let’s run through what some of the USDoE requirements are , since they provided the basis for the development of our Standards. We need to focus on trainee achievement and success – USDoE wants to see job placement rates of graduates Curriculum Faculty Facilities Fiscal and administrative capability Trainees support services Recruitment and admissions practices; curriculum calendar; catalogs, publications, marketing USDoE requires an on-site review Consistency n decision-making Interim review of the program, at a minimum an annual headcount of trainees. Through accreditation, organizations are able to further develop their programs by systematic self evaluation; identification of strengths and weaknesses; on-going critical development and refinement of the curriculum; and program enhancements that reflect the realities of challenging and changing practice environments. Next slide please.
• #5: Eligibility: in existence for 2y so July 15, 2017; 2 yr experience as accrediting organization? Jan 2018 Meeting eligibility requirements: all policies and procedures designed to be in compliance; working with USDE as we finalize some governance structures (CHEA not an option– accredits academic programs and programs requiring academic affiliation; Consortium made academic affiliation recommended, but optional to accommodate FQHCs) ANCC does not require on-site visit – one of the USDE requirements
• #6: Now it is time to focus on the Consortium Standards: The NNPRFTC has developed 8 standards, with 68 elements. We use these standards to determine a program’s initial and continued accreditation status. They define the responsibilities of a program with regard to maintaining its adherence to the standards. The NNPRFTC standards were developed and are maintained through a formal review process and recognize the evolution of NP practice and training. The standards are applicable to all postgraduate NP training programs unless specifically noted as an exception. In addition to being the foundation for accreditation, the standards provide programs with guidance on the requirements, structure, and content of the program, simultaneously allowing for programs to use innovation and creativity in their design to meet the goals and defined competencies. Think of accreditation as part of the DNA of your program. In a very concrete way, accreditation can drive program development – Programs are always works in progress. The accreditation standards are unchanging, and the standards define the components of every program. However, while every program has the same core components of mission, curriculum, evaluation, etc, each one is unique. There is a saying in instructional design: Design backwards, Implement forwards. So design ‘backwards’ from your mission – the mission is your starting and ending point. Use the standards to structure the components. Then think about what your ‘final product’ – your trainee ‘’ will look like. How will they function – what will they do . How will they represent your field? Then design evaluation measures that address the endpoint. Then create curriculum that address the endpoint. Make sure that the curriculum and evaluations are integrated and create feedback loops. Use that information in communicating with your audiences. Next slide please.
• #7: Now. I’d like to take you through the accreditation process. The Consortium’s initial accreditation lasts for 3 years. We are considering extending continued accreditation for 5 years. It costs $10,000 and includes the costs of an on-site survey by NP experts and annual data management fees. The process generally takes about 10 months. Details about how to apply and informational documents can be found on our website: wwwnppostgradtraining.com. We do have a required on-site peer review visit that occurs 7.5 months following submission of the Self Study. You can download our Consortium FAQs, the Accreditation Fact Sheet, the Accreditation Standards, and our Self Study Guide. Technical assistance is available throughout the process for programs undergoing accreditation review. Accredited programs will be listed on our website. Let’s run through this flow diagram of the accreditation process: (read slide). Next slide please.
• #8: Study looking at the impact of accreditation on the quality of healthcare. Published in 2011 by Alkhenizen and Shaw conducted a “systematic review of the literature to evaluate the impact of accreditation programs on the quality of healthcare services.” Conclusion: “There is consistent evidence that shows that accreditation programs improve the process of care provided by healthcare services. CEPH (Council on Education for Public Health) points out that “accreditation serves multiple purposes for different constituents. In general, specialized accreditation attests to the quality of a training program that” provides intensive clinical training for a newly minted NP professional. There are many stakeholders in this process – to list a few: “For the public, accreditation promotes the health, safety and welfare of society by assuring competent public health professionals. For the federal government and other public funding agencies, it serves as a basis for determining eligibility for federally funded programs and student financial aid. For foundations and other private funding sources, it represents a highly desirable indicator of a program’s quality and viability. For prospective employers, it provides assurance that the curriculum covers essential skills and knowledge needed for today’s jobs. For prospective [trainees], accreditation serves a consumer protection purpose. It provides assurance that the program has been evaluated and has met accepted standards established by and with the profession. Next slide please.
• #9: For the profession, it advances the field by promoting standards of practice and advocating rigorous preparation. For[ NPs], it involves practitioners in the establishment of standards and assures that educational requirements reflect the current training needs of the profession. For graduates, it promotes professional mobility and enhances employment opportunities in positions that base eligibility upon graduation from an accredited school or program. Next slide please.
• #10: Finally, organizations that provide and support education, training, and professional advancement at every level benefit. Recruiting the best and the brightest becomes easier. Doors to funding open -- attracting and retaining competitive and noncompetitive awards becomes easier when there is a body of peer-reviewed, reliable and meaningful information supporting the wisdom of awarding monies to implement the mission, vision and objectives of the training organization. For the governing organizations such as [ universities and hospitals, ] it provides a reliable basis for inter- and intra-institutional cooperative practices, including admissions and transfer of credit. For the faculty and administrators, it promotes ongoing self-evaluation and continuous improvement and provides an effective system for accountability. For the school or program, accreditation enhances its national reputation and represents peer recognition.” Accreditation fosters a community of like-minded professionals and interested parties who are dedicated to excellence in NP practice and training. Community creates a forum for sharing best practices, for working together to identify and address challenges. Life long learning and professional growth become implicit and explicit. In a supportive peer environment, innovation and creativity flourish. Read through slide. Next slide please.
• #11: Duration: Takes about 10 months from application to decision Cost: $9,500 includes site visit Receive: certificate and seal 18 month update– report, data (demographics) Changes in cohort or track require notification and /or new app
• #13: Ques: How do you document? What is the evidence? What are the protocols? How do they crosswalk between curriculum and eval?? What is the feedback loop? How is the data used – what is the impact of the data?