Nursing Community Assessment Service (NCAS) for Internationally Educated Practitioners

Nursing Community Assessment Service (NCAS) for Internationally Educated Practitioners (IEPs) Project

Seeking Clinical RN, LPN, RPN, HCA Expert Assessors for Simulation Lab Assessments of RN, LPN, RPN and HCA competencies

Background:

The aim of the Nursing Community Assessment Service (NCAS) for Internationally Educated Practitioners Projectis to develop a competency based assessment service, across four nursing community stakeholders (BC Health CareAssistants, Licensed Practical Nurses, Registered Nurses, and Registered Psychiatric Nurses) that will provide an accelerated, streamlined approach to assist Internationally Educated Practitioners (IEP’s) in integrating into BC’s health workplace. The overarching goal of this initiative is to enhance the Province’s capacity to build and maintain a safe, competent and adequately resourced nursing workforce in BC.

The competency assessment model for this Service consists of a Computer Based Assessment and a Simulation Lab Assessment of selected entry-level competencies. The competency assessment tools have been developed and are ready for testing and pilot. We are now recruiting clinical HCA, LPN, RN and RPN as assessors to participate in the field testing and pilot.

Simulation Lab Assessment Tool

We are looking for 5 Assessors per nursing role
There are 4 testing stations for each role
Some of the stations will involve high fidelity mannequins and others will involve standardized patients (orientation to the simulation lab will be provided in the assessor training)
After each station, the Assessor will conduct a Clinical Decision Making Oral Assessmentwhich will take 10-15 minutes

If you are interested in applying to become an Assessor please review the Assessor Criteria and fill in the Application Form. Please email the form to:

Thank you for your interest in applying to this project.

Assessor Eligibility & Selection Criteria

Preference will be given to those:

who work in clinical practice and who directly supervise HCAs, LPNs, RNs, or RPNs.
with current experience assessing clinical practice of a HCA, LPN, RN, or RPN.

Eligibility

Assessor Qualifications

Familiarity with entry level competencies of HCAs or LPNs or RNs or RPNs in British Columbia.
Is a “registrant in good standing” of one or more provincial regulatory colleges or registry.
Fully licensed/registered in a Canadian jurisdiction for at least five years.
Must not have been the subject of a complaint through a professional body that was not dismissed.
Must not have been the subject of a fitness to practice concern.
Currently practices in direct client care providing or supervising nursing care on a regular basis, either full- or part-time.
Current or recent experience in teaching, education and assessment of performance.
Applicants applying to be HCA assessors can be RNs or LPNs who were previously HCAs or who supervise HCAs and are knowledgeable about HCA entry-level practice.
Applicants applying to be LPN assessors can be RNs who were previously LPNs or who supervise LPNs and are knowledgeable about LPN entry-level practice.
Is willing to sign and comply with the assessor confidentiality, security, conflict of interest and code of conduct agreements.
Agrees to NOT become involved in any way in any assessment preparatory activities related to Internationally Educated Professionals for the purpose of registration, including practice questions, practice assessments, assessment educational sessions or coaching, from the time of participation as an assessor in the NCAS Simulation Lab Assessment until three years after completion of service.
Has no limitations that would impair the ability to accurately observe, hear, record and assess candidates’ performances over a 10 hour period.
Is willing to participate on the basis of the offered service fee, and remuneration for travel to the assessment site.

Additional Information:

Assessors are paid $60/hour.

Role of the Assessor

The role of the Nursing Community Assessment Service Simulation Lab Assessment Assessor is to observe the performance of the candidate in the 4 clinical stations. This involves observing the candidate for specific behaviours that are then recorded (using a touchscreen) on a standardized checklist on a computer/I-pad. Assessors will also conduct a Clinical Decision Making Oral Assessment at the end of each station.

An Assessor records his/her observations of a candidate’s performance during the assessment based on an established set of criteria.Reports are reviewed by the Assessment Committee.

An Assessor cannot make any changes to the clinical station, the station checklist, Oral Assessment questions or checklist, or the portrayal of the client by the Standardized Patient. If the Assessor does not agree with something in relation to the station, they must discuss their concern with the NCAS Assessment Coordinator. In addition, there are opportunities for feedback from Assessors at the end of the assessment and in written form using an Assessment feedback form.

Assessor Recruitment Response Form

Assessors for the NCAS Simulation Lab Assessment
Assessor qualifications are listed in the Assessor Eligibility & Selection Criteria section. Assessors are trained prior to the assessment, so it is not necessary to have experience as an assessor. The most important qualification is current practice experience in a client care environment performing or directly supervising client care.

Please note: Your application is not considered to be a commitment to or confirmation of participation, but is an indication of your interest. You will be contacted by an NCAS consultant to follow up with you about participating in an examination.

Please check the appropriate YES or NO responses and provide the information required.

Email the form by April 30th, 2015 (deadline extended)

If not emailing the form, please fax your completedresponse to:

NCAS Assessor Recruitment

Fax: 604.736.3576

Assessor Application Form

The fields marked with an asterisk(*) are mandatory

First Name* / Click here to enter text. /
Last Name* / Click here to enter text. /
I am interested in participating as an assessor for the NCAS Simulation Lab Assessment for HCAs. / ☐Yes
☐No
I am interested in participating as an assessor for the NCAS Simulation Lab Assessment for LPNs. / ☐Yes
☐No
I am interested in participating as an assessor for the NCAS Simulation Lab Assessment forRNs. / ☐Yes
☐No
I am interested in participating as an assessor for the NCAS Simulation Lab Assessment for RPNs. / ☐Yes
☐No
I meet the qualifications indicated on the Assessor Eligibility and Selection Criteria. / ☐Yes
☐No
Home Contact Information:
Address* / Click here to enter text. /
City* / Click here to enter text. / Province* / Click here to enter text. /
Postal Code* / Click here to enter text. /
Telephone / Click here to enter text. /
Cell / Click here to enter text. /
Email* / Click here to enter text. /
Workplace Contact Information:
Workplace Name* / Click here to enter text. /
Workplace Address* / Click here to enter text. /
City* / Click here to enter text. / Province* / Click here to enter text. /
Postal Code* / Click here to enter text. /
Workplace Phone / Click here to enter text. /
Workplace Email / Click here to enter text. /
Qualifications:
I am a ☐HCA ☐ LPN ☐ RN ☐ RPN
I am licensed with a Provincial Regulatory Organization. / ☐Yes
☐No
Province of Licensure / Click here to enter text. /
Date of Licence (mm/yy) / Click here to enter text. /
License Number / Click here to enter text. /
Current Practice Setting:
☐ Community ☐ Faculty ☐ In-patient ☐ Complex Care ☐ Other
Please describe your role in this setting?
Click here to enter text.
Have you supported new graduates in a practice setting?* ☐Yes ☐ No
If yes, please describe your role and the number of new graduates you have supported:
Click here to enter text.
Eligibility and Interests:
Have you ever worked in a Competency Assessment or other similar examination? / ☐Yes
☐No
If yes, where, when, and in what role?
Click here to enter text.
Why are you interested in participating in the NCAS Simulation Lab Assessment? *
Click here to enter text.
References - please list two professional references (licensed nurse, registered HCA, nursing faculty member
Reference#1
Name* / Click here to enter text. /
Relationship* / Click here to enter text. /
Email* / Click here to enter text. /
Telephone / Click here to enter text. /
Position* / Click here to enter text. /
Reference#2
Name* / Click here to enter text. /
Relationship* / Click here to enter text. /
Email* / Click here to enter text. /
Telephone / Click here to enter text. /
Position* / Click here to enter text. /
Assessor Qualifications:
I currently practice in a client care environment, supervising and/or providing care as a HCAs, LPNs, RNs, or RPNs on a regular basis, either full- or part-time. / ☐Yes
☐No
I am aware of entry level competencies required of HCAs or LPNs or RNs or RPNs in British Columbia. / ☐Yes
☐No
HCA Assessors: I am an RN or LPN who was previously an HCA or I currently supervise HCAs and am knowledgeable about HCA entry-level practice. / ☐Yes
☐No
LPN Assessors: I am an RN who was previously an LPN or I currently supervise LPNs and are knowledgeable about LPN entry-level practice. / ☐Yes
☐No
I am a "registrant in good standing" of one or more provincial regulatory authorities. / ☐Yes
☐No
I have been fully licensed/registered in a Canadian jurisdiction for at least five years. / ☐Yes
☐No
Have you ever been the subject of a complaint through a professional body? / ☐Yes
☐No
If you have been the subject of a complaint to the professional bodywas it dismissed? / ☐Yes
☐No
☐ N/A
Have you ever been the subject of a fitness to practice concern? / ☐Yes
☐No
Do you have any limitations that would impair the ability to accurately observe, hear, record and assess candidates’ performance over a 10 to 12 hour period. / ☐Yes
☐No
I agree that I willNOTbecome involved in any way in any assessment preparatory activities related to Internationally Educated Professionals for the purpose of registration, including practice questions, practice assessments, assessment educational sessions or coaching, from the time of participation as an assessor in the NCAS Simulation Lab Assessment until three years after completion of service. / ☐Yes
☐No

Field Testing

if you are selected, you will need to be available for the following field testing dates:

HCA: May 19, 20, 2015

LPN: May 21, 22, 2015

RN: May 19, 20, 2015

RPN: May 21, 22

The pilot of the assessment will take place between August and October, 2015

Assessor Orientation and Training Tuesday May 12, 2015

Time: 8.30am – 4.30pm

Location: College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia

2855 Arbutus St., Vancouver

Assessors will be required to attend an Assessors Orientation and Training session. The purpose of this session is to:

familiarize Assessors with the assessment format
provide Assessors with the information that they need to be effective Assessors
practice the skills needed to be effective Assessors
allow Assessors to see the case materials for the station(s) they will be assessing
familiarize Assessors to the Simulation Lab environment
orientation to use of mannequins in assessment

The goal of this session is to improve the inter-Assessor consistency in assessing candidates which leads to improved reliability of the assessment.

The orientation session uses videotaped scenarios and provides the Assessors with the opportunity to practice completing the checklists and the Clinical Decision Making Oral Assessment.

Assessor Orientation and Training will take place again one week prior to the piloting of the assessment.

Form Adapted from:

PEBC Assessor Recruitment Response Form

CRNBC Information for Examiners Nurse Practitioner Clinical Examination December 2013