Continuing Competency Program

BACKGROUND

The Continuing Competence Program (CCP) is designed to support professional development and commitment to lifelong learning and excellence. 

FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES

Continuing competence is defined as:

The ongoing ability of a nurse to integrate and apply the knowledge, skills, judgment and personal attributes required to practise safely and ethically in a designated role and setting.  Maintaining this ongoing ability involves a continual process linking the code of ethics, standards of practice and life-long learning. The registered nurse [and nurse practitioner] reflects on his/her practice on an ongoing basis and takes action continually to improve that practice. (A National Framework for Continuing Competence Process for Registered Nurses: CNA: September 2000)

• Registrants are responsible and accountable for their professional practice not only to themselves but to their colleagues, employers, regulatory body and, most importantly their patients and the public who they serve. 

• Yukon Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners maintain a high standard of practice and expertise and consistently demonstrate motivation to pursue ongoing learning. 

• Life-long learning is essential to quality outcomes for nursing practice

STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO FULFILLING CCP REQUIREMENTS

1. Registrants are required to complete the Continuing Competency online each time they complete their license renewal. For reference, please review YRNA's Standards of Practice for Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners. Nurse Practitioners should also refer to the Foundations for Nurse Practitioner Practice document for additional guidance and reflections. 

Professional growth requires self-assessment and recognition of both strengths and areas for improvement. Each Standard has indicators for practice. Using the rating key provided, rate your practice related to each indicator. As you rate your practice, identify a strength and learning opportunity related each standard of practice. You will not be judged or criticized for identifying areas where you need to learn more or develop skills.

2. Though this process, you will develop your learning objective for the upcoming year. From the learning opportunities you identified in step 1, choose a learning opportunity to be the focus for this year's learning plan. Try to choose an area in which you are not already an expert - but rather seek out areas that you know there is room for growth and further development.  Your learning plan should hold personal interest for you. It should:

• Advance your knowledge of best practices.

• Help you to safely, competently, and ethically deliver care.

• Improve your practice.

• Build capacity for leadership.

3. Throughout the year (April-February), work towards your chosen goal and document your progress and activities. Celebrate your successes and the ways that you challenge yourself! Collect evidence about how you met your learning plan, including the application of new knowledge to your practice. You can always update your CCP information online on your registrant portal.

4. At the end of the licensing year with your license renewal, submit a completed CCP Annual Report with your license renewal application. You will also be required to complete your Continuing Competency plan for the upcoming year. If you are randomly selected to be audited, you will be notified and required to submit your annual learning plan, portfolio, and annual report with your application for licensure renewal in order to meet renewal requirements.

REGISTRANT RESPONSIBILITIES

The Continuing Competence Process is mandatory for all nurses holding a practising license (other than a person licensed under the Courtesy Registration Class) with the YRNA.

Registrants must complete the annual Continuing Competency Program submissions for the past year along with their registration/license renewal application and annual fee payment on or before 1st March of each registration year. 

For reference, please review the information and instructions contained within YRNA's CCP Booklet for RNs and CCP Booklet for NPs and begin the self-assessment and goal setting process.

Nurses can manage CCP progress and compliance through their online registration portal.  The process along with the required annual Continuing Competency Program submissions for the past must be completed on or before 1st March of each registration year -along with any applicable license renewal application and annual fee payments. 

PEER REVIEW BY THE AUDIT COMMITTEE

If you are one of the members randomly selected for audit in a given year, you will be notified of an audit in January. You may want to remove personal additions to your portfolio. Retain records for three years, as the audit committee may request up to three years of documentation for review.

After the end of the licensing period, documents submitted for audit will be reviewed by a peer audit committee. If you are audited, you will receive feedback prior to June as to whether your documentation is complete and whether you have demonstrated effective use of the process. The committee will be particularly looking for evidence that you have not just engaged in education, but actually applied learning to your practice.