Standards For Nursing Education Programs (2007)

STANDARDS FOR NURSING EDUCATION PROGRAMS (2007) STANDARD I: PROGRAM PLAN

There is a comprehensive plan for the program that: a) Identifies the health needs of Manitobans, the support for and interest in the nursing education program, the present and future student enrollment, the need for nursing education graduates, and stakeholder consultation. b) Identifies the relationship of the practice of nursing to the practice of other health care professions. c) Describes the philosophical foundation on which the program is based including beliefs about: • students; • teaching and learning that reflect current and emerging trends in adult learning; and, • professional nursing practice that is congruent with the Standards of Practice for Registered Nurses. d) Includes a conceptual framework that guides the development and implementation of the curriculum. e) Reflects congruence among the philosophy, conceptual framework and the curriculum. f) Describes the organization and roles of program personnel and students. g) Identifies criteria and methods for: • selection and admission of students; • academic progression through the program; • appeals; • grievances; • management of student practice and conduct issues; and, • performance evaluation of faculty. h) Ensures students have current immunizations, have had a satisfactory criminal record check and satisfactory child abuse registry check as well as hold documentation of current cardiac life support training from an official provider. i) Includes submission of a letter of intent to the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba prior to offering a new nursing education program or course of instruction or implementing substantive changes to existing programs. This includes changes in program philosophy, conceptual framework, goals, curriculum, program implementation, program length, or significant changes in resources (fiscal, clinical, etc.) that will have a direct impact on a school's ability to

implement the program. j) Includes submission of an annual report to the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba by June 1 of each year outlining the following activities: • program, school and faculty achievements; • goals/strategic initiatives for the program's immediate future; • content and / or delivery changes which reflect current trends; • any challenges in meeting program objectives at the educational institution; • attrition and graduation numbers and analysis as well as waiting lists of students for the program; and, • any other information deemed important by the nursing program and/or requested by the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba.

C M College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba STANDARD II: THE CURRICULUM The curriculum is congruent with the philosophy of the program, Standards of Practice for Registered Nurses or the Standards of Practice for Registered Nurses on the Extended Practice Register, the Code of Ethics for Registered Nurses and the Entry Level Competencies for Registered Nurses or Competencies for the Registered Nurse (Extended Practice) RN(EP) Register. The curriculum: a) Prepares graduate nurses to consistently practice safely, competently, and ethically along the continuum of health care in situations of health and illness with people of all ages and genders in a variety of health care environments. b) Exposes students to learning experiences and clinical learning activities to provide sufficient opportunities to meet the designated program outcomes and entry level competencies. Programs preparing a graduate for initial entry to practice must include at least 1000 clinical practice hours prior to the senior practicum for programs leading to initial registration. (As an appendix submit how each of the Entry Level Competencies for RNs in Manitoba will be addressed.) Programs leading to registration on the Extended Practice register must include at least 300 clinical hours prior to the practicum. (As an appendix submit how each of the Competencies for the RN(EP) Register will be addressed). c) Is responsive to and reflects current trends in: health and wellness, legal and ethical considerations,

diversity in client populations, evidencebased nursing practice, education and research, health service delivery, and society. d) Identifies the processes whereby students learn about self-regulation and fitness to practice. e) Flows from the philosophy and has clear objectives, outcomes and goals with congruent learning experiences. f) Demonstrates logical timing and sequencing of content and process. g) Includes courses from the biological and physical sciences, the behavioral or social sciences or both, and the humanities. For re-entry programs leading to reinstatement on the practicing register, includes content if not discrete courses in these areas. h) Outlines course content, objectives, learning activities, and student evaluation methods in a manner that is consistent throughout the program. i) Includes interprofessional learning opportunities. j) Consolidates theory with nursing practice, and allows the students to demonstrate the roles, functions and responsibilities of a new graduate about to enter practice through a full time clinical preceptorship with actual clients (individuals, groups or communities) at the end of the nursing education program that is a minimum of: 450 clinical hours for programs leading to initial registration or 400 clinical hours for programs leading to registration on the Registered Nurse (Extended Practice) RN(EP) register. For reentry programs leading to re-instatement on the practicing register there is a minimum 150 clinical hours with an appendix showing how the Entry Level Competencies for Registered Nurses in Manitoba are addressed.

STANDARD III: RESOURCES

There are sufficient human, clinical, physical, fiscal, and support resources to sustain the program. a) The nursing faculty to student ratio in the clinical settings is sufficient to ensure optimum student learning and safe client care. b) The size and composition of the faculty is sufficient to provide teaching and guidance to students to ensure student progress to practicereadiness and meeting the entry level competencies and standards of practice for registered nurses. c) Nursing faculty possess the theoretical nursing knowledge and clinical expertise appropriate to their teaching responsibilities. Faculty who teach in clinical areas are involved in the planning and evaluation of the curriculum.

d) There is access to support services for students including learning support services, personal counseling, academic counseling, student health services, learning resources, and financial aid. e) There are physical resources to support student learning including libraries and electronic access to information, nursing skills (including simulation) and computer laboratories and a variety of learning modalities. 2 STANDARDS FOR NURSING EDUCATION PROGRAMS (2007) COLLEGE OF REGISTERED NURSES OF MANITOBA 3

STANDARD IV: PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS

Graduates of the program meet the Entry Level Competencies for Registered Nurses or the Competencies for the Registered Nurse (Extended Practice) RN(EP) and the Standards of Practice for Registered Nurses or the Standards of Practice for Registered Nurses on the Extended Practice Register and there are formal systems and processes in place to measure program effectiveness including: a) Systematic and continuous evaluation of all curriculum components including content, learning activities, student evaluation methods and designated program outcomes to ensure the ongoing development, maintenance, and enhancement of the curriculum. Revisions are made that allow the program to keep current with changes in health care and health care economics, trends in health care delivery systems, trends in education, societal changes, and changing expectations of the registered nurse. b) Methods to document and examine the relationship among admission requirements, student attrition and success. There is evidence that changes are made based on these findings. c) Using tracking and systems analysis of errors, adverse events and near-misses by students during clinical education with results used to inform change. d) Data are collected and trends analyzed of the number and percentage of graduates who passed the registration examinations with results used to inform change to educational program and health care system. e) Satisfaction of employers, nurse managers or nursing practice leaders that the graduates meet the Entry Level Competencies for Registered Nurses in Manitoba or the Competencies for Registered Nurse (Extended Practice) RN(EP) Register and professional requirements for the practice setting. f) After a period of employment, graduates are satisfied that their education prepared them to

achieve the standards for professional practice.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

An unintended injury or complication that results in disability at the time of discharge, death, or prolonged hospital stay and that is caused by health care management rather than the patient's underlying disease process (Baker et al (2004) The Canadian adverse events study: The incidence of adverse events among hospital patients in Canada. CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal, 170 (11), 1678-1686. Attrition: Reflects two groups of individuals: 1. Those students who due to academic failure in the nursing program are required to withdraw from the program and are not eligible to return. 2. Those students who discover that their desire to become a nurse has changed and leave the program to undertake studies in another profession or program. Students who encounter a program extension are not classified as attrition numbers at least until one academic year after the semester they withdrew from has been completed (i.e. equivalent to four academic semesters) (CASN Position Statement on Student Attrition, 2004). Clinical practice hours: Describes activities beyond the learning lab in a variety of settings but may include clinical experiences of an observational nature such as observation of a public health nurse conducting a post-natal home visit. Course of instruction: A nursing refresher, remedial, re-entry or up-grading course or program approved by the board and includes an educational course or program designed specifically for an individual (Registered Nurses Regulation, 2001). Nursing education program: A program delivered at a Manitoba university or college established under The Colleges Act that is approved by the board as a prerequisite for registration as a registered nurse and that provides graduates with the competencies set out in the document Entry Level Competencies for Registered Nurses in Manitoba…and meets the standards for a nursing education program…(Registered Nurses Regulation 2001). Adverse event:

4 STANDARDS FOR NURSING EDUCATION PROGRAMS (2007)