National Nursing Assessment Implementation Project

1. National Nursing Assessment Implementation Project Presentation 2014 National Metropolis Conference: Partnering for Success: Facilitating Integration and Inclusion Ottawa, Ontario March 13, 2014

2. CASE FOR CHANGE • Nine years in the making – driven by RBs • Report “Navigating to Become a Nurse in Canada” Recommendations Canadian Nurses Association (May 2005) • Identified the issues with the current approach to IEN credential assessment • Federal-Provincial Agreement on Internal Trade and Mobility in Canada • Variability in capacity and expertise amongst nurse regulators • Fluctuating volumes of applications from IENs • Anticipated nursing shortage in Canada

3. NNAS- a new organization • Incorporated June 2012 • All RN, LPN and RPN regulatory bodies are members and users of the service1 • 12 member Board of Directors • 6 RN, 4LPN, 2 RPN • Chair Mary-Anne Robinson, [CEO CARNA] • Implementation project funded by HRSDC, some provincial governments and member regulatory bodies • Sustainable funding model (IEN fees) (1 Except Quebec and the Territories)

4. THE VISION • Single application web portal • Bilingual customer care • centre for IEN applicants • Common approach to initial • document collection, • authentication, validation • and fraud screening • Consistent assessment standard of the IEN • application file • Consistent format electronic advisory • reports to RBs to inform IEN eligibility • assessments • An international education programs • database • A national IEN database

5. NNAS Model Steps 1-4 21 RBs Steps 5-10 NNAS Central Services Vendor Focus Stakeholder Management Board of Directors -General Oversight -Policy/advisory -Accountability -Effectiveness -RB Interface -Gov’t Depts RB Services -SLA for IEN services -Service Delivery -- Operations -Finance & Admin -HR -IT -Legal -Reporting -Vendor Management -Communications IEN Services Database IEN Customer Interface/CRM R&D Continuous improvement Best Practices

6. What will change with NNAS ? IEN application and assessment is a 10 step process. We will use NNAS to streamline entry and assess initial files.

7. MAJOR STEPS IN THE INTERNATIONALLY EDUCATED NURSE (IEN) ASSESSMENT PROCESS NNAS 1. IEN registers with NNAS, completes forms and pays fees 2. NNAS receives all required documents; IEN tracks progress online • Proof of identity • Verification of education • Verification of registration • General suitability/safety to practice • Language proficiency 4. NNAS assesses IEN file for comparability to Canadian standards for entry to practice, defines gaps and prepares an advisory report 3. NNAS determines validity/authenticity of documents 6. RB retrieves file/advisory report from NNAS; IEN proceeds with RB requirements to assess/ remediate any gaps to meet jurisdictional eligibility requirements 7. Letter of eligibility to write exam issued by regulatory body to IEN 5. IEN picks up advisory report through NNAS web portal and formally applies to regulatory body/pays fees RB 10. Full registration awarded on successful completion of national exam 9. IEN writes national/provincial examination 8. Temporary registration granted when IEN meets requirements for safe practice This chart portrays the various steps in the IEN assessment process, designed to ensure a candidate's safety to practice as a nurse in the Canadian health care system. A regulatory body may require the IEN to go through some or all of these steps to determine eligibility for registration/licensure to practice in Canada. The order in which an IEN must proceed with these steps varies somewhat from one regulatory body to another. The National Nursing Assessment Service is responsible for Steps 1-4 as indicated by the red boxes. Steps 5-10 I indicated by the blue boxes, are the responsibility of the regulatory body in the jurisdiction where an IEN is seeking registration.

8. Benefits of NNAS to IEN (Steps 1-4) • NNAS web site - single entry point for Canada • IENs will no longer apply to individual RBs • NNAS collects all documents, initial fees, creates IEN application file • IEN can track application status online; receives advisory report on comparability of credentials with any gaps defined • IEN can direct file to more than one RB • RB retrieves final IEN electronic files – incorporates into own system • Central bilingual customer care centre • All inquiries to RBs to be redirected • Consistent messaging

9. Benefits of NNAS to RBs • Consistent approach agreed to by all RBs • Increased confidence in labour mobility • Scalable to volumes +/-30% • Vendor expertise • Document authentication, fraud detection and assessment methodology and tools • Advisory report to both IEN and RB on comparability / gaps • Steps 5-10 and final decision by RB • Standard and some custom reports to RBs from national IEN database • Capacity planning • Consistent national statistics

10. Project structureand roadmap

11. Project structure NNAS Board of Directors NNAS Policy Committee Project Implementation Subcommittee (ISC) NNAS Central Services Project Management Office (PMO) The Atkinson Group Inc. Member Regulatory Bodies CGFNS International

12. NNAS Implementation Road Map 2014 2013 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q1 Q4 Q2 Q3 Q3 Launch August 12, 2014 Project Management and Change Management Support

13. NNAS Project Status March 2014

15. Next Steps • Business requirements sign off (March 17) • NNAS staff hired (March-June) • RB face to face workshops with vendor (April 23-24) • End to end review of NNAS system • Sign off on LPN, RN and RPN Assessment Tools • Training strategy roll out (June/July) • User acceptance testing (July) • All RBs will transition to NNAS August 12, 2014 • Master change management plan • Support RBs’ transition (readiness reviews) • Align public facing messaging- at federal and provincial levels • Direct all IENs to www.nnas.ca(in development)

16. Questions ? Contact: National Nursing Assessment Service 11620 168 St NW Edmonton, AB T5M 4A6 Phone: (780) 453-0510 Email: info@nnas.ca