PS1006 SARASOTA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL DEPARTMENT POLICY TITLE: CONTINUING NURSING EDUCATION ACTIVITY PROCESS Job Title of Reviewer: EFFECTIVE DATE: REVISED DATE: POLICY TYPE: (admin) 4/10 3/18 DEPARTMENTAL INTERDEPARTMENTAL DEPARTMENTS PROVIDING NURSING CARE 1 of 6 Director of Education, Professional Development & Research PURPOSE: POLICY STATEMENT: EXCEPTIONS: DEFINITIONS: To define the process for requesting continuing nursing education credit for activities compliant with both the American Nurses Credentialing Center and the Florida Board of Nursing standards. Continuing Nursing Education programs will be verified by the Lead Nurse Planner based upon the criteria established by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the Florida Board of Nursing (FL-BON). None ANCC Accredited Provider: Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (SMHCS) is an accredited provider of educational activities and as such may award contact hours only for any continuing nursing education activity that has been planned, implemented, and evaluated by the accredited provider unit (SMHCS) (ANCC, 2015). Contact Hour: A unit of measurement awarded for portions of an educational activity which include experiences for learning and evaluation. One contact hour equals 60 minutes of educational time (ANCC, 2015). All activities must be a minimum of 60 minutes in length (1 contact hour) with increments of 30 minutes when the course extends beyond one contact hour (FBON, 2012). Learner-Paced Activity: A continuing nursing education activity in which the participant controls the pace of the course (compared to a live activity where the provider controls the pace). Examples include HealthStream, journal articles, and computer-based modules. Commercial Support: Financial, or in-kind, contributions given by a commercial interest, which is used to pay all or part of the costs of a continuing nursing education activity. Those providing commercial support may not be a provider or joint provider of an educational activity (ANCC, 2015) Continuing Nursing Education Activities: Learning activities that build upon the basic level of education and preparation of the registered nurse. The ultimate purpose of CNE activities is to improve the health of the public and contribute to the attainment of the professional goals of the nurse. Various topics may be
2 of 6 addressed including practice, education, administration, research, or theory (ANCC, 2015) Joint Providership: Planning, developing, and implementing an educational activity by two or more organizations or agencies. (ANCC, 2015) RESPONSIBILITIES: Lead Nurse Planner: A specific person in the Education, Professional Development, and Research Department; must be a registered nurse with a graduate degree who holds either the baccalaureate or the graduate degree in nursing; has the ultimate responsibility for ensuring that processes are in place to guarantee that continuing nursing education is provided to meet the needs of nurses engaged in lifelong learning and according to ANCC standards (ANCC, 2015). Qualified Nurse Planner: The nurse planner for a specific continuing nursing education activity who is responsible for all aspects of planning, implementation, and evaluation of the continuing nursing education activity. Qualifications: must be an RN with at least a baccalaureate degree in nursing (ANCC, 2015); The Nurse Planner is responsible for ensuring that appropriate educational design principles are used and processes are consistent with the requirements of the ANCC (ANCC, 2015). Qualified nurse planners must attend an SMHCS ANCC-nurse-planner training session with the Lead Nurse Planner. Planning Committee: Each educational activity must have a planning committee to plan, implement, and evaluate the activity. The committee must consist of at least two people and must include a Qualified Nurse Planner and a content expert; other committee members may be added, as appropriate (ANCC, 2015). The work of the committee must be guided by the qualified nurse planner. PROCEDURE: 1. All continuing nursing educational activities must be verified by the Education, Professional Development, & Research Department in association with the Education Council using the continuing nursing education activity forms as provided on the Continuing Nursing Education Forms Pulse page under the Education, Professional Development & Research Pulse website. It is requested that activity paperwork is submitted at least four (4) weeks prior to the activity. 2. The Qualified Nurse Planner (specific to the activity) will prepare the activity based on effective design principles and appropriate speakers/faculty, including: a. An identified purpose and explicit educational objectives that are appropriate for the target audience and domain of learning; b. The purpose and objectives are based upon a documented need to bridge gaps in knowledge, skills, and/or practice; c. Content appropriate to the goals, objectives, and learning
3 of 6 domain; d. Teaching and learning plan that are matched to the objectives and activity content; e. Defined criteria for successful completion (e.g. attendance at entire activity to receive contact hours); f. A method exists to verify participation (e.g. completed roster); g. Learner-paced programs must include a post-test of at least ten questions (regardless of number of CNE hours greater than one hour). Learners must achieve a minimum of 70% on the post-test in order to receive contact hours (FL BON, 2012); h. Live classes that are three hours or longer must include an agenda (with evidence of the true CNE hours not including break times) and a copy of the course flyer (ANCC, 2015); i. A maximum expiration for all activities of two years from the initial offering date to allow for potential revision of program. Nurse-planners are recommended to submit an annual summary of evaluations for each ongoing activity. j. Thorough review of Bio/Disclosure Forms for all planning members and speakers/faculty to ensure adherence to ANCC standards; Presence of a conflict of interest as defined by the ANCC must be documented. In the case of a conflict of interest, the qualified nurse planner will ensure appropriate separation of interest from the planning and development of the activity. The Qualified Nurse Planner will document on the Form C disclosure plan how the party will participate in the activity and their plan for disclosure and unbiased participation. k. Evidence of all relevant disclosures (including the absence of conflicts if appropriate). The written disclosure provided to attendees must include clarification and resolution of any potential conflicts of interest, and description of any parts of the CNE that are sponsored or commercially supported. l. Faculty expertise in the content they are presenting, as demonstrated for that faculty member on the Bio/Disclosure Form of the continuing nursing education activity application. Content experts are to submit their CV/resume as documentation of their expertise. m. Documentation of financial sponsorship, honoraria and reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses for planners, teachers, authors, and learners if applicable. 1. The provider (SMHCS), the joint provider, or designated educational partner must directly pay any teacher or author honoraria or reimbursement of outof-pocket expenses. 2. No other payment shall be given to the director of the activity, planning committee members, teachers or authors, co-provider, or any others involved with the supported activity. 3. If teachers or authors are listed on the agenda as facilitating or conducting a presentation or session, but participate in the remainder of an educational event as
4 of 6 a learner, their expenses can be reimbursed and honoraria can be paid for their teacher or author role only. 4. The provider may not use commercial support to pay for travel, lodging, honoraria, or personal expenses for non-teacher or non-author participants of a continuing nursing education activity. The provider may use commercial support to pay for travel, lodging, honoraria, or personal expenses for bona fide employees and volunteers of the provider, co-provider, or educational partner. Note that sponsorship assistance is not included in this requirement. 5. The nurse planner must be able to produce accurate documentation detailing the receipt and expenditure of commercial support. n. Refer to Nursing Education and Travel policy #126.041 for details regarding hospital-paid expenses for nurses participation in educational activities. 3. The Qualified Nurse Planner will submit activity paperwork to the Lead Nurse Planner who will review the activity paperwork to ensure ANCC compliance. The Lead Nurse Planner will notify the Qualified Nurse Planner that the paperwork is verified or that additional documentation is required. 4. The Qualified Nurse Planner (specific to the learning activity) or designee will obtain authenticated certificates, sign-in sheets and learning activity evaluations from the Education, Professional Development & Research Department to distribute for the learning activity. The Qualified Nurse Planner is responsible for making copies of the original certificate, roster, and evaluations as needed to ensure enough materials for every participant. 5. Upon completion of the activity, the Qualified Nurse Planner is responsible for ensuring a complete activity file, including a summary evaluation, all required activity documentation, and the completed sign-in sheets (with both the employee ID and professional license numbers) is submitted to the Education, Professional Development & Research Department. 6. The Education, Professional Development, & Research Department will submit all required information to ANCC via the Nursing Activity Reporting System (NARS); and to CE Broker. AUTHOR(S): Lisa Baumgardner, DNP,CNS-BC, PCCN, Clinical Manager, Education, Professional Development, and Research Jessica DePaulo, MSN, RN, CCRN Advanced Practice Program Coordinator ATTACHMENT(S): None
5 of 6 REFERENCES: American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). (2015). 2015 ANCC Primary Accreditation Provider Application Manual. Silver Springs, MD: ANCC. Florida Board of Nursing. (2012). Continuing Education Requirements, Rule Chapter: 64B9-5. Retrieved on. February 5, 2018 from https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleno.asp?id=64b9-5.003.
6 of 6 APPROVALS: Signatures indicate approval of the new or reviewed/revised policy Jean Lucas, Title: Director, Education, Professional Development and Research Date 2/23/18 Title: Title: Title: Committee/Sections (if applicable): Education Council Feb. 2018 Vice President/Administrative Director (if applicable): Name and Title: 2/26/18 Name and Title: Connie Andersen Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer