Evaluation of a Nurse Practitioner Accreditation Program Pilot Study.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Advanced Practice Nursing
• Healthcare Quality Improvement

Background:

• Nurse practitioners (NPs) are recognized advanced practice nurses (APNs) in Canada, with NP programs evolving to graduate levels.
• The Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) initiated a voluntary NP accreditation program in 2018.
• A pilot study involving three NP programs evaluated the accreditation process and standards from 2019-2020.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the relevance and responsiveness of CASN's NP accreditation standards and process.
• To ensure the accreditation promoted high-quality NP education.
• To identify areas for improvement in NP accreditation.

Main Methods:

• Structured virtual focus groups with NP stakeholders were conducted.
• Content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data from focus groups.
• The evaluation focused on CASN's NP accreditation standards and key elements.

Main Results:

• Several areas for improvement were identified, focusing on communication and data collection consistency.
• Recommendations led to revisions strengthening the NP accreditation standards.
• The revised standards and manual were published early, and pilot programs received accreditation.

Conclusions:

• The NP accreditation process was refined based on stakeholder feedback.
• Revised CASN standards aim to enhance consistency and quality in Canadian NP education.
• These updated standards are expected to influence NP education nationally and internationally.