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Self-assessment Tool

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Self-assessment Tool

Complete the self-assessment by answering the questions on this web page or by downloading and completing the Self-assessment Workbook, which includes additional prompts for you to consider.

The more you answer “yes” to the questions, the closer you are to being ready to apply for Stellar certification.

If you are completing the self-assessment on this web page, note that your answers are not recorded, saved, tallied, or submitted to the Stellar Certification Program. This web page is strictly for your records, so we suggest you print a copy after you have completed it.

Standard 1: Nursing Voice

Shared decision-making

Does the nursing team have a leading role in decisions affecting clinical workflows and nursing practice as they relate to the delivery of care?

Yes No

Are all direct care nurses, particularly those that work nights and weekends, involved in decision-making?

Yes No

Are nurses supported to express their views?

Yes No

Does the leadership team understand (and have strategies to overcome) the potential roadblocks that nurses can face when voicing their opinions?

Yes No

Are the views of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis nurses and individuals and their families engaged as part of the decision-making process?

Yes No

If you apply for Stellar certification, you will have to submit organizational documents that contain evidence of support for shared decision-making by listing all the council/committee meetings that occurred over the past year. This documentation may include (but is not limited to) meetings related to the following topics: nursing practice, nursing quality, patient safety, workplace safety, patients/clients and their families, etc. Is your organization able to submit documentation that achieves the stated objective?

Yes No

Diversity, equity and inclusion

Does your organization address diversity, equity and inclusion?

Yes No

Do such efforts amplify the voice of racialized people in the workplace and provide the nursing team with opportunities to gain cultural knowledge, modify their behaviours, and practise cultural humility?

Yes No

If you apply for Stellar certification, you will have to provide organizational policies and procedures related to diversity, equity and inclusion. These documents should show how your organization addresses workplace diversity, equity and inclusion and should take the needs of employees and patients/clients into account. Is your organization able to submit documentation that achieves the stated objective?

Yes No

Standard 2: Leadership Excellence

Nursing leadership

Is the leadership team visible and active in the care environment?

Yes No

Has the leadership team received exceptional education and professional growth — or do they have access to it?

Yes No

The leadership team should actively engage with nursing staff. Do leaders seek out input from direct care nurses, understanding that they are excellent sources for new initiatives focused on the promotion of staff well-being (safety, physical health and mental health)?

Yes No

Well-being of nurses

Does your organization have a solid understanding of what matters most to direct care nurses?

Yes No

Does your organization strive to ensure nurses’ well-being?

Yes No

Is the health of the nursing team regularly assessed?

Yes No

Is the health of the leadership team regularly assessed?

Yes No

Are health initiatives based on the results of those assessments implemented?

Yes No

Your organization should be placing an emphasis on work-life balance. Is your organization creating work schedules that support nurses’ well-being? This could include flexible hours that promote a balance between work and personal life.

Yes No

Is the well-being of nurses integrated into strategic planning? Your answer should focus on how retention is incorporated into your organization’s plan, as it is essential to ensuring the well-being of your nursing workforce.

Yes No

Do direct care nurses use a shared decision-making approach to plan and evaluate well-being initiatives?

Yes No

If you apply for Stellar certification, you will have to provide organizational documents that list the resources available (either on site or external) to the nursing team to promote their mental health and well-being. Is your organization able to submit documentation that achieves the stated objective?

Yes No

Standard 3: Education and Career Progression

Professional growth

Does your organization value and recognize the importance of supporting nurses’ ongoing or continuing education, certification in a specialty, and/or opportunities for professional growth?

Yes No

Is the pursuit of education, certification and/or professional growth supported either financially or through other means?

Yes No

Are nurses’ professional needs carefully assessed?

Yes No

Has a high percentage of your organization’s nursing staff obtained recognized certification relevant to the care that is being provided? For an organization’s initial Stellar certification, a minimum of 10% of its regulated nurses (i.e., LPNs/RPNs, NPs, RNs, RPNs) must be certified in a relevant specialty. If unable to meet this requirement, a plan for increasing the number of nurses certified in a relevant specialty must be in place.

Yes No

Nursing orientation and mentorship

Does your organization have a strong nursing orientation and mentorship program that supports all levels of nurses?

Yes No

Are mentors who orient new staff supported with resources and education, and are they evaluated constructively by the leadership team?

Yes No

Are direct care nurses encouraged and supported to take a leadership role in orienting new nurses?

Yes No

If you apply for Stellar certification, you will have to provide documents and/or policies indicating staff appraisals. This documentation should show that individual members of the nursing team participated in a self-assessment and were able to identify their own need for opportunities for growth in education and certification. The documentation should also provide a copy of policies and/or any documents related to performance appraisals/assessments of the nursing workforce. This may include (but is not limited to) annual assessment, individual learning plans, peer assessments, SMART goals, LEADS 360 assessments, etc. Is your organization able to submit documentation that achieves the stated objective?

Yes No

Standard 4: Resourcing

Safe and effective resourcing

Is your organization committed to providing the best in evidence-based policy, practice, products and professional development? This commitment should reflect your organization’s efforts to support safe nursing practice that will improve the care of patients/clients and retain nurses.

Yes No

Does the leadership team use effective and collaborative workload planning and management strategies and valid and reliable tools and methodologies to predict, plan, measure and validate the nursing workload?

Yes No

Is there a robust contingency plan in place to guide the nursing team (i.e., charge nurse) and the leadership team when staff shortages occur? A plan or process should be in place to mitigate problems related to staff shortages and ensure the care needs of patients/clients are met.

Yes No

Are there easily accessible guidelines for the nursing team (i.e., charge nurse) to follow when no one is available to replace staff?

Yes No

Standard 5: Practice Environment

Positive practice environment

Is the nursing perspective meaningfully recognized and valued as contributing to the foundation of a positive practice environment and a safe and enjoyable work culture?

Yes No

Is an exceptional employee recognition program in place?

Yes No

Does the team celebrate important milestones and personal achievements?

Yes No

Are training and supports provided to enhance practice environments?

Yes No

If you apply for Stellar certification, you will have to provide policies, procedures and other documents related to employee recognition: These documents should outline details of a program and/or process that ensures staff members are recognized and celebrated in the workplace. This documentation should include a description of the robust reporting capabilities that are in place. Is your organization able to submit documentation that achieves the stated objective?

Yes No

Safe practice environment

Is the physical safety and mental well-being of nurses and patients/clients ensured through a culture of responsibility that is free of incivility, bullying and violence?

Yes No

Are all reasonable efforts taken to protect the physical safety and mental health of nurses, patients/clients, and their families?

Yes No

Are policies and processes in place to address adverse situations in a timely manner?

Yes No

Are all team members familiar with the process?

Yes No

Is the reporting mechanism for safety issues robust?

Yes No

Has the leadership team received professional education and are they comfortable conducting debriefing sessions following incidents?

Yes No

Recognizing that conducting debriefing sessions can impact their mental health, do leaders have access to supports to ensure they are able to fulfil their responsibilities?

Yes No

Are staff members, patients/clients, and their families aware of the process to report an incident — and do they feel safe doing so (i.e., your organization creates a culture where nurses feel safe to self-report a medical error)?

Yes No

Standard 6: Optimizing Care

Supporting nurses to optimize care delivery using a holistic approach

Does your organization support nurses to optimize care delivery using an evidence-based, person-centred holistic and innovative approach?

Yes No

Does your organization’s staff have professional education development and other supports available to them to implement programs for optimizing care?

Yes No

Does your organization’s staff make regular use of established best practices and resources to integrate innovative solutions/technologies and optimize quality care and safety?

Yes No

Is there a process in place to review innovative suggestions and determine their appropriateness for incorporation into practice — potentially allowing your organization to develop and/or participate in research opportunities?

Yes No

If you apply for Stellar certification, you will have to provide policies, structures or other documents that outline how nursing care plans are developed. This organizational documentation should indicate how nurses, patients/clients, and their families all contributed to the plan to ensure it aligns with the care needs of the patient/client. In addition to providing the frequency and structure of family meetings, these documents should outline how patients/clients are active participants in their care plans. Is your organization able to submit documentation that achieves the stated objective?

Yes No

Congratulations on completing your self-assessment!

The more questions you answered favourably, the more equipped and ready you are to apply for Stellar certification.

But don’t worry too much about your results on this self-assessment — just dive in and get ready to be Stellar! We’re here to help and support you every step of the way!

Please email the Stellar Certification Program at stellar@cna-aiic.ca if you have any questions or concerns.

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