ACPAN Accreditation

By accrediting a course, it is granted the following benefits:

• use of the ACPAN accreditation logo on course materials and website;
• promotion of the education activity on the ACPAN website, education calendar and email marketing to ACPAN members;
• link to education activities on relevant website; and
• awarded with ACPAN Continuous Professional Development points.

Education providers should refer to the following when preparing an application for consideration to ensure that the quality of the education activity submitted meets the requirements of ACPAN.

• Adhere to eligibility requirements for the duration of accreditation and immediately inform ACPAN if these circumstances change.
• A business/company director or owner of the organisation must be a corporate member of ACPAN.
• For education activities that are not part of the Australian qualifications Framework, a minimum 5% discount applies for ACPAN Members.
• Provide an annual report to maintain accreditation.

Education providers applying for accreditation must meet the following criteria:

1. Provide operational details of the business/company including privacy, cancellation, refund and complaint policies, procedures, business plans and terms & conditions;
2. Have experience in delivering education to perianaesthesia nurses and be able to demonstrate this by providing a relevant CV;
3. Education activities are delivered by professionals who possess experience and qualifications in:

• education; and
• perianaesthesia nursing (or equivalent); and
• hold valid and current nurse registration with AHPRA

The education activity will be assessed against the following education endorsement standards before being awarded with ACPAN Accreditation.

1. Purpose and relevance

The education activity must be relevant to the perianaesthesia nursing profession and must:

• contain terminology and depictions of perianaesthesia practice that adheres to the ACPAN Education Standards and relevant ANZCA Standards;
• briefly outline the intended target audience as perianaesthesia nurses (beginners, experienced nurses or advanced practice);
• identify level of the education activity; and
• identify the perianaesthesia practice setting (either anaesthesia and/or post-anaesthesia care).

2. Aim & Objectives

The education activity needs to demonstrate learning objectives that reflect what the participant will have learnt by the end of the education activity. These objectives should focus on knowledge, skills and abilities that are relevant to the perianaesthesia nursing profession context to which they are applied.

• Outline the aim of the education activity.
• Outline the learning objectives of the education activity.
• Outline the outcomes of the education activity.

3. Knowledge & Skill

The education activity must cover topics in line with ACPAN Standards, statements and guidelines and enhance perianaesthesia nursing knowledge in terms of depth, breadth, and scope of knowledge:

• depth – this needs to include generalist concepts and knowledge through to specialist concepts and knowledge for all perianaesthesia nurses;
• breadth – this can range from single topics through to broader levels of knowledge;
• scope of knowledge – this needs to range from evidence based fact through to abstract concepts and includes relevant industry standards applicable to perianaesthesia nursing; and
• practical application to the perianaesthesia nursing profession or be reflective of the perianaesthesia practice environment.

4. Continuous Professional Development

CPD hours will be allocated for each education activity based on the information provided for assessment. Education activities must:

• clearly state the number of learning hours of the activity as per The NMBA Registration Standard: Continuing Professional Development (CPD) (2016);
• provide a brief description of the content of the education activity;
• identify summative and formative assessment activities.

5. Evaluation

Education activities should be developed using sound educational frameworks, curricula and theories, be related to industry standards and must include evidence of evaluation and assessment.

• Identify evaluation tools and process.
• Allow participants to provide feedback.
• Identify assessment tools (summative or formative assessment).

6. Professional Practice, Critical Thinking & Analysis

Integral to a perianaesthesia nurses’ role is the ability to critically think and reflect on practice and to analyse evidence and research in relation to their own professional practice and development. The education activity should clearly identify how a perianaesthesia nurse can enhance their critical thinking and analytical skills and should provide opportunities for reflective practice through discussion, activities, quizzes and relevant scenarios.

The organisation must provide an annual report to ACPAN for the purpose of maintaining accreditation. The annual report should be submitted to ACPAN annually and must include:

• names, position titles and education qualifications of the staff who review education activities;
• dates that the education activities were conducted in the last year;
• names and qualifications of staff teaching the activities;
• number of participants who attended the activities;
• results achieved by the participants (if applicable);
• an end of year summary of the evaluation of the activity; and
• any proposed changes to the activity.

Log in to the ACPAN website and select “Accreditation” to submit an application. Fill in the online application form. Make sure all fields are completed so all required information is provided, and the approval process is not delayed. You will receive a confirmation of your application by email. The outcome of the application will be forwarded to the person responsible for seeking accreditation. ACPAN will record the details of the submission and will maintain a register of all accredited programs. A list of ACPAN accredited education activities will be available on the ACPAN website.

When applying for accreditation, a declaration must be signed to confirm that the education activity has not been (partly) copied or using tools from any other source without their formal permission. For each education activity, a separate application is required. Accreditation is valid for 3 years.

Applications must be submitted at least 3 months before the education activity is offered. The activities are assessed by the ACPAN accreditation committee chaired by the ACPAN Education Director to ensure high standards of teaching methods and content are met. The review process may take up to 12 weeks. Once your education activity is approved you receive an ACPAN accreditation reference number. You will need this number for reaccreditation.

After 3 years, reaccreditation is possible. You will need to fill in the online reaccreditation application form and fill in the ACPAN accreditation reference number received during the initial application and accreditation. During the reaccreditation process, the information provided during the initial accreditation needs to be updated and evaluation summary needs to be included.

ACPAN will charge an accreditation fee of $500 (+ 10% GST) per education activity every three years and an annual corporate membership fee.

Example: Course evaluation form for use:

Please rate your response to the following scale:

1 = Strongly disagree 2 = Disagree 3 = Unsure 4 = Agree 5 = Strongly agree

Your feedback is much appreciated and used to improve the course.