Frequently Asked Questions

Who is a nurse planner?

A nurse planner is a registered nurse with a minimum of a baccalaureate degree in nursing and an unrestricted nursing license who has knowledge and skill in implementing educational design criteria in planning continuing education activities. The nurse planner is educated and deemed competent by the primary nurse planner in an approved provider unit. Only nurse planners whose names are on file with MNA as being competent in the nurse planner role may serve as nurse planners for activities.

What are the responsibilities of a nurse planner?

The nurse planner is responsible for making sure that all accreditation criteria are followed during the planning, implementation, and evaluation phases of the educational activity. The nurse planner doesn’t have to be the “leader”, but does have to have authority to make changes as needed to be sure criteria are met.

Who needs to be on a planning committee?

Accreditation criteria require two people on a planning committee: a nurse planner and a content expert. There can be as many nurses as desired on the committee, but one nurse planner is accountable for adherence to criteria. The nurse planner can also be the content expert. In that case, there still needs to be at least one other person on the committee. There is no maximum number; the nurse planner decides how many people are needed to effectively and efficiently plan the activity.

What is a content reviewer?

A content reviewer is a third-party individual who reviews planned content for an activity after the activity has been planned and before it occurs. This person analyzes content to ensure that it is fair, balanced, and free from promotion. The content reviewer is NOT a member of a planning committee.

What is a practice gap?

A practice gap is the distance (space) between what a learner currently knows or is able to do and what that individual should know or be able to do. A gap can occur because new evidence requires new knowledge or skills, new equipment is available, nurses and others are not accurately doing what needs to be done, or a myriad of other reasons. Gaps are often identified through root cause analysis, significant events, or problems that arise in the practice setting (note that “practice” might refer to a nurse’s work in clinical, research, academic, or leadership settings).

What is a learning needs assessment?

A learning needs assessment is an analysis by the nurse planner to determine the appropriate level of educational intervention to close an identified practice gap. Based on the identified gap and the evidence that supports the existence of the gap, the nurse planner determines that the activity should be designed at the level of knowledge gain, skill acquisition, and/or implementation of knowledge and skills in the actual practice setting. Together, the gap, evidence, and learning needs assessment form the foundation for developing of an educational activity.

What is a measurable outcome?

An outcome is the expected result of the activity. A one sentence statement should reflect the evidence demonstrating gap closure, and the measurement to indicate success. An example would be “100% of learners will provide evidence of accurate knowledge of insulin use in hospitalized patients with diabetes by scoring 80% or better on the post-test.”

What is a jointly provided activity?

A jointly provided activity is one in which two or more groups work together to plan and implement an activity of mutual benefit to both groups. A member of the joint provider organization must be on the planning committee and the activity must be designed to address mutually identified gaps and achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.

Does the nurse planner need to be present at the activity?

No, nurse planners do not need to attend an activity that they have planned. However, they are accountable for ensuring that educational design criteria are followed during the implementation phase. This can be particularly important if there are concerns about content integrity, management of exhibits, or collecting formative evaluation data. The nurse planner can appoint another member of the planning committee or another individual to address issues that arise and to provide feedback in lieu of personally attending the activity.

What information needs to be provided to the learners prior to the start of the activity?

Before an educational activity begins, learners must receive information so they are informed of actions taken to promote the integrity of the activity. These always include:

1. The approved provider statement – this provide evidence of quality of the activity.
2. The criteria for successful completion in order to earn contact hours – this holds the learner accountable and provide clarity around expectations for achieving the desired outcome

Additionally, there are four disclosures required only if applicable:

1.  For clinical activities only–A statement that there are no relevant financial relationships for anyone with ability to control content of the activity, or if there is a relevant financial relationship, the name of the individual(s), the type of relationship, and the name of the ineligible company – this provides transparency in ensuring fair and balanced content
2. The name(s) of any commercial support providers – provides transparency regarding sources of funding from companies that make or sell products consumed by or used on patients
3. The name(s) of any joint providers – provides transparency regarding those organizations who had input in developing the activity
4. The expiration date for enduring materials – informs learners of the time frame during which contact hours can be received

Can an employee/owner of a drug or medical device company be a presenter for an activity?

An employee/owner of a drug or medical device company can be a planner or a presenter for an activity if one of the three exceptions apply:

• When the content of the activity is not related to the business lines or products of their employer/company
• When the content of the approved activity is limited to basic science research, such as pre-clinical research and drug discovery, or the methodologies of research, and they do not make care recommendations
• When they are participating as technicians to teach the safe and proper use of medical devices, and do not recommend whether or when a device is used

Can contact hours be awarded for a skills-based activity?

Yes, contact hours can be awarded for any activity that supports the professional development of the nurse and the ability of that nurse to provide safe patient care, as long as accreditation criteria are followed.

Can contact hours be awarded for activities related to health promotion for the nurse?

Yes, evidence shows that the health of the nurse is critical to that individual’s ability to practice safely. There must be an identified gap, and the activity must be designed to address that gap in improving the nurse’s self-care ability.

Can contact hours be awarded for facility-specific information?

Yes, contact hours can be awarded for any activity that supports the professional development of the nurse and the ability of that nurse to provide safe patient care, as long as accreditation criteria are followed.

What are good ways to engage learners?

Learner engagement means that learners are active participants in the activity, not passive recipients of “lectures” or “talks”. The strategies used to engage learners should be decided based on the level of educational need that was identified and the desired outcome of an activity. Examples of learner engagement are dialogue, small group sharing, tabletop exercises, role plays, case studies, reflection, question/answer, and skills demonstrations.

Is an evaluation form required?

No. An evaluation method is required. The nurse planner and planning committee select the method of evaluation based on the gap, learning need, and desired outcome. A form can be used if questions are specifically designed to capture evidence of outcome attainment.

Are there specific components that need to be included in an evaluation?

No. The nurse planner and planning committee decide on the method of evaluation that captures evidence of meeting the activity outcome. Examples include a post-test or polling questions as possible ways to measure knowledge and case study analysis or skills demonstration as possible ways to measure skill acquisition.

How do we measure activity outcomes?

See the above question, “what is a measurable outcome”. Planning for evaluation occurs when the gap and outcome are identified, not at the end of an activity. How you measure an activity outcome is based on the problem that precipitated the need for the activity. Answering the question, “to what extent has that problem been addressed” will help in planning ways to measure the outcome.

What is a summative evaluation?

A summative evaluation is the nurse planner’s analysis of the activity, including subjective information, objective data from learners related to closure/narrowing of the practice gap, an overall assessment of the value of the activity, and recommendations for future activities. A summative evaluation is more than a compilation of learner feedback.

What can be “counted” for contact hours?

Contact hours can be awarded for any activity that enhances the professional development or improves the practice of the nurse. Non-educational items, like welcome and housekeeping announcements, breaks, lunch, and viewing of exhibits cannot be counted in determining contact hours. Introduction and overview of the topic, goal-setting by learners, and time spent in evaluation, as well as actual content delivery time, can be counted in determining the number of contact hours. 

Can the nurse planner and members of the planning committee earn contact hours?

Yes, planning committee members who attend the activity and meet the requirements for successful completion can earn contact hours.

Can presenters earn contact hours?

Presenters cannot earn contact hours for sessions they present. For activities that have multiple sessions, presenters may earn contact hours for sessions they attend as learners, presuming they meet the criteria for successful completion.

How are contact hours calculated for activities that are not “real time”?

For enduring materials or blended learning activities, contact hours can be calculated in a variety of ways. The two most common are use of a pilot study or the Mergener formula for written materials. A pilot study involves 3-5 learners completing all components of the activity after it has been developed and before implementation. These prospective learners should be representatives of the target audience. They complete all required components of the activity and provide feedback to the nurse planner and activity developers, including the time required to complete the work. The nurse planner averages those times to determine the number of contact hours to be awarded. After that determination has been made, those nurses who completed the pilot study may earn contact hours. For written materials, the Mergener formula is an evidence-based standard for calculating contact hours based on word count, level of difficult of the reading assignment, and number of post-test questions. A calculator can be found at http://www.touchcalc.com/calculators/mergener

What is a relevant financial relationship?

A relevant financial relationship occurs when an individual who has the ability to control content of an educational activity has a financial relationship with an ineligible company, the products of which are related to the content of the activity.

What is an ineligible company?

An ineligible company is any entity whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. Examples include large companies like pharmaceutical manufacturers/distributors or medical device manufacturers as well as smaller ventures such as herbal product producers/marketers or home-based businesses that make wigs for patients having chemotherapy. 

What if I can’t tell whether a person has a relevant financial relationship?

There are times when determining presence of a relevant financial relationship is very difficult. Never hesitate to contact the MNA professional development department for assistance.

What is commercial support?

Commercial support is money or an in-kind contribution (such as a piece of equipment) given by a ineligible company (see definition above), specifically to support an educational activity.

When is a commercial support agreement required?

A commercial support agreement is required any time commercial support is received.

What are my obligations as a provider when an activity has commercial support?

The nurse planner is accountable for ensuring that all accreditation criteria are met for the activity, including separation of education from commercial control. The nurse planner or designee negotiates the commercial support agreement and maintains a copy in the activity file. The nurse planner is accountable for management of all funds from the ineligible company and may be required to provide a report and/or reimbursement of left-over funds at the end of the activity.

What if I’m working with continuing medical education to provide an activity, and the CME office has received financial support?

If the CME provider has received commercial support, the CME office will manage all aspects of that support, including the agreement and use of funds. Nursing should not claim commercial support for an activity if that support is already being managed by CME. 

What if a commercial interest entity wants to use its own commercial support agreement?

A commercial interest entity providing commercial support often wants to use its own form; typically one that has been approved by its attorneys to meet federal guidelines. This is fine, as long as all accreditation-required elements are present. See the ANCC content integrity standards on the MNA web site for details.

What is an exhibitor?

An exhibitor is a company, organization, or individual who is given space to display products or services at an educational event. The provider may charge for that space; there are no accreditation criteria related to the relationship between exhibitors and provider units.

What are my responsibilities when we have exhibitors?

Accreditation criteria do required that exhibits be separate from the education. Therefore, exhibits should be open only when educational activities are not in session and should be located in a separate space from the educational venue. Exhibitors should not be attending educational sessions unless they register as participants, in which case they are expected to act as learners, not as “experts” to speak to their products or services during educational sessions.

Are exhibits the same as commercial support?

No. Exhibits and commercial support are two separate things. Exhibits are promotional opportunities for products or services; commercial support is money or in-kind contributions given to support the education itself.

Are agreements required for exhibitors?

Accreditation criteria do not require agreements with exhibitors. From a business standpoint, it is wise to have written agreements, particularly when money is involved. This is separate from education, however, and this documentation does not need to be retained in the activity file.

When can exhibits be available to learners?

Exhibits can be available to learners when educational sessions are not taking place – before and after sessions or during breaks and meals.

What records need to be maintained in activity files?

The activity file should include all evidence related to planning the activity. This includes all items noted on the activity documentation form plus the attachments – COI data, disclosures to learners, a certificate template, and a commercial support agreement, if applicable. After an activity, learner information and the summative evaluation should be added to the activity file.

How long do I have to keep activity file records?

Accreditation criteria require that activity files be maintained for 6 years.

What information do I need to keep related to the learners?

The activity file should include a list of learners, their credentials, and the number of contact hours awarded to each individual.

What about other activities by ineligible companies offered with nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) activities?

When there is marketing by ineligible companies associated with NCPD activities, providers are responsible for ensuring that education is separate–including advertising, sales, exhibits, and promotion. The provider must ensure that learners can easily distinguish between NCPD activities and activities by ineligible companies.

A 30-minute interval must separate NCPD activities from those influenced by ineligible companies if in the same educational space. Activities that are part of the event but are not NCPD activities must be clearly labeled and communicated.

Educational materials that are part of NCPD must not contain any marketing produced by or for an ineligible company, including corporate or product logos. Ineligible companies may not provide access to, or distribute, accredited education to learners.

How do I prioritize education requests?

There are a number of resources available to assist nurse planners in prioritizing education requests. Please see the reference below that may assist your prioritization process.

Nursing Continuing Professional Development Request Form–Many approved provider units utilize a request form to assist with analyzing requests and prioritizing educational activities. The components of a request form may include the following key components:

1. Activity title, date, time, location
2. Target audience and approximate number of attendees
3. Activity length
4. Identified problem in practice or opportunity for improvement with a brief description of why request is needed and how it relates to nursing/organizational initiatives
5. Evidence to validate problem in practice

Professional Development Decision Tree for Education Issues –The decision tree guides nurse planners in analyzing the gap in performance to determine if the problem or opportunity for improvement is amenable to education.

• Reference: Debbie Buchwach, MSN, RN-BC, 2012 (2021) Buchwach Consulting References/Resources: Branch, R. M. (2009) Instructional Design: The ADDIE Approach; Johns Hopkins Health System (2006) Decision Tree for Educational Issues; Felgen, J. (2007). I2E2: Leading Lasting Change; Wright, D. (2005) The Ultimate Guide to Competency Assessment in Healthcare. Permission received on 5/2/21 to use and share from Debbie Buchwach, MSN, RN-BC. (also available in Core curriculum for Nursing Professional Development)

Core Curriculum for Nursing Professional Development–The Core Curriculum for Nursing Professional Development highlights the importance of a systematic needs assessment to provide a foundation for effectively designing educational activities. During the needs assessment, the nursing professional development practitioner identifies and prioritizes learning needs which guide education design decisions while engaging stakeholders.

• Reference: Gooding, N. (2017). Gaps in Professional Practice/Learning Needs Assessment. In Dickerson, P., ed. Core curriculum for nursing professional development. Chicago: Association for Nursing Professional Development.

Nursing Professional Development Scope and Standards of Practice–The Nursing Professional Development Scope and Standards of Practice emphasizes collecting data to prioritize needs aligning with organization initiatives. Standard 1 (assessment of practice gaps) and Standard 2 (identification of learning needs) provide a framework for determining educational priorities. As part of prioritization, the Nursing Professional Development Practice Model inputs and throughputs highlight key areas as part of the educational determination analysis process.

• Reference: Harper, M., & Maloney, P. (2016). Nursing professional development: Scope and standards of practice. Chicago; Association for Nursing Professional Development.