Self-Assessment is a self-directed, two-part process that results in a Learning Plan. You are required to complete your Self-Assessment every year.

Through the process of self-assessment, you identify your areas of strength, and learning needs. You are required to develop two learning goals each year. Once you have a learning goal, you choose the College practice document to which it relates. Each goal may be based on the same practice document or two different ones, whichever meets your learning needs.

If you are a Nurse Practitioner (NP), you are also required to develop a third learning goal, based on the Nurse Practitioner practice standard.

There are two parts to the Self-Assessment component:

Part A: Practice Reflection

By reflecting on your practice, you discover what your strengths and learning needs are. Getting peer input can help you identify strengths and learning needs that you missed or didn’t think about, building on your own reflection. This will help you to continually improve your competence as a nurse.

When reflecting, consider how the following elements have an impact on your practice:

Advances in technology: The introduction of new, innovative or different skills, processes or knowledge into a nurse's practice setting. For example, learning how to use a new electronic documentation system.

Changes in the practice environment: Changes that require additional knowledge, skill and judgment for a nurse to deliver safe and ethical nursing care; for example, changes in the client population, nursing care delivery systems or legislation.

Entry-to-practice competencies: Expectations that all nurses must maintain throughout their careers.

Interprofessional care: The provision of comprehensive health services to patients by multiple health caregivers who work collaboratively to deliver quality care within and across settings.

You will use the results of your practice reflection –– your identified learning needs –– to develop learning goals and your Learning Plan.

If you use the Practice Reflection worksheet in myQA, then your learning needs are automatically transferred to your Learning Plan.

Part B: Developing and maintaining a Learning Plan to meet your learning needs

The results of Practice Reflection will form the basis of your Learning Plan. Your Learning Plan is a record of the activities you did to help you maintain your competence as a nurse.

You can use myQA to add your learning goals and learning activities to your plan. Remember, you have to choose the practice standard your goal relates to.

The College expects nurses to update their Learning Plan regularly and to keep it for two years.