Continuing Competence Program

CRPNA’S Continuing Competence Program (CCP) is based on the philosophy that RPNs are competent and committed to lifelong learning. The program is mandatory for all RPNs registered in Alberta. CCP focuses on promoting the maintenance and enhancement of competencies of psychiatric nurses throughout their careers. Competence is continually maintained and acquired through reflective practice, lifelong learning and integration of learning into psychiatric nursing practice. Every psychiatric nurse is required to complete a self-assessment and develop a learning plan with objectives; these objectives are evaluated (and updated as necessary) each year.

Participating in the Continuing Competence Program (CCP) is MANDATORY to obtain PRACTICING registration. Non Practicing & Retired members are exempt from the Continuing Competence Program (CCP) requirements.

Section 1 - Self Assessment

Identify your learning needs utilizing the standards of practice and indicators in the Continuing Competence Program (CCP) booklet found at the bottom of this page.

There are four (4) self assessment tools included in the Continuing Competence Program (CCP) booklet. These encompass your domains (or areas of practice).

  • Direct Clinical Practice
  • Educator
  • Administrator
  • Researcher

A domain is a description of the main responsibility of your nursing practice. It is used simply to describe the main area of expertise used in nursing practice in that domain or practice area.

There are five (5) Psychiatric Nursing Standards of Practice. A standard may be defined as a "benchmark of achievement” which is based on a desired level of excellence. All standards of practice provide a guide to the knowledge, skills, judgment and attitudes that are needed to practice safely. They reflect a desired and achievable level of performance against which actual performance can be compared. Their main purpose is to promote, guide and direct professional psychiatric nursing practice.

Under each standard of practice you will find a number of indicators that help you determine how to meet the standard of practice. An indicator is a statement to help illustrate how the standards can be met. There are four psychiatric nursing standards of practice, four domains (or areas of practice) and indicators under each standard; which are not meant to be all inclusive.

Take your Continuing Competence Program (CCP) booklet, open to your domain of practice, review the four standards of practice/indicators of practice. Reflect on your practice during this review. Identify your areas of strengths and any areas of improvement or enhancement you would like to work at achieving. Prioritize your learning needs which can be either knowledge or skill based and choose standard(s) and indicator(s) to develop a learning objective(s) for your practice enhancement plan. The CRPNA has not determined a “number” of required objectives to be recorded.

Fill in your Continuing Competence Program (CCP) form with your learning objective, your practice domain, your indicator number that supports your objective and your strategies to help you achieve your objective in the upcoming year.

Section 2 - Practice Enhancement Plan

Developing your learning objective(s)

When writing your learning objective think in terms of:

  • Specific – observable action or behaviour (use active verbs)
  • Measurable – be able to define your end results in qualitative or quantitative terms
  • Attainable – do you have the required resources or strategies to obtain your objective\
  • Relevant – how will this learning objective enhance your practice or increase your knowledge or skill base (also ask how are your strategies relevant to helping you achieve your objective)

Section 4 - 6 Evaluate, Barriers, Professional Portfolio

This section is completed using your LAST YEARS Practice Enhancement Plan

Section 4 – Evaluate - your LAST YEARS Practice Enhancement Plan and indicate if you have met or changed your objectives / goals


Section 5 – Barriers – if you encountered any barriers as you worked to achieving your learning objective(s) (last year) what were they and how did you attempt to resolve them, and were they resolvable? Did these barriers prevent achievement of your objective; did you have to rewrite an objective because of these barriers? Did you achieve your new objective if you had to rewrite an objective?

Section 6 - Professional Portfolio – A portfolio is simply a place to store all your documents. Please RETAIN COPIES of your Self Assessment and your Psychiatric Nursing Enhancement Plan for audit purposes. Please RETAIN COPIES of all resources used in achieving your learning objectives



Section 3 - Expected Outcomes

How will my learning objective enhance my practice?

If you achieve your objective(s) will your practice knowledge improve or will your clinical skill base be enhanced?