ASSESSMENTS

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Registered Nurses of Canada Competency Assessment Program (RNCCAP) - Internationally Educated Nurses Competency Assessment Program (IENCAP)

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About

Touchstone Institute is modernizing its nursing exams to better serve nursing regulators and their applicants. The Internationally Educated Nurses Competency Assessment Program (IENCAP) is now being administered as the Registered Nurses Canadian Competency Assessment Program (RNCCAP).  Previously IENCAP was comprised of two exam sections: an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) and a multiple-choice question exam (MCQ). One of the improvements made to the exam is that there will no longer be an MCQ component.

The RNCCAP is a revised and updated version of the IENCAP and is based on the most recent national entry-to-practice Registered Nurse competencies. During this re-branding period we are using the combined acronym RNCCAP – IENCAP.

RNCCAP – IENCAP is a standardized examination that tests the knowledge, skill and judgement of internationally educated nurses (IENs) seeking nursing registration in Ontario. The program was developed by Touchstone Institute in consultation with the College of Nurses of Ontario.

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Exam Registration

See "Future Exam Dates" below.

Please note: Anyone wishing to take the in-person OSCE, Touchstone Institute has implemented a COVID-19 Vaccine Policy.

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Location

In-person OSCE Location: 145 Wellington Street West, Toronto, M5J1H8

Virtual OSCE Location: Conducted online using the Zoom Platform.

Touchstone Institute will refer to all individuals challenging an exam as examinees. In some virtual experiences, the word candidate may be used interchangeably with examinee.

Preparation

Preparation

Preparation courses for the RNCCAP-IENCAP are available through:

 

Please Note: These are the only organizations that Touchstone Institute works with in regards to preparation courses. Touchstone Institute does not endorse, and is not associated with any other organizations that offer preparation courses for assessments.

Additional information can be found on the College of Nurses of Ontario website:

Future Exam Dates

Virtual & In-Person OSCE Options. Registration begins at 10:00 am EST

iencap added dates oct 2023

Touchstone Institute reserves the right to cancel scheduled exams if the minimum number of registrants is not met.  Those registered for cancelled exams will be notified by email and moved to the next available date or provided a full refund.

Registration

Registration

Registration for the RNCCAP-IENCAP is available only to examinees who have received the following:

  • Referral from the CNO
  • Email confirmation from Touchstone Institute

For instructions on registering for the assessment, read the Registration Portal User Guide.

For more information on RNCCAP-IENCAP eligibility, please contact the College of Nurses of Ontario.

Before registering for a Touchstone Institute Exam examinees should ensure understanding of how the exam results contribute in the pathway towards licensure. If unsure, please contact the profession’s regulatory authority.

Request for Letter of Participation

Examinees may request a Letter of Participation to support visa travel requirements only after they have registered for an exam date. Letters cannot be issued without an exam date listed on them. Contact us here  to request a letter. participants should include their full name and CNO number in the request.

Fees

Fees & Payment

The In-person OSCE fee is CAN $1500. The Virtual OSCE fee is CAN $1750. Both are payable by Credit Card or Visa Debit through Moneris. Cash and cheques cannot be accepted. Registration is not complete without payment.

Cancellations & Refunds

Touchstone Institute accommodates a high volume of examinees and enforces a strict cancellation policy to ensure fairness. Please refer to the exam cancellation policy here.

Exam cancellation fee: CAD $600

Deadline for a refund (minus an administrative fee): 30 days before the date of your first exam component.

If there is a need to cancel your exam, contact exams@tsin.ca.

Format

Exam Format

All assessments are designed to standardize as many exam elements as possible. Depending on examinee registration numbers and facility parameters, exam format may vary from the information provided on the website. Information regarding specific exam dates will be provided with exam invitations. Touchstone Institute is committed to ensuring that all examinees are given a fair and valid assessment experience. Click on the tabs below for more information.

General Format

General Exam Format

No external contact is permitted during the exam.

The RNCCAP-IENCAP consists of an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) - up to 12 stations (13 minutes each)

The RNCCAP-IENCAP may include clinical content from the following areas:

  • Hospital (general, maternal, pediatric, psychiatric)​ 
  • Rural or remote clinic​ 
  • Long-term care facility or supportive living setting​ 
  • Community health clinic or primary health clinic​ 
  • Mental health/Psychiatric​ 
  • Palliative Care/End of life​ 
  • Public health clinic​ 
  • Homecare (Private residence/group home) 

The blueprint for the RNCCAP-IENCAP is consistent with the Entry to Practice Competencies for the Registered Nurses Profession

In-Person OSCE Exam

Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE)

Examinees complete up to 12 clinical encounter stations where they demonstrate their skills and competencies by interacting with a standardized client. At the start of each station, there will be examinee instructions posted outside the exam room door that introduce the presenting clinical problem and states the task(s) the examinees need to perform.

The OSCE stations for this exam represent common workplace examples of the content areas. Examinees should manage each presenting case as they would in a real life practice setting. There are no hidden surprises or tricks.

The OSCE consists of the following competency Role Domains during the OSCE: 

  • Clinician​ 
  • Professional​ 
  • Communicator ​ 
  • Collaborator​ 
  • Coordinator​
  • Leader​ 
  • Advocate​ 
  • Educator​ 
  • Scholar 

Virtual OSCE Exam

Virtual OSCE Examination

Touchstone Institute is planning a limited number of Virtual OSCE examinations. Capacity will be limited. Dates will be posted when further information is available.  The cost for this examination will be CAN$ 1750 .

Code of Conduct

Code of Conduct

Examinees participating in an assessment must sign an Exam Conduct Agreement attesting that they will not disseminate, circulate, publish or share any content of the examination. Breaches include comparing client responses with your colleagues, sharing exam content with future examinees and posting case information or exam questions online. Any breach in exam content or process may lead to disciplinary and legal measures, including invalidating your results. 

Please click the button below to view the Ethical Exam Behaviour page and sign the agreement at the bottom.

Exam Resources

 

 

What To Expect on In-Person OSCE Exam Day

In-Person OSCE Exam Day

What to bring to the exam:

Copy of your exam invitation that was emailed to you, either a physical copy or on your phone.

One piece of valid photo identification. Acceptable pieces of photo identification include; a valid passport, a valid driver’s license, or Canadian citizenship or permanent resident card.

Items not allowed in the exam:

Examinees should leave personal belongings at home, if possible, as many items are not permitted during the exam and storage space is limited. The following items are not allowed during the exam:

Any electronic device, including cell phones, smart watches, tablets, computers

Pens, pencils, paper

Books, notebooks

Personal bags, wallets, purses, keys

Food, drinks

Please note: All personal belongings will be collected at registration and stored until after the examination. Examinees are encouraged to bring as few personal belongings as possible. Once signed in, examinees will not be permitted to leave the examination area until all exam materials have been returned.

On the exam day, before starting the exam:

  • If an examinee is unwell or has extenuating circumstances which may negatively impact their assessment performance, they have the option to withdraw from the exam before it begins. Touchstone Institute will work with you to schedule an alternate date(s) for assessment.
  • If they choose to start the examination and request to leave before completing the entire examination, a staff member will document the reason for non-completion. This information will be forwarded to the CNO.

Results

Results from the RNCCAP-IENCAP take up to eight weeks to process and are sent directly to the CNO. The CNO will communicate the results directly to examinee.

Visualize the Assessment

People looking at screens showing camera footage

Voice announcements and video monitoring from a central location 

A person in scrubs talking to a patient

A standardized client interacts with an examinee

A person in scrubs talking to a patient

Subject matter experts score performance on tablets

Partners

Touchstone Institute has collaborated with the following organizations to develop and administer this assessment:

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