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 (CNO).
Exam Registration
See "Future Exam Dates" below.
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 term 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
Future Exam Dates
Future exam dates will be posted here once they are confirmed. Registration begins at 10:00 am EST
May 24, 2025
April 17, 2025
Registration Opens
June 20, 2025
Registration Closes
August 9, 2025
RNCCAP Exam Date
July 18, 2025
Registration Opens
October 10, 2025
Registration Closes
November 28, 2025
RNCCAP Exam Date
Registration
Registration
Registration for the RNCCAP - IENCAP is available only to examinees who have received the following:
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- Referral from the CNO
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- 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
Touchstone Institute does not assist with the Visa application process; this is the responsibility of the examinee. However, if you wish to proceed with the In person OSCE administration, once you have registered and paid for the exam, we can provide you with a Letter of Participation to support your Visa application. The purpose of the Letter of Participation is to support your Visa Application only, it is not a letter to request fast-track processing times for Visa Applications. 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.
Please Note: Inability for examinees to secure a Visa to travel to challenge the In-person examination is not considered an Exceptional Circumstance. Please review Touchstone Institute Exam Cancellation & Refund Policy.
Cancellations received 30 days or prior will receive a partial refund. Cancellations received less than 30 days prior to the exam date will not be entitled to a refund.
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 PayPal. 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)
In-Person OSCE Exam
In-Person OSCE: 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 instructions posted outside the exam room door that introduce the presenting clinical problem and state 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.
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
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- Virtual OSCE Orientation (only for examinees who have selected and paid for the Virtual OSCE option)
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- Virtual OSCE Computer Set Up Guide (only for examinees who have selected and paid for the Virtual OSCE option)
What To Expect on In-Person OSCE Exam Day
In-Person OSCE Exam Day
What to bring to the exam:
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:
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
Voice announcements and video monitoring from a central location
A standardized client interacts with an examinee
Subject matter experts score performance on tablets
Partners
Touchstone Institute has collaborated with the following organizations to develop and administer this assessment:
