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In   on November 25, 2022

Internationally Educated Nurses Programs at Touchstone Institute

We at Touchstone Institute are excited to share information about programs that will provide confidence in the competence of your internationally educated nurses (IENs).  

For the past 10 years, we have been perfecting the assessment of IENs to determine if they meet the education equivalency standard of Canadian graduates. We are pleased to announce the launch of the Registered Nurses Canadian Competency Assessment Program in 2023. This nine station Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) will be administered in both Ontario and Alberta under the names of their current IEN RN exams. Extensive psychometric analysis of thousands of exam scores has resulted in a shortened competitively priced exam with high reliability and validity that can be administered either onsite or virtually.  

The Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses (CELBAN) is a uniquely Canadian assessment of nursing communication competencies. Since launching this virtually we have seen many exams taken from abroad. CELBAN can play a valuable role in identifying if prospective pre-arrival applicants possess the communication skills needed for success and safe practice in a nursing context. CELBAN is jointly owned by the Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks (CCLB) and Touchstone Institute.  

A third program you may be interested in is Communication through Simulation (ComSim). This is a five-module virtual program where participants learn communication skills with a trained facilitator, and then practice them with our expert simulationists. The program is built on an evidence-informed communication competency framework and draws on analysis of documented regulated health provider competencies. Our interdisciplinary pilot and recent launch to international medical graduates has provided exceptionally positive feedback from participants. This is a program that can be used for orientation, preparation, or remediation for any health professional. 

Please let us know if you would like additional information about any of these programs or how we can help you develop solutions for your applicants and members.  

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