Professional Performance Framework

Fostering profession engagement

Ensuring participants maintain and develop professional skills through CPD and education

Supporting safe practice

Supporting safe clinical practices for the participant through mentorship, well-being and risk management.

A culture of excellence

Promoting leadership, quality improvement and research improving patient outcomes and community engagement.

PF-ACNP Definition

A practitioner who meets the requirements of the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) Professional Performance Framework demonstrates professional growth and development to provide safe, effective, and best practice person centred care. Safe and effective practice has been verified by undertaking peer review, data collection and reflective practice. The roles of education, leadership, and research activities is a requirement and a source of inspiration, collaboration, professional growth, and motivation. These activities, reflective of the Nurse Practitioner Standards for Practice, are key to the continuous improvement of the nursing profession and being an ACNP professional fellow.

Total points for completing the three sections of the Professional Performance Framework is 60 points for advanced practice nurses, midwives, and nurse practitioners. Completion of the points the applicant will receive a ACNP PPF completion certificate and access to an individual report.

To be awarded the Australian College of Nurse Practitioner Professional fellowship (ACNP-PF) the applicant must complete additional points and sections registering 100 points of the  Professional Performance Framework check annually as defined.

1. Can the Professional Performance Framework be undertaken by all health professionals?

Yes, the Professional Performance Framework is adaptable to all Health Care Professionals.

2. What is the difference between associate members and full members undertaking the Professional Performance Framework?

There are two levels of Membership to the ACNP.

Associate members are made up of the following Health Care Professionals (HCP)

• Registered Nurses
• Midwives
• Advanced Practice Nurses
• Nursing Students
• Allied Health Professionals
• Paramedics
• Pharmacy Professionals
• Medical Professionals
• Academics
• Supporters of Nurse Practitioners

Associated members have access to completing the below components of the Professional Performance Framework.

Full members are NMBA Endorsed Nurse Practitioners. Below are the additional components specific to Nurse Practitioner practice.  Nurse Practitioner Students have access to the data collection to aid demonstrating advance practice hours.

3. What are the benefits for undertaking the Professional Performance Framework if I am not a Nurse Practitioner?

The following are benefits of undertaking the PPF

• A ‘one stop shop’ offering a multitude of ongoing data recording activities to support health care professional practice individually saving considerable time and effort.
• A digital report can be generated capturing recorded activities once completed and printed
• Free access to Australian College of Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) education modules
• Growing the ACNP Education library through member develop modules with options from ACNP Board for predetermined modules eg primary health care (hypertension, family planning, diabetes management) and aged care (deprescribing, falls management, end of life planning)
• Ability to provided ACNP education modules on a fee for service
• Access specific resources to meet the requirements of the PPF and providing a bookshelf for common accessed resources
• Planning from self-assessment learning goals on; Knowledge, Training, Skill Acquisition, and Practice
• Mentorship and Networking resources on how to form connection and develop a Community of Practice

4. What are the benefits of undertaking the Professional Performance Framework as a Nurse Practitioner?

The  additional benefits for Nurse Practitioners are

1. Mentoring (ESSENTIAL for Full Members) sustainability of mentors
2. Source to record maintenance of NP Standards 
3. Connecting like for like specialties including primary health care and aged care
4. Peer review and networking capabilities  

5. What are the benefits for the ACNP?

1. Part owner with individual members of captured data  
2. ACNP Board/CEO control access of data reports 
3. De-identified data FEE FOR DATA ACCESS for Government, health agencies, researchers etc. 
4. Build NP education and training modules-based on target (scholarship) priorities with members and recorded activities leading to speciality curriculums.  
5. Provision of data to enhance advocacy and valuing of NP activities. 
6. Matching members with relevant mentors and developing CoP. 
7. NP ScOP awareness and capability with rich data particularly to metaspecialities, diagnostics (Pathology/Radiology), Medication (Non-Medical) treatments, Referral) further enhancing negotiations surrounding MBS access for patients. 
8. Create national member rich data reports to build enablers for advising on sustainability and succession planning. 
1. Improve consumer awareness through data acquisition and ability to accurately recognise NP services. 
10. Direct impacts for national 10-year NP workforce plan

 

6. Is the PPF compulsory for all ACNP members?

 No it is not compulsory but highly recommended

7. If I produce and education module for ACNP, how will I get renumerated?

• Information and application for developing an online module are found on the following link and emailed to information and application for developing an online module will be available soon

8. How is the peer review component assessed?

The peer review component can be undertaken by two means.

1. Nurse Practitioners are to participate in a small (less than 8 participants) Community of Practice with fellow NPs, NP candidates, and Student NPs either in specialty groups, locally, or through the assistance of ACNP. Part of the community activities will be conducting a peer review using the provided template (hyperlink) within the PPF landing page. Participating NPs must provide evidence of leading a 60-minute case conference annually (within the CoP or their organisation). The lead presenter (the participant) must give a case presentation from their clinical practice demonstrating the NP's role in treating a complex case. They will discuss key aspects of the patient presentation and provide outcomes and critical reflection during the presentation. Peers must provide supportive critique and critical analysis of the case record within the ACNP-provided peer review template, and at least three of these completed templates are required to be uploaded by the participant into their Peer Review portal section of the PPF to complete the activity
2. Undertake Peer Review as per organisation and upload into the Peer Review portal section.

9. What happens if my colleagues provide negative feedback following peer review?

The benefits of peer review include professional growth, improved patient care, and a sense of community among peers. Peer review for under-performance has been demonstrated to be a source of stress for the health care provider and the peers participating in the review process. This is not the intended purpose of peer review within the PPF; however, this may occur occasionally. Peer review provided within a Community of Practice (Peers) is more than an evaluation of competence as it encompasses how the clinician works, what works well and what can be improved; the significance is how the clinician works rather than what they do.

Tips for Preparing for a Peer Review 

• Preparation for a peer review as part of the Community of Practice is essential.
• Develop a systematic approach to patient/client assessment and summarise assessment data. 
• Explain an approach to diagnostic decision making that is systematic, patient focused, culturally sensitive, evidence based and relevant to the NPs specialty. 
• Supported with evidence, provide a rationale for prioritised decision-making about the therapeutic plan, evaluation and follow-up. 
• Discuss critical issues relating to data collection, clinical problem-solving, complex clinical reasoning, diagnostic decision-making, and care documentation. 
• Provide evidence of reflection upon activities related to this process. 
• Seek assistance from mentors for preparation and feedback from the peer review process to aid professional development in communication, leadership and management where required. 

10. Are there consequences if I provide dishonest or incorrect details within the Professional Performance Framework ?

If a member required to satisfy the professional fellow requirement indicates that they have not fulfilled the Professional Performance (PPF) requirement at the time of membership renewal, the Member will be ineligible to renew their membership with their existing membership status and will instead be eligible to apply only for allocation to Full Member status.

Random Audit

ACNP may, in its absolute discretion, make enquiries of any member to which the (PPF) applies to determine whether the Member has fulfilled the PPF activities Requirement.

An ACNP policy officer of Delegates will conduct a random audit of the procedure set out in the PPF guiding principles. The audit will occur quarterly and be undertaken by an ANCP policy officer or delegate, who will report the result to the ACNP board and CEO.

If, following a Random Audit, a member is found not to have fulfilled the PPF Requirement, then the Member will be ineligible to renew their membership with their existing membership status and will instead be eligible to apply only for renewal with the status of Full Member.

11. How is the data I provide protected?

Further information on privacy and confidentiality can be found in ACNP POLICY Privacy Policy (HYPERLINK). The Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) is strongly committed to protecting your personal information when you interact with us, our content, products, and services. This Privacy Policy details how we keep this commitment and how we comply with the Australian Privacy Principles.

 

The PPF compromises of Member details and de-identified clinical encounters data relevant safety and quality outcomes. Members can only access their individual PPF activity details as their report/s. Secondary access to data by third parties will require to fulfill ‘Secondary use information guideline’ to access information. For further information see ACNP Privacy Policy.

 

ACNP will be able to access the data through reports and when auditing individuals. Data generated by the PPF will provide ACNP with a wealth of valuable information. The process will support workforce, government, and healthcare agencies to further appreciate members role, whilst promoting continuous improvement in healthcare for Australians accessing their chosen health care provider. 

 

12. Is the Professional Performance Framework undertaken on an annual cycle?

A certificate of completion is data stamped and requires to be undertaken annually within this next years timeframe.

13. Can the PPF be used in my health service credentialing process?

The PPF is currently in it infancy and as organisations become aware of the process this may be used by organisations to form part of this process.

Guidelines to be available shortly

Please direct all enquiries to ppf@acnp.org.au or call the ACNP National Office on 1300 433 660

The Expression of Interest is now closed.

All inquiries can be directed to ppf@acnp.org.au