The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) is piloting an innovative method of awarding continuing education (CE) credit to nurses using an outcome-based model. This model is designed to integrate a learner/team-directed educational approach that incorporates performance and quality improvement expectations into learning experiences, which can positively impact nursing practice, patient, and/or systems outcomes.

The outcome-based CE credit system does not utilize a time-based metric, but instead requires validation of learner engagement and performance. This model has five levels, beginning with articulation of knowledge and skills and progressing through application, demonstration, integration and impact on practice, patient, and/or system outcomes.

The pilot will be evaluated over a 12-month period. Five ANCC Accredited Providers are participating:

• American Nurses Association Center for Continuing Education and Professional Development
• Dartmouth-Hitchcock Nursing Continuing Education Council
• Montana Nurses Association
• OnCourse Learning
• Versant

Each pilot organization will be developing its own educational activities and recruiting registered nurses to provide qualitative and quantitative evaluation feedback.