10/20/14
Writing the Self-‐Study and Conducting a Successful Site Visit CAATE Accreditation Conference October 17-‐18, 2014 Tampa, FL Paula Maxwell, Robin Ploeger, Greg Frazer
Topics Covered * Preparing the Self-‐study Paula Maxwell, PhD, ATC
* Conducting a Successful Site Visit
Robin Ploeger, EdD, ATC
* Involving Your Administrators Greg Frazer, PhD
Preparing the Self-‐Study
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Mindset: Opportunity vs Requirement Consider this process a great opportunity … * To showcase your program and its unique qualities and characteristics * To complete an in-‐depth review of your program * Identify strengths * Identify areas that can be enhanced * Identify areas that may be lacking * Identify opportunities on which you can capitalize
Before You Start to Write * Form a committee to assist * Establish a realistic timeline * Allow plenty of time * Plan for delays, revisions, approvals/signatures * Don’t rush; allow time to check the details (and relieve stress)
* Maintain appropriate records throughout the accreditation period; don’t wait until it is time to write the self-‐study * Approach the process positively (i.e. as helpful to the program)
Compiling the Self-‐Study
* Involve others; don’t work in isolation * * * * *
Administrators Faculty Preceptors Students Outside members
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Compiling the Self-‐Study
* Provide clear, complete, succinct narratives * Answer the questions completely * Avoid straying away from the question * Provide responses that can be understood by someone not familiar with your program * Paint a clear picture of your program
Compiling the Self-‐Study
* Provide a comprehensive overview of your program * Detail unique aspects of your program * Don’t be afraid to address weaker areas * Be honest in your reflections and information * The process is meant to help you/your program * Identify strengths and weaknesses rather than “discovering them” during the site visit
Compiling the Self-‐Study
* eAccreditation * Available 2 years prior to due date (continuing programs) * Initial: as soon as pay fees
* “File Cabinet” – storage for program documents – must transfer to self-‐study module * Update directory and documents * Upload requested information for each standard * Name files according to their content
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Finalizing the Self-‐Study * Recruit an outside reviewer * Someone outside the DISCIPLINE is helpful * Clarity * Grammar * Completeness
* Review to ensure completeness * Organize your on-‐site files as you write the self-‐study * Submit your self-‐study on time
Remember … * A good self study sets a great tone for the site visit!
Conducting a Successful Site Visit
Preparing for a Site Visit
* Site Visitors are looking for compliance * Purpose – Determine compliance with standards and validate the self-‐study * A process to determine what the program is doing well * Site Visit Report starts with strengths of the program!
* Site Visitors don’t make accreditation decisions * If non-‐compliances are found, there is a rejoinder process * Most site visitors are program personnel and understand the stress!
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Preparing for a Site Visit * Work with the Site Visit Chair * * * * *
Dates Airports Hotels Ground transportation Agenda * 3 day agenda – CAATE website
* Determine clinical sites to visit * Variety * Locations
* Selection of Students
Preparing for a Site Visit
* Program director should work with Site Visit Chair during initial review of self-‐study on eAccred * Site visitors may need clarification * Phone calls * Emails * Through eAccred
* If a standard is ‘reopened’, program director can upload additional documents * Questions don’t mean non-‐compliance!
Preparing for a Site Visit * Prepare program personnel -‐ Communication * * * *
Purpose of the visit Importance What to expect Prepare for potential questions
* Stakeholders * * * * *
College / University administrators Faculty Preceptors Students Administrative Support
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Preparing for a Site Visit * On-‐site Materials * See list from CAATE * Update documents that have changed since the self-‐ study was submitted
* Internet Access * For eAccred & electronic records
* Access to electronic records * * * *
E-‐Value ATrack University records Online course platforms
Preparing for a Site Visit * Other preparations * Reserve a “hub” for site visitors * A secure room where site visitors can have meetings, store on-‐site materials, etc.
* Determine other meeting locations, i.e. administrators * Travel arrangements
* Visit clinical sites * Driving time, best routes, entrances, permissions to enter * Do a ‘pre-‐site visit’ inspection – EAP, BBP, Therapeutic equipment calibrations
Preparing for a Site Visit
* Other preparations cont. * Enlist help of campus personnel – IT, dining, secretarial, etc. * Determine dining options * Campus availability * Menus
* Site Visitors can’t accept gifts, but beverages and snacks for work room are OK! * Ask site visitors their preferences
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During the Site Visit * Dinner the first evening with site visitors and program administrators * Casual conversation * Overview of program * Ensure site visitors have a clear picture of the program
* Site visitors should pay for their own meals and other expenses * Institutions pay a flat fee to cover costs
During the Site Visit
* Site Visitors will debrief the program director daily * Will discuss potential areas of non-‐compliance * Don’t want any surprises * Program director can ask questions
* Have a copy of the Standards for Exit conference * Take notes regarding non-‐compliances * Site visitors won’t leave any written report
Involving Your Administrators
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Deans are involved centrally in issues including:
* Setting the culture * Strategic planning * Budget * Curriculum * Facilities * Research/scholarship
* External relations * Fund raising * Alumni relations * Economic development * Political priorities (federal and state) * Public relations
Roles of the Dean * Deans are expected to support and promote the highest quality educational programs, research, public service, and economic development activities of their respective colleges and schools. * Each dean must be an effective champion for his/her college, both within the University and externally. * Deans have ultimate accountability for their colleges’ sound management of capital: fiscal, facilities, and human. * Deans are responsible for collegiate planning, including alignment of plans for educational, research, and other activities in their colleges.
Deans have direct responsibility for: * Engaging faculty, staff, and students in discussions of all important collegiate issues and assuring a positive, high-‐quality working environment; convening strategic intellectual discussions about future academic directions of departments, centers, programs, and the college itself. * Advocating for the College, especially by joining the university-‐wide processes in strategic planning, budget, facilities planning, and political action, to position the College favorably in the University’s broader planning. * Raising private funds for scholarships, professorships, programs, facilities, and other College needs, normally spending 40% of his/her time on such activities.
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Deans have direct responsibility for: * Playing a key oversight role in accreditation, program review, and other processes that are important for continuous improvement of the College’s activities. * Engaging with the Deans’ Council in key discussions of institutional planning, policy, political action, and other key activities, in so doing representing the College’s interests effectively. * Hiring highly effective chairs, directors, staff and others who are direct reports, doing their performance evaluations, and assuring their accountability for high-‐level performance in areas appropriate to their positions. * Assuring coordination of all components of the College—departments, centers, academic programs (including undergraduate, graduate and professional), economic development activities, public and other activities of the unit.
The ultimate goal of any academic program in health professions education is to prepare the highest quality graduate (safe and competent) for practice today and tomorrow. Every activity, course, admission decision, clinical site selection, and evaluation is driven by that goal. Accreditation has to be one of the ultimate measures of quality.
Mary Collins (1997) stated that accreditation reminded her of the Alan Arkin film, The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming. Anxiety and concern over the production of a document called the self study only led to a visit by real people. “As they approached the school, anxiety led to panic and the most unusual activities from cleaning, straightening, and power dressing to concern, self-‐doubt, and feelings of inadequacies emerged. It was the fear of the unknown that led to a sense of confusion and conflicting messages.”
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Accreditation should: • Facilitate an alliance of interest groups • Build and develop programs without redundancy or loss of resources • Remove confusion of disparate standards where efficiency, efficacy, and clarity of purpose will flow from consistent quality indices.
Top 10 Myths of Accreditation #10. Not providing detailed directions to the building where the accreditation visit will occur or providing a parking pass puts your visitors in a good frame of mind
#9. Not providing breaks and a lunch period in the daily schedule of the accreditation visit puts your visitors in a good frame of mind
#8. Walking your visitors around your campus so that every meeting is in a different location puts your visitors in a good frame of mind
Top 10 Myths of Accreditation #7. Not providing umbrellas or covered transportation to the next meeting (refer to #8) on bad weather days puts your visitors in a good frame of mind #6. Showing up late for appointments or having university officials who make the visitors wait puts your visitors in a good frame of mind
#5. Not having on-‐site materials available, organized, referenced, or prepared puts your visitors in a good frame of mind
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Top 10 Myths of Accreditation #4. Having faculty or staff who do not value specialized
accreditation, embrace the conspiracy theory of peer review, and reluctantly provide curt, abrupt or incomplete answers to questions puts your visitors in a good frame of mind #3. Having your visitors take time to determine what restaurants serve your campus, identify e-‐menus, place an order and then having to go get the food puts your visitors in a good frame of mind PS—your mother always taught you to be hospitable and have water, coffee and soda on hand for guests!
Top 10 Myths of Accreditation
#2. Having a self-‐study that consumes five 4-‐inch binders with no page numbers or table of contents puts your visitors in a good frame of mind #2A. Having five 4-‐inch binders with insufficient, non-‐dedicated work space to open the documents puts your visitors in a good frame of mind and the #1 Myth of Accreditation …
Top 10 Myths of Accreditation
#1. TELLING the visitors that you answered that question in the text so obviously they did not read the documents submitted and are not prepared puts your visitors in a good frame of mind
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Questions or Thoughts?
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