What is the purpose of the Pathway to Excellence in Long Term Care survey?
The survey is an integral part of the assessment process for organizations that apply for Pathway to Excellence in Long Term Care designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Responses from the survey provide complementary information to the application materials an organization submits by polling nurses and nursing staff from throughout the organization about their perceptions of the workplace environment. return to top

What kinds of questions about the workplace environment does the survey ask?
The survey asks questions relevant to the presence of essential elements of a positive work environment as defined by Pathway to Excellence in Long Term Care criteria. It covers the following topics:

        Decision making about standards of care
        Input into staffing plans
        Use of current information for policies and procedures
        Nurses participate on safety committees
        Injury, illness, and accident prevention in place
        Personal health and supportive environment promoted
        Report concerns without negative consequences
        Preceptors educated to develop individualized orientation plans
        Timely feedback through orientation given
        Staffing patterns accommodate orientation
        DON visible and accessible
        Programs available to enhance advancement
        Participation in professional development activities
        Staffing patterns accommodate professional development activities
        Competitive wages
        Wages based on education, expertise, experience, and longevity
        Mandatory overtime never required
        Distinguished service recognized
        Recognition of contributions by external entities
        Flexible scheduling accommodates personal needs
        Programs and policies support work-life balance
        Fosters interdisciplinary relationships and practices
        Conflict is constructively managed
        Workplace issues addressed using non-retaliatory procedures
        Nurse managers advocate for residents and staff
        Nurses provide input for evaluation of nurse manager
        Direct care nurses involved in quality initiatives
        Outcomes from quality initiatives used to improve resident care return to top

How is my confidentiality protected if I participate in the survey?
The answers you provide in the Pathway to Excellence in Long Term Care Survey are completely confidential. Your survey responses are submitted to ANCC through a secure web site, and only authorized ANCC staff will have access to those responses. No one at your organization can obtain access to your individual responses. return to top

How are the results reported to my organization?
Your responses will be combined with the responses of all the other nurses and nursing staff in your organization to produce a summary report. The survey report your healthcare organization receives will include only the total number of respondents who participated in the survey and a summary of the average aggregate response for each item about the workplace environment. return to top

Why am I getting a blank screen after I answer question 1?
Question 1 is a mandatory field that cannot be skipped. You must enter only whole numbers in order to proceed. return to top

Why am I getting a blank screen after I answer question 12?
If you’re getting a blank screen after question 12, go back and make sure you entered only whole numbers into questions 8 and 9. return to top

How do I know I have completed the survey?
You have only finished and submitted the survey when you are redirected to the following message: “Congratulations! You have successfully completed the Pathway to Excellence in Long Term Care survey. You may now close the screen. Thank you for your participation.”

If you do not reach this screen, you have not completed the survey and your results have not been collected. return to top

Can I go backwards in the survey to change my answers if I want to?
Yes, you may click the "back" button from any screen to return to previous screens. return to top

If I cannot finish the survey in one sitting, can I return to finish it at another time?
Yes, you may click the "Save" button at the bottom of any screen, and a URL will appear in the address bar at the top of the computer screen. You must save this URL to return to the survey at a later time, and it will take you back to where you left off. return to top

Who is eligible to take the survey?
All Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, and Nurse Aides, including full-time, part-time, per diem or float pool, and contract or agency, must be invited to participate in the survey. return to top

How many nurses and nursing staff must take the survey for my organization's application to be successful?
The minimum response rate required is for 51% of all eligible nurses and nursing staff to participate in the survey. ANCC's survey administrator for the Pathway to Excellence in Long Term Care program will give the organization a status report on the current participation rate once a week for each of the three weeks that the survey remains open. return to top

What difference does it make whether I answer the survey or not?
The survey collects feedback from all nurses and nursing staff throughout your organization on the degree to which they perceive essential elements of a positive workplace environment to be present in the organization. It is your opportunity to share your feedback on your work environment. return to top

Questions?
If you have any questions about the Pathway to Excellence Nurse Survey, contact Patsy Deyo, Senior Nurse Specialist for ANCC's Pathway to Excellence program, at 301.628.5222 or patricia.deyo@ana.org. return to top