Another CNA program under review for not meeting all accreditation standards

Another program at the College of the North Atlantic is under scrutiny, following concerns raised by an accreditation body about student safety involving X-ray equipment and self-learning in labs.

CBC News has obtained a Canadian Medical Association assessment report that outlined issues with CNA's medical radiography program.

The 27-page report from June states the program is missing some critical criteria, including safety measures and program personnel to "fulfil their responsibilities for program oversight and for student instruction, assessment and evaluation."

The college declined interview requests but, in a statement, CNA said a process is underway to address those issues.

"We are working with the [Canadian Medical Association] in our ongoing commitment to quality assurance," read the statement.

The college said it would advise of the results and provide more details when the accreditation review process is complete.

Questions of radiation safety

The Canadian Medical Association report outlined concerns about students' use of X-ray equipment and being left alone in labs, following a site visit in April.

"Radiation equipment is fully energized during scheduled lab sessions, hence radiation production is possible," the report reads, noting that students were often unsupervised during those sessions. 

"In addition, students are responsible for equipment warm-up, a practice that involves radiation exposures. Students stated that they are unsupervised for this activity as well."

According to the report, the majority of students interviewed said self-learning in the labs was common, formative feedback was not always provided in a timely manner, and lab manuals were not used effectively or completely. 

"Many students reported having to learn mostly on their own," the report reads.

Accreditation criteria

The medical radiography program runs for three years. But it is currently only accredited for two, because of the identified issues.

The report says CNA has to complete its safety manual, hire a certified radiation safety officer, provide a schedule of preventive maintenance "to ensure equipment meets output and safety regulations," and show evidence that "risks of unintentional radiation exposure have been eliminated."

The report issued a deadline for those criteria to be met by Oct. 30.

In February 2018, the Canadian Medical Association is divesting its accreditation capabilities — so it can't award the program a six-year status for full compliance.

The report states CNA will need to work with the incoming organization responsible to gain that accreditation.

Another program faced problems

This is not the first program at the college to come under the microscope.

CNA's respiratory therapy program lost its accreditation in June in an unprecedented move by another group, the Council on Accreditation for Respiratory Therapy Education.

After that decision, the college suspended its first-year program admissions for September, and into "the foreseeable future."

• 'Emotional safety' of students among concerns flagged in review of suspended CNA program
• Former students of suspended CNA respiratory therapy program speak out

About 40 students who had already completed one or two years of the three-year program were thrown into limbo by the decision.

The Newfoundland college has since reached a deal with another school in Alberta to accommodate those local students, who can continue to study in St. John's.

That program had been on probation since mid-2016, after a number of issues were identified.

CBC News had obtained documents citing concerns about the "emotional safety" of students, high attrition rates, quality management problems, and conflicts between instructors.