National Certification Examination Research Articles

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on accredited programs and graduates who sat for the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification examination: graduates' perspective.

Students in health profession education programs were severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic at both didactic and clinical training levels. The purpose for this American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP BOC) study was to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on graduates. This study represents the perspectives of laboratory professional graduates who sat for the BOC certification in their respective professional disciplines. A survey was sent to all graduates from the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS), Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), and Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredited programs who sat for the ASCP BOC examination in 2020 and 2021 to determine the impact of COVID-19 on laboratory professional graduates during the pandemic. A total of 180 graduates responded to the survey. The majority of graduates indicated that at least 1 didactic program component was shifted to an online system during the pandemic and that both clinical and nonclinical student laboratories were affected. Although program completion for most graduates was not delayed, one-third of graduates delayed taking their respective BOC exam. Due to the lack of knowledge application through practical hands-on laboratory experience in their educational programs, graduates reported feeling a lack of readiness with regards to preparing for the national certification examination as well as for employment. The study results showed the pandemic greatly impacted the education experience and readiness for the ASCP BOC examinations for graduates. Factors such as the absence of in-person learning and hands-on experience-both crucial aspects in laboratory training-and the ripple effects as a result of the pandemic, such as job loss, financial constraints, and health concerns, contributed to the decreased quality of education for graduates.

Assessing the effectiveness of mitigating pesticide-related disease risk among pesticide-spraying drone operators in Taiwan.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk of pesticide poisoning, liver and renal failure, dermatitis, respiratory problems, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, keratitis, and epilepsy among pesticide-spraying personnel and to assess the effectiveness of a new method of aerial pesticide application in reducing this risk. A total of 2268 pesticide spraying operators (1651 ground-based field crop operators and 617 aerial pesticide spraying drone operators) who passed the national certification examination between 2010 and 2020 in Taiwan were included. Ground-based operators served as the positive control group, while 2463 farmer controls were matched from the Farmers' Health Insurance database as the negative control group. Data from the National Health Insurance Research Database were used to track possible pesticide-related disease cases. Logistic regression was employed to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Drone operators had significantly reduced risks of dermatitis, asthma and chronic bronchitis compared to ground-based operators. This was observed in allergic contact dermatitis (OR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.24-0.68), unspecified contact dermatitis (OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.35-0.97), asthma (OR = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.12-0.60), and chronic bronchitis (OR = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.06-0.93), after adjusting for age, sex, working areas, and licensing years. However, no significant differences were found when comparing drone operators to matching farmers. Aerial pesticide spraying using drones may contribute to a decreased risk of dermatitis, asthma and chronic bronchitis, suggesting potential health benefits for operators. Further field pesticide exposure surveys are recommended to validate these findings and assess health risk indicators.

History, Development, and Enlightenment of Adapted Physical Education National Standards

As the total number and proportion of individuals with disabilities worldwide are increasing, the international community is paying more and more attention to the equal education rights of individuals with disabilities. Since the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act issued in 1975, physical education (PE) played a significant part in special education. According to the requirements of the United States federal legislation, a national certification examination system has been established and developed subsequently to better promote the development of physical education for children with disabilities. The National Consortium for Physical Education for Individuals with Disabilities (NCPEID) has formulated the Adapted Physical Education National Standards (APENS). The first version of APENS was developed in 1995 to certify adaptive sports professionals across the United States. The second edition came out in 2006. In addition, many undergraduate and graduate teacher education programs use APENS as a basis for preparatory courses. At some universities, completion of APENS has become a graduation requirement. The NCPEID reviews APENS every few years to keep it up to date, and it also reviews national tests as needed to reflect current knowledge and practice. This paper was to understand the primary contents of APENS. We found that the APENS include Human Development, Motor Behavior, Exercise Science, Measurement and Evaluation, History and Philosophy, Unique Attributes of Learners, Curriculum Theory and Development, Instructional Design and Planning, Teaching, Consultation and Staff Development, Student and Program Evaluation, Continuing Education, Ethics and Communication. These standard fields guide teachers, administrators, and families in basic knowledge, skills, and attitudes. In addition, the establishment of APENS has reference value and significance for the system construction, legal regulations, discipline construction, personnel training, peer education, community support, and other aspects of PE for individuals with disabilities in China.

Preparing Neonatal Nurses for Improved Performance, Professional Development, and National Certification Through Simulation.

Code and emergent situations require skilled nursing response wherever they occur. Nurse preparation for code response is an ongoing need in nursing education. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Parkland Health and Hospital System in Dallas, Texas, has a team of 3 nurse educators. These educators determined the need for increased nurse confidence, skill, and response in code and emergent situations within the NICU. The education team also recognized the need to increase nurse involvement in professional development activities and preparation for the national certification examination. The purpose of this article is to describe how a NICU education team, in a level III NICU, trained nurses using simulated scenarios to improve nursing knowledge for national certification, skill, and confidence in code situations and to provide ongoing professional development opportunities within a controlled learning environment. The intervention designed to meet these specific goals for the NICU was the creation of a simulation team (called the "Drill Team") to facilitate simulated activities created by the NICU education team. This simulation strategy was found to have multiple advantages for content delivery, as multiple learning styles can be incorporated into the simulated activities. Nurses demonstrated improved performance, knowledge acquisition, and knowledge retention after the Drill Team project. Nursing confidence in code performance also increased using this intervention. This educational intervention can be replicated and utilized in nursing education for all specialties. Further research could be conducted to determine the effectiveness of simulated activities and national certification pass rates.

EMS Program Graduates Who Did Not Retest after Initial Attempt on the National Certification Exam

Introduction: Becoming an EMS professional in most of the United States requires successful completion of the National Certification process. While multiple attempts are allowed, some candidates who are unsuccessful on their first cognitive examination attempt do not return despite personal investment. Objective: We describe the demographic and testing characteristics of EMT and paramedic candidates that do not return for a second examination attempt after an initial unsuccessful attempt on the National EMS Certification Cognitive Examination. Methods: This was a cross-sectional evaluation of nonmilitary EMT and paramedic graduates, between ages 18 and 85 years, who completed their education program in 2016, attempted the National Certification Examination, and were unsuccessful. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds of retesting for EMT and paramedic graduates for age, sex, initial test length, and elapsed time from course completion to initial examination. Results: Of all EMT graduates eligible to retest (n = 22,088), 33% (n = 7,208) did not retest. Adjusted odds of retesting for EMT graduates decreased with female sex, time from course completion to initial examination, and those with minimal exam length. Adjusted odds of retesting for EMT graduates increased in 20–21 and 22–24 year olds compared to 18–19 year olds. Similarly, of all paramedic graduates eligible to retest (n = 2,755), 14% (n = 390) did not. Adjusted odds of retesting at the paramedic level decreased with time from course completion to initial examination and minimum exam length. Age and sex were not significant contributors to odds of retesting for paramedics. Conclusion: Many EMTs and paramedics who were unsuccessful on the National Certification Exam did not retest. Factors identified that impact the choice varied between EMTs and paramedics but included age, sex, length of initial examination, and time from course completion to that initial examination. These characteristics may present actionable items for EMS educational programs and stakeholders to support EMT and paramedic graduates at risk of not entering the workforce.

Generating a Future Vision of Patient Safety: A Pilot Program to Test the Integration of Certified Professional in Patient Safety™ Curriculum into Undergraduate Medical Education.

Preventable healthcare-associated harm results in significant morbidity and mortality in the United States, costing nearly 400 000 patient lives annually. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement provides high-quality educational resources tailored for working healthcare professionals. One such resource is the Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS™) review course, which equips professionals with advanced proficiency in 5 core patient safety domains. The CPPS™ certification is the only interprofessional, patient safety science credential recognized worldwide. In 2010, the Lucian Leape Institute at the National Patient Safety Foundation described the critical need for medical students to participate in patient safety solutions as well. However, equivalent patient safety credentialing remains challenging for students in the preclinical and clinical stages of training to obtain. To address this growing dilemma, the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) piloted the first-of-its-kind CPPS™ course with 10 medical students to test a novel, academic-level approach to patient safety curriculum. Medical students showed large gains in performance on the post-test (83.18% ± 26.12%) compared to the pre-test (46.46% ± 27.18%) (P < .001, η2 p = .368), representing increased knowledge across all learning domains. On the national certification examination, students had a 90% first-time pass rate, exceeding the current national average of 70% for first-time examinees. In satisfaction surveys, students expressed the value of pilot curriculum for their medical training, the importance of similar Patient Safety Education and CPPS certification for all medical students, their confidence as future healthcare change agents. Content analysis of open response questions revealed 3 key areas of strength and opportunity for guiding future iterations of the course. This pilot generates a future vision of patient safety, equipping students with critical knowledge to systematically improve healthcare quality.

Graduate Record Examination Scores as Predictors of First Time Success on the National Certification Examination in a Midwest Nurse Anesthesia Program

Graduate Record Examination Scores as Predictors of First Time Success on the National Certification Examination in a Midwest Nurse Anesthesia Program

Use of the NBCRNA Self-Evaluation Examination to Predict Applicant Success in Passing the National Certification Examination on the First Attempt

Introduction The National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) produces the National Certification Examination (NCE) and grants credentials to registered nurse anesthetists. To provide the profession with adequately prepared practitioners, the NBCRNA gauges anesthetists’ transition from training to practice. A key indicator is the first-time pass on the NCE. Aim The aim of this research was to determine whether success on the NCE’s preparatory Self-Evaluation Examination (SEE) predicts a first-time pass for the NCE. Methods This retrospective analysis consisted of applicants who fulfilled the general requirements for data acquisition and had taken both the SEE and NCE. Each applicant’s SEE information included the SEE total score, SEE domain scores, SEE test date, and the NCE results (pass or fail). Results The applicant’s age and days between SEE and NCE were associated with significant variance in success on NCE at first attempt. Total SEE score predicted performance nearly as well as all the other variables in the final regression model. Conclusion The components of the SEE mirror content areas of the NCE. This research emphasizes the importance of SEE testing as a predictor of students’ successful transition from nurse anesthesia programs to initial certification.

Exploring job satisfaction and workplace engagement in millennial nurses.

To examine job satisfaction and workplace engagement of millennial nurses. Millennial nurses are a rapidly growing segment of the workforce. They are significantly less satisfied in their jobs compared with nurses of other generations and are more likely to have perceptions that may negatively impact job satisfaction and engagement. It is important for nurse leaders to understand and value the perspective of these nurses to improve job satisfaction and engagement. Exploratory-descriptive qualitative approach with 33 millennial nurses interviewed in nine focus groups. Five themes revealed areas that both enhance and hinder job satisfaction and engagement. Themes include the following: (1) professional relationships; (2) rewards; (3) communication; (4) professional development; and (5) workload/staffing. Concerns identified by millennial nurses provide direction for nurse leaders who are charged with fostering a workplace setting that nurtures empathy and respect for nurses of all generations. Strategies to address preferences of millennials include employee rounding to ask about their needs, offer assistance and provide positive feedback. Ongoing mentoring regarding opportunities to support millennials' professional development includes offering participation in activities to advance evidence-based practice, preceptor training, financial assistance with national certification examinations and tuition reimbursement.

Diagnostic readiness tests: Preparing nurse practitioner students for national certification examinations.

Nurse practitioner (NP) faculties are challenged to offer programs that balance didactic knowledge with the clinical experiences required to prepare graduates for the complexities of health care. Students have the stress of extrapolating the information they obtain during these programs and applying it to postgraduation certification examinations. Innovative educational tools are necessary to ease the uncertainty that NP students experience to graduate and pass certification examinations. Tools include academic-clinical partnerships (ACPs) to enhance clinical opportunities and resources to integrate diagnostic readiness tests (DRTs) into curricula. This was a quasi-experimental one group, pretest/posttest design using a convenience sample of NP students randomly assigned to clinical in ACP or non-ACP clinical placements. They completed the DRTs twice during their final program semesters. The overall DRT group scores for the NP students significantly improved over time. The Wilcoxon signed ranks test showed that the posttest scores were significantly higher than the pretest scores. The Mann-Whitney U test revealed no differences between the ACP and non-ACP students. Students performed the best on assessment, diagnosis, management, and pharmacology domains. This demonstrates support for the integration of DRTs into NP programs. Integrating DRTs into NP programs can facilitate transition to the NP role.

Shared Learning for Better Outcomes

Shared Learning for Better Outcomes

Implementing competency‐based education for athletic therapy in Canada—Are we ready for change?

AbstractContextIn 2013, the Canadian Athletic Therapists’ Association (CATA) Education Task Force made recommendations for future athletic therapy education in Canada with 10 consensus statements. Little progress has been reported to date, particularly on two statements: implementation of competency‐based education (CBE) and establishing a valid, reliable, feasible, and financially viable practical national certification examination (NCE).ObjectiveWe sought to understand the perspectives of CATA program directors (PDs) as it related to implementation of CBE and potential abolishment of the practical examination.MethodsA qualitative, phenomenological approach was employed to better understand the athletic therapy program directors’ lived experiences as it related to CBE implementation in their own educational institutions. Secondarily and related to understanding this phenomenon, we sought to understand PD perspectives on taking over the responsibility for establishing competence for their graduates as a surrogate to replace the practical NCE. Semi‐structured interviews took place with the seven PDs or all CATA‐accredited programs. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed for themes. We (ML and RD) independently and blindly established themes and later met to discuss the themes that emerged from the interviews.ResultsFour key themes emerged from the analysis: (a) definition of CBE; (b) national standards; (c) trust; and (d) collaboration.DiscussionEach of the themes that emerged had the commonality that all were barriers to implement CBE. Some PDs did not think they were currently offering CBE, yet described many of the key features of CBE. A definition and national standard would help to progress the implementation of CBE.

A Comprehensive Assessment Plan for Medical Laboratory Science Programs

<h3>ABSTRACT</h3> Medical laboratory science and medical laboratory technician educational programs are the major provider for well-trained, quality laboratory professionals. These programs, responsible for designing the curriculum that includes up-to-date information regarding the methods, skills, and knowledge that are aligned with the dynamic advancing healthcare field, prepare students to complete a national certification examination. The curriculum, aligned with the program mission and goals, provides course objectives and student learning outcomes that are used to evaluate the student’s level of achievement. Evaluation of student achievement is one of the tools to assess program effectiveness. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the necessary components and assessment strategy to design a laboratory science education program that meets the accreditation standards for the National Accreditation Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences.

Oregon Governor Vetoes Psychologist Prescribing Bill

Oregon Governor Vetoes Psychologist Prescribing Bill

The National Benchmark Test of quantitative literacy: Does it complement the Grade 12 Mathematical Literacy examination?

The National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination in South Africa is a standardised assessment whose main function is to determine whether Grade 12 learners have mastered subject knowledge at the culmination of their secondary education. Alongside this, the National Benchmark Test Project (NBTP) was introduced to develop the National Benchmark Tests (NBTs) that are aimed at assessing the academic readiness of first time entry students to South African universities. This article explores the relationship between these two standardised assessments in the domain of mathematical/quantitative literacy. This is accomplished through a Pearson correlation analysis of 6,363 test scores obtained by Grade 12 learners on the NSC Mathematical Literacy examination and the Quantitative Literacy test of the NBT in 2012. The results reveal a curvilinear relationship between these two sets of results. This indicates that the two assessments are related but not identical, and the paper argues that their complementarity suggests the value of using performance information generated by both for access and placement. Keywords : academic readiness; mathematical literacy; national benchmark tests; national senior certificate examination; quantitative literacy

Multiple mini-interview predictive validity for performance on a pharmacy licensing examination.

Predictive validity studies on the use of the multiple mini-interview (MMI) have been primarily in medicine. This study sought to determine the predictive validity of the MMI for performance within a pharmacy programme and on the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) Qualifying Examination for licensure, and to compare the predictive validity of the MMI with that of pre-pharmacy grade point average (GPA) and Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) score. Admissions data for 223 graduates of the pharmacy programme at the University of Toronto were matched to programme and licensure outcome measures. Multiple linear regression assessed the predictive ability of the MMI, pre-pharmacy GPA, PCAT and covariates for performance in final-year experiential rotations, cumulative GPA (cGPA) and PEBC-MCQ (multiple-choice question examination) and PEBC-OSCE (objective structured clinical examination) overall and subcomponent scores. The PCAT, pre-pharmacy GPA and age significantly predicted the PEBC-MCQ overall score. The MMI was the only significant predictor of overall score on the PEBC-OSCE (β = 0.17, p = 0.02); it also predicted communication and performance subscores. Scores on the PCAT and female gender predicted the communication subscore. Pre-pharmacy GPA, age and female gender significantly predicted cGPA. The MMI was the only significant predictor of institutional/ambulatory rotation score (β = 0.26, p = 0.00). The MMI, designed to measure non-academic attributes including communication, motivation and problem-solving skills, was the only admissions tool with significant predictive validity for performance on the PEBC-OSCE national pharmacy certification examination and in an institutional/ambulatory rotation. These findings, from a single cohort of undergraduates, provide the first report of the predictive validity of the MMI for performance on pharmacy licensure examinations and thereby strengthen the evidence for its use in health professions selection. Prior university academic performance significantly predicted cGPA and performance on the PEBC-MCQ. Performance on the PCAT also predicted PEBC-MCQ results.

Unique Educational Needs of Emergency Nurse Practitioners.

The purpose of this study is to identify the unique educational needs of emergency nurse practitioners (ENPs). A survey from 167 nurse practitioners (NPs) practicing in the emergency department (ED) settings was analyzed. A variety of certified NPs practice in EDs: family NPs (30%), adult NPs (18%), acute care NPs (40%), and some with 2 or more certifications (12%). NPs come with a variety of basic educational preparations. The top educational needs specific to ENP preparation identified were managing critically ill patients, pharmacology, interpretation of laboratory tests, electrocardiograms, radiographs, and computed tomographic scans, suturing superficial lacerations, and mentoring by MDs and NPs. The unique and complex ED environment requires that NPs practicing in the ED receive a unique set of standardized education and skills to meet the demands of current practice. A standardized educational curriculum that includes the findings from this and other studies, along with additional clinical and a national certification examination, is discussed.

LO098: Education innovation: implementing a point-of-care ultrasound curriculum for emergency medicine residents

Introduction / Innovation Concept: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is becoming standard of care in Canadian emergency departments. However, its integration in Emergency Medicine (EM) residency training is poorly studied. If a four-week curriculum can successfully teach POCUS skills to residents, this program could have potential application across specialties and across Canada. Methods: A four-week curriculum was designed, implemented, and evaluated. EM residents registered for the Introductory Ultrasound Rotation at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre were invited to participate. Curriculum evaluation included resident feedback, pre-rotation and post-rotation knowledge and skill testing, and a delayed post-rotation survey. Comparison of pre-test and post-test scores were calculated using the paired t-test. Curriculum, Tool, or Material: Residents were scheduled for both dedicated ultrasound scanning shifts and clinical shifts with an emphasis on POCUS in patient care. Residents also reviewed the Canadian Emergency Ultrasound Society Emergency Department Echo DVD and manual, completed weekly readings and assignments, and completed a “clinical encounter worksheet” describing how POCUS impacted clinical care in a patient encounter. Other rotation activities included Ultrasound Rounds where residents presented a critical appraisal of a POCUS-related journal article, Pediatric Ultrasound Rounds at The Hospital for Sick Children, and an advanced POCUS workshop day. Of 13 eligible residents, 12 (92%) completed at least one study assessment. However, only 8 residents (62%) completed both the pre-test and post-test, 8 residents (62%) completed the end-of-rotation survey, and even fewer residents (42%) completed the delayed post-rotation survey. Residents felt the quality of the ultrasound rotation was excellent (mean score 4.7 on 5-point Likert scale). There was an increase in test scores from a baseline of 51.5% to 70.8% on the post-rotation test (p=0.02). Three months after the rotation, 100% of residents reported feeling either comfortable or extremely comfortable teaching and using the core POCUS topics covered in the curriculum. All residents reported that they would recommend the rotation to their colleagues without hesitation. All residents passed the national ultrasound certification examination at the end of the rotation. Conclusion: A four-week curriculum was effective in teaching EM residents POCUS skills. Further study is required to determine the ideal method for teaching POCUS skills in this group.

Revisiting 'The effect of assessments and examinations on the learning of medical students'.

Revisiting 'The effect of assessments and examinations on the learning of medical students'.

Exploring the Relationship Between Entry-Level Master’s Program Class Size and the Number of Graduate Credits Offered and Aggregate NBCOT Pass Rates

The AOTA and ACOTE have discussed a transition to a mandated entry-level clinical doctorate degree (Harvison, 2013). Following the move to the entry-level master’s degree in 2007, the overall national pass rate on the national certification examination fell from 88% in 2006 to 77% by 2009 (Harvison, 2011; Harvison, 2012). This study sought to determine if the number of graduate credits offered or the class size of an entrylevel master’s program impacts student outcomes on the national certification examination. Publicly available data was mined from all accredited entry-level master’s programs. Data were imported into the SPSS for statistical analysis. The results indicated no significant relationship between the number of graduate credits offered and pass rates (p = 0.919) or between average class size and pass rates (p = 0.640). Further study is warranted to determine if there are any curricular characteristics that can be used to predict student performance on the national certification examination.