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CBIC Town Hall Session: An Evidence-based Approach to Assessing the Competence of Infection Preventionists Fran Feltovich, RN, MBA, CIC, CPHQ, CBIC President James P. Henderson, Ph.D, CASTLE Worldwide, Inc. Terrie Lee, RN, MS, MPH, CIC, CBIC President-elect 2

Contrasting Missions APIC: improve health and patient safety by reducing risks of infection and other adverse outcomes. Purpose: serve the needs and aims common to all disciplines united by infection control and epidemiology activities. CBIC: protect the public by raising the standard of the infection prevention profession through the development, administration, and promotion of an accredited certification process 3

National Organization for Competency Assurance Practices and Requirements of Renewal Programs in Professional Licensure and Certification November 11, 2008 James P. Henderson, Ph.D CASTLE Worldwide Inc Practices and Requirements of Renewal Programs in Professional Licensure and Certification November 11, 2008 James P. Henderson, Ph.D CASTLE Worldwide Inc. Research Sponsored Jointly by the National Organization for Competency Assurance, National Board on Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists, and Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation 4

Lessons from the Literature Related to Public Confidence Initial licensure and certification are not sufficient Renewal of licensure and certification is not sufficient Reliance on only continuing education is waning Issues are complex and finding answers is a struggle 5

Start by Defining Continuing Competence Philosophy Why is CC important: protection of the public, professional growth? What about variations in career paths? Is the objective to maintain entry-level competence or to enhance competence? 6

Program Components: Continuing Education Ubiquitous No substantial evidence that continuing education is sufficient Consistency in the quality and nature of continuing education courses and assessments is needed and difficult to ensure 7

Program Components: Assessments Almost universal in initial licensure and certification Increasingly used for renewal: ABMS, nursing specialties Use entry-level assessment for renewal? Require a more advanced assessment for renewal of licensure or recertification? Account for specialization? Or not? Multiple choice? Practical? Simulation? Oral? Commitment to psychometric quality for the renewal assessment? 8

Trends in Recertification It is important to define what continuing competence means, given stakeholder interests Sole reliance on continuing education is seen as not sufficient A variety of tools are being used to measure continuing competence. Use of these tools should be consistent with the definition of continuing competence. 9

Certification Test Development Practice Analysis Content Outline Test Specifications  Types of items (questions) Recall Application Analysis Item Development 10

Item Development Each item referenced  APIC Text  Other APIC reference materials  Control of Communicable Diseases Manual  Formal guidelines and recommendations 11

Bank of test items electronically stored Pool conversion to match content outline following practice analysis 12

Test Statistics  Each item  Each response  Reliability  Validity of exam  Equating exams Legally Defensible Exam Process 13

Exam Development  New Computer Based Test (CBT) coming in July 2010  150 items on each exam (135 scored)  15 pretest items  Exam released this July is based on references published prior to exam SARE produced every two years 14

CBT  Proctored, timed exam  Written for IP with two years experience  Only option for initial certification  Also an option for recertification  Score report given at time of exam 15

Self- Achievement Recertification Exam (SARE)  Written for an IP with seven years experience  On-line exam accessed multiple times  Once answers submitted, score report is generated 16

History of SARE  Was paper & pencil format  Answers and explanations for each question were mailed to certificants with score report  Exam questions and answers were readily shared among many groups of IPs  CE Credit was given for exam  Was seen as an “educational experience” 17

Failing recertifiers –  Certification extended throughout the year  Must pass exam during that time If failed CBT, can take CBT or SARE If failed SARE, must take CBT  Upon passing exam, certification extended for four years 18

Thank You! 19

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