Content Validation Studies
CONTENT VALIDIATION STUDIES
Approximately every 3-5 years, content validation studies are conducted for each of NCC exams. These studies involve surveying practicing professionals in the ob/gyn, women's health, neonatal, and maternal newborn specialties regarding the components of their practice. Based on the results of these studies,changes to test outline and what questions are written for the NCC examinations are considered. This is to insure that the exam reflect the ongoing changes that occur in practice.
The content teams are instrumental in the development of the surveys used to formulate the content validation studies. This is based on an in depth review of standards of practice, protocols and professional literature and research studies. The Content Teams review the results of the content validation studies and makes appropriate changes in the content outline and competency statements based on the input from those certified in various specialty areas regarding the frequency and criticality of tasks and areas of responsibilities in their day to day practice.
Test Development
- NCC TEST DEVELOPMENT PHILOSOPHY
NCC believes tests should be fair, reflect essential special knowledge (entry level for nurse practitioners) and provide the test-taker the best opportunity to demonstrate what they know. NCC believes tests should have passing scores that clearly differentiate candidates with special knowledge from those who cannot demonstrate such knowledge.
The entire test development and evaluation process is designed to meet the goal of assessing knowledge of health care professionals NCC certifies. By insuring the test development processes and test evaluation procedures are psychometrically sound and legally defensible, this correspondingly insures that the NCC examinations are a true and accurate measure of knowledge, skills and abilities.
NCC provides examinations to evaluate the special knowledge (entry level of nurse practitioners) seeking public recognition of their obstetric, gynecologic, neonatal, women’s health nursing expertise. NCC believes the examination process is an opportunity for qualified health care professionals to demonstrate what they know. It provides these professionals with a fair and unbiased means to indicate they have achieved the level of special knowledge deemed essential by the NCC Board. NCC also provides examinations in subspecialty areas for multildisiciplinary groups such as the Electronic Fetal Monitoring and Neonatal Pediatric Transport examinations. The same rigorous exam development process apply to these examinations as well.
Content teams are appointed by the NCC President and are selected from among the certified populations for the specified area. Content teams oversee the test development by writing and reviewing test items, putting together and approving examinations for administration in accordance with the exam content outline, validate questions through review of current literature and make sure the item bank of test items reflect the current practice. Content teams meet yearly either face to face or virtually to make sure all exam forms reflect current practice based on both psychometric review of items and professional literature review. They are reesponsible for development of new exam forms. Exam forms are developed each year for both computer and paper and pencil testing.
Available Documents