NATIONAL CERTIFICATION AS A PERFORMANCE MEASURE: PEDIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONERS, 1977-1982.
Contributors: Virginia Commonwealth University.
Published: 1984
Number of pages: 217
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: This research involved an analysis of data for 3,387 candidates who took the national Qualifying Examination for pediatric nurse practitioners between 1977 and 1982. Those data were available from the national Board of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and Associates, which administers the exam, and its testing agency, the national Board of Medical Examiners. Included in the data were sociodemographic characteristics of examinees, characteristics of their nurse practitioner education programs, and their composite examination scores.

The purpose of the research was to determine the ability of these sociodemographic and educational program variables to predict examination performance. Data were analyzed by descriptive and multivariate techniques, with statistically significant differences in the socio-demographic and program profiles of examinees from year to year. Regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationships between examination performance and the various predictor variables.

An exploratory analysis using stepwise regression procedures eliminated those variables with little predictive significance. Further analyses with five sociodemographic and five program variables remaining in the regression equations indicated that the largest contributions to differences in examination scores were made by the following variables: examinees' status as first-time takers or repeaters, their highest education, their age, and the educational level and accreditation status of their nurse practitioner program.

At the individual level of analysis, sociodemographic variables were better predictors than program variables and explained between 8-26% (R = .28 to .51) of the variance in scores. On the other hand, program variables explained 28% (R = .53) of the variance in average performance from program to program. That is, at the aggregate level of analysis (by program) there is less individual variation around the program means and, therefore, greater predictive ability.

Based on the results of this research, recommendations regarding educational and regulatory policy for pediatric nurse practitioners and suggestions for further research were made.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-05, Section: B, page: 1428.

Thesis (PH.D.)--VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY, 1984.

School code: 2383.