An introduction to the partial credit model for developing nursing assessments

The partial credit model, which is a special case of the Rasch measurement model, was presented as a useful way to develop and refine complex nursing assessments. The advantages of the Rasch model over the classical psychometric model were presented including the lack of bias in the measurement process, the ability to highlight those items in need of refinement, the provision of information on congruence between the data and the model, and feedback on the usefulness of the response categories. The partial credit model was introduced as a way to develop complex nursing assessments such as performance-based assessments, because of the model's ability to accommodate a variety of scoring procedures. Finally, an application of the partial credit model was illustrated using the Practical Knowledge Inventory for Nurses, a paper-and-pencil instrument that measures on-the-job decision-making for nurses.