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Keeping Up With Current Orthopaedic Nursing Practice: Results of the ONCB 2016 Role Delineation Study
Dottie Roberts1, Kathleen Pirri, Margaret Hanes
1Dottie Roberts, EdD, MSN, MACI, RN, OCNS-C, CMSRN, CNE, has served as the Executive Director of the Orthopaedic Nurses Certification Board since 2005. She has been involved in four role delineation studies during her tenure as ONCB member and staff. Kathleen Pirri, MSN, RN, ARNP, ONC, AGNP, ONP-C, is currently a director of the Orthopaedic Nurses Certification Board. She was a long-time member of the Test Committee and most recently served as chair of the Exam Prep Committee. Margaret Hanes, BSN, RN-BC, ONC, is currently the chair of the Test Committee. She served as an ONC member of the committee during the reported study.
Background:
The Orthopaedic Nurses Certification Board (ONCB) conducts a role delineation study (RDS), also known as a job task analysis, every 5 years. Results identify tasks performed by orthopaedic registered nurses and nurse practitioners, as well as musculoskeletal health conditions commonly experienced by their patients.
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to define current practice patterns among orthopaedic nurses and nurse practitioners to determine content for future certification examinations.
Method:
An online survey methodology was used to identify task and knowledge statements representative of orthopaedic nursing practice.
Findings:
Of 6,462 e-mails sent, 904 valid responses were returned (response rate 13.9%). This is lower than results of the Orthopaedic Nurses Certification Board's 2010 RDS (22.7% response rate) but is considered acceptable for an RDS.
Conclusion:
Survey results were analyzed by ONCB Test Committee members with guidance from psychometric staff at PSI/AMP. PSI/AMP staff were used to review and revise examination specifications for the Orthopaedic Nurse Certified (ONC) and Orthopaedic Nurse Practitioner-Certified (ONP-C) certification programs. New examination specification and passing points were implemented with April 2018 testing.
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