Development of the Adult ECMO Specialist Certification Examination

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Critical Care Medicine
• Cardiovascular Technology

Background:

• The American Society of Extracorporeal Technology (AmSECT) identified a need for standardized assessment of healthcare personnel in adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).
• A knowledge and skill certification examination was commissioned to ensure safe patient care and circuit management by ECMO specialists.
• Existing training and experience varied, necessitating a reliable method to evaluate competency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a comprehensive certification examination for adult ECMO specialists.
• To establish a standardized, objective measure of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) required for ECMO practice.
• To provide a tool for process improvement, safety, and quality assurance in ECMO services.

Main Methods:

• A job analysis was conducted with 19 ECMO subject-matter experts to define job categories and create a test plan.
• Multiple-choice test items were developed, validated, and administered in a pilot examination to 76 ECMO specialists.
• Rasch methodology was used to analyze item difficulty, candidate performance, and examination reliability.

Main Results:

• The pilot examination demonstrated high reliability (0.83 for candidates, 0.88 for items) and accurately ranked candidates based on experience.
• The 120-item pilot exam had an 80% pass rate, with candidates finding items appropriate.
• The final 100-item examination is expected to have an 84% pass rate, serving as an extramural assessment of ECMO specialist competency.

Conclusions:

• The developed online certification examination provides a reliable and valid assessment of ECMO specialists' KSA.
• This certification will support safe patient care and circuit management, aligning with AmSECT's mission.
• ECMO facilities and providers are encouraged to integrate this examination into their quality assurance initiatives.