NCLEX job analysis study: questionnaire development

Job analysis studies have become pervasive in professional and occupational licensure. The intent of the National Council's job analysis studies are consistent with the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, & National Council on Measurement in Education, 1985), which state that "Job Analyses provide the primary basis for defining content domain." It is an appropriate methodology to validate licensure examinations. A job analysis study must delineate the content domain in order to measure critical skills and knowledge needed for safe practice. The adequacy of a job analysis study is critically dependent on the data collection instrument. This article describes the systematic process used by one national organization to develop a job analysis data collection instrument in order to ensure the integrity, validity, and defensibility of its examination.