The Society for Vascular Ultrasound (SVU) declares that appropriate
credentialling (registration) of vascular technologists serves to
protect the public health by discriminating between practitioners
with and those without entry-level competence and minimum knowledge
and skills. All major components of the credentialling process must
be appropriately designed and implemented. These components include
(1) determination of prerequisites to sit for the exam, (2) development
and construction of the exam, (3) administration of the exam (including
statistical analysis, scoring, and security), and (4) determination
of requirements to ensure continuing competency.
I. Minimum Prerequisites to Sit for Examination
Each applicant must fulfill both educational and experience requirements:
A. Twelve (12) months of full-time vascular technology experience
should be required for:
- individuals who have completed a two (2) year patient-care related
allied health training program accredited by CAAHEP
- graduates of an educational program in diagnostic vascular technology
that is accredited by CAAHEP.
- graduates of a Bachelor's degree program
- individuals with a medical degree (MD or DO) or equivalent
B. Twenty four (24) months of full-time vascular technology
experience with a recommended minimum of 1,500 vascular examinations
representative of the range of noninvasive vascular procedures should
be required for:
- individuals with 24 months training at an allied health training
program that is not CAAHEP accredited
- individuals with 24 months experience in an allied health occupation
that is patient care related
- individuals with two years formal education past high school
II. Test Development/Examination Construction
A. Job/Task Force Analysis
- The credentialling body must have a means of providing information
regarding the knowledge, skill, and ability necessary for an individual
to perform vascular testing.
- The credentialling body must have a means of identifying specific
tasks that are routinely performed and their frequency.
B. Test Specifications
- The credentialling body must perform the job/task force analysis
survey at least every five (5) years and develop test specifications
and a blueprint for the examination as a direct result of the
analysis.
- The job/task force analysis should include specific or detailed
activities required for competent performance at the entry level.
- The test specifications should outline the content of the examination
and the relative emphasis to be given to the various content areas
developed on the basis of the task analysis survey and include
sub-content areas and cognitive levels.
- The outline content areas should reflect logical weighting.
- The design of the examination format should be based upon job/task
analysis information.
- The test format must reflect results of the job/task force analysis.
- The test must contain sufficient questions to adequately test
all the tests identified in the job/task force analysis.
C. Developing Objectively Scored Examinations
- Item development includes construction and review of examination
items by item writers. There must be
a. policies and procedures governing the examination committee
members/item writers' qualifications,
b. a process by which item writers are instructed in item writing
and assignments made based on test specifications, and
c. processes for determination of the number of items, how often
the examination will be offered, how many forms of exams will
be used, how often the forms will be rotated, and how often the
forms will be updated and changed
The process by which the examination is constructed must be documented.
Individuals identified and assigned as validation experts should
verify the accuracy and construction of test items.
- Exam Assembly requires a process for construction of a bank
of accurate and acceptable test items; each form of the test must
be constructed from this bank.
- Standard Setting requires that a validation process is implemented
by which the statistical validity of a standard, or minimum pass
score, is determined and evaluated.
- Timing the Examination requires that a process is implemented
and maintained to evaluate the length of time candidates require
for completion of the examination.
- Security measures must be implemented and maintained that ensure
confidentiality during the printing, distribution, ands storage
of the examination.
III. Test Administration
A. Candidate Bulletin -- The credentialling body must have
a process by which candidates are provided detailed information
about the examination prior to the test administration.
- The application must include eligibility requirements, dates
for examination, and payment methods.
- Candidates must be informed of the scoring procedures that will
be used.
B. Access - The credentialling body must accommodate candidates
with disabilities in accordance with the American with Disabilities
Act and ensure that opportunity is provided for qualified individuals
with disabilities.
C. Test Administration Manual -- The credentialling body
must have a process for the provision and use of a test administration
manual for staff (proctors), which should include policies regarding
admission, entry and exit during administration, release of examinees,
irregularities, and shipment of materials.
D. Statistical Analysis and Research -- The credentialling
body must have a process for two evaluations of the examinations
from a statistical perspective:
- Item Analysis includes information regarding indices of item
difficulty, item discrimination, and distracter analysis.
- Test Analysis includes statistical evaluation of the score to
include mean score, score standard question, test reliability,
standard error of measurement, and score frequency distribution.
E. Scoring and Reporting
- Candidates must be informed of the system used for scoring of
the examination.
- The credentialling body must have a process to provide candidates
with an individualized candidate report, including results for
each category area and final scores.
- The credentialling body must have a process for candidates to
address concerns about the examination and/or its processes.
F. Exam Security -- The credentialling body must have a
process for the maintenance of examination security with respect
to each of the following:
- Item writing and review
- Item bank maintenance
- Ancillary materials
- Test book printing
- Storage
- Transportation/Transmittal
- Administrative security
IV. Continuing Competency
To ensure that credentialled practitioners remain competent, the
credentialling body must have in place a procedure for measuring
continuing competency. This procedure should require, at minimum,
30 hours per triennium of continuing education specific to the vascular
technology field.
References
- "Questions to ask concerning ." taken from the Council
on Licensure, Enforcement, and Regulation (1993). Development,
Administration, Scoring, and Reporting of Credentialling Examination:
Recommendations for Board Members.
- The Council on Licensure, Enforcement, and regulation and the
National Organization for Competency Assurance (1993). Principles
of Fairness: An Examining Guide for Credentialing Boards.
- What are the Building Blocks of Good Certification Programs
(1994). Michael S. Hamm, Executive Director, National Organization
for Competency Assurance.
These guidelines shall remain in effect for three years unless
extended, revised or rescinded by the SVU Board of Directors prior
to that time.
29 August 1999 |
