HORIZONS
Second Quarter 2016
V. 42 / N. 2
CREDENTIALING FOR THE RESPIRATORY CARE PROFESSION
AARC Summer
Forum 2
REFLECTIONS ON THE THERAPIST MULTIPLECHOICE EXAMINATION AND THE 20-PROBLEM
CLINICAL SIMULATION EXAMINATIONS
New Board of
Trustees Member
James P. Lamberti,
MD3
The Benefits of
Specialty Credentials 4
Did You Know?
SOME Quick Facts
About the NBRC
5
Respiratory Care:
Student Graduates
from Berkeley &
Returns to JCCC
for New Program
6
Lambda Beta Society
Scholarships
Reminder8
2015 Examinations
in Review
9
2015 Recredentialing11
Credentialed
Practitioners by State 12
www.nbrc.org
Robert C. Shaw, Jr. PhD, RRT, FAARC, Examinations Director and Psychometrician
and Assistant Executive Director
INTRODUCTION
January 2015 marked the point when
the NBRC implemented several changes
to examinations associated with assessments of respiratory therapy competencies. The Entry Level CRT Examination
containing 140 multiple-choice items and
the Therapist Written Examination containing 100 multiple items were replaced
with the Therapist Multiple-Choice
Examination (TMC), which contained
140 items. Achievement of the Certified
Respiratory Therapist (CRT) and eligibility as a Registered Respiratory Therapist
(RRT) became linked to the comparison
of a low cut score (88) and a high cut score
(94) to TMC scores.
The Clinical Simulation Examination
(CSE) kept its title, but its structure
changed. Instead of an examination containing 10 problems, each of which contained 8 to 12 sections, examinations
implemented since January 2015 have
contained 20 problems, each of which
contained 4 to 6 sections.
Another structural change was made
to the way that decisions about candidates
who passed were made. Since its inception in 1979, candidates’ scores associated
with information gathering (IG) sections
and decision making (DM) sections were
separately compared to an IG cut score
and a DM cut score. Only those candidates who passed by virtue of both comparisons passed the examination. Starting
in January 2015, the total scores achieved
by candidates have been compared to one
cut score to document that RRT competencies have been achieved. Both a candidate’s total score and the cut score are
sums of points from IG and DM sections.
Unlike the TMC Examination,
which has a maximum score of 140 for
every test form, the maximum score for
forms of the CSE can differ by more than
100 points. Hence, the cut score will differ
between any two test forms.
The sequencing of examination
attempts has changed as well. Before 2015,
a candidate could make an attempt at the
CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 »
HORIZONS
T
he American Association for Respiratory Care
(AARC) Summer Forum, to be held in Ponte Vedra
Beach, Florida, June 26 through June 28, 2016, promises to
be filled with valuable information for the respiratory care
community. During this meeting, the NBRC will present
the 2016 Jimmy A. Young Memorial Lecture on June 28
from 8:00 – 9:30 am. Since 1978, the NBRC has sponsored
this lecture series in honor of Jimmy A. Young, MS, RRT.
Mr. Young was a respected author, educator, humanitarian
and manager, and his contributions to respiratory care were
immense. He was the 22nd President of the AARC (1973)
and was serving as a Trustee and Member-at-Large of the
Executive Committee for the NBRC when he passed away
unexpectedly in 1975. The NBRC honors his memory and
the many contributions he made to respiratory care through
this annual program.
The 38th annual Jimmy A. Young Memorial Lecture
is entitled, “How Does the NCCA Affect My Ability to
Educate, Hire, and Retain Therapists?” The presentation
will describe the origins of the National Commission
for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) and the ongoing goal
Published Quarterly by the
NATIONAL BOARD FOR
RESPIRATORY CARE, INC.
18000 W. 105th St.
Olathe, Kansas 66061-7543
913-895-4900
Fax: 913-895-4650
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.nbrc.org
NBRC Horizons is published quarterly to
communicate information about the admission policies and procedures, the day-to-day
activities, and the short-term and long-range
plans of the National Board for Respiratory
Care, the national certifying board for the
respiratory care profession. The NBRC is
sponsored by the American Association for
Respiratory Care, the American Society of
Anesthesiologists, the American Thoracic
Society and the American College of Chest
Physicians. Subscriptions to NBRC Horizons
are free for active credentialed practitioners
and $24 for inactive practitioners and others.
Subscription forms can be obtained by contacting the NBRC Executive Office.
Copyright © 2016. The National Board for
Respiratory Care, Inc. Permission must be
secured in writing to reprint any portion of
this issue. State societies for respiratory care,
respiratory care education programs and
state licensure agencies may reprint any portion of this publication in their newsletter provided they mention the source.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Robert L. Joyner, Jr., PhD, RRT, RRT-ACCS,
FAARC (AARC), President
Alan L. Plummer, MD, FCCP, FAARC (ATS),
Vice President
Linda A. Napoli, MBA, RRT, RRT-NPS, RPFT
(AARC), Secretary
Robert A. Balk, MD, FCCP (CHEST),
Treasurer
Carl F. Haas, MLS, RRT, RRT-ACCS, CPFT,
FAARC (AARC), Past President
PUBLIC ADVISOR
Glenna L. Tinney, MSW
MEMBERS-AT-LARGE
Todd G. Bocklage, MPA, RRT (AARC)
Katherine L. Fedor, RRT, RRT-NPS, CPFT
(AARC)
Stephen A. Stayer, MD (ASA)
Second Quarter 2016
2
behind accreditation. Revised accreditation standards were
implemented in early 2016, so highlights from these standards will be discussed.
The NBRC will also sponsor a Simulation Examination
Scoring Workshop as a “pre-session” associated with this
year’s AARC Summer Forum. The workshop will be
conducted on Saturday, June 25, 2016 from 7:30 a.m. to
10:30 a.m. As a follow-up on the session that was offered
in 2015, participants will be exposed to more detail about
the way in which option responses are scored within the
simulation-style problems. Specifications will be described
that affect the scoring of each problem. The workshop will
culminate in small group work. This is a FREE workshop
and the session has been approved for three (3) CRCEs
by the AARC. Pre-registration is not required. For more
information, email Assistant Executive Director Robert C.
Shaw, PhD, RRT, FAARC at [email protected].
The NBRC looks forward to the 2016 Jimmy A.
Young Memorial Lecture and the opportunity to provide the profession important credentialing information.
The AARC Summer Forum program has been approved
for Continuing Respiratory Care Education (CRCE), and
may be used towards fulfillment of NBRC Continuing
Competency Program requirements as appropriate. Make
plans now to attend! For more information about the
Summer Forum, contact the AARC at (972) 243-2272 or
www.aarc.org. m
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD
Sherry L. Barnhart, RRT, RRT-NPS, FAARC
(AARC)
Susan B. Blonshine, BS, RRT, RPFT, AE-C,
FAARC (AARC)
William W. Burgin Jr., MD, FCCP (ATS)
Robin J. Elwood, MD, FAAP (ASA)
Thomas M. Fuhrman, MD, MMSc, FCCP
(CHEST)
Kerry E. George, MEd, RRT, RRT-ACCS,
FAARC (AARC)
Jay Hammerling, MD (ASA)
Hyacinth M. Johnson, RN, BSN, MPA, RRT
(AARC)
James P. Lamberti, MD, FCCP (CHEST)
David C. Levin, MD, FCCP (ATS)
Robert A. May, MD, FCCP (CHEST)
Carl D. Mottram, BA, RRT, RPFT, FAARC
(AARC)
Theodora K. Nicholau, MD, PhD (ASA)
Donald S. Prough, MD, FCCP (ASA)
Gregg L. Ruppel, MEd, RRT, RPFT, FAARC
(AARC)
Robert A. Sinkin, MD, MPH, FAAP (ATS)
Mark S. Siobal, BS, RRT, RRT-ACCS, FAARC
(AARC)
David L. Vines, MHS, RRT, FAARC (AARC)
Teresa A. Volsko, MHHS, RRT, FAARC (AARC)
TRUSTEE EMERITUS
H. F. Helmholz Jr., MD, FAARC
Robert M. Lawrence, MD
Theodore Oslick, MD, FCCP, FAARC
CHAIRMAN OF NBRC PUBLIC RELATIONS
AND PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE
Carl Mottram, BA, RRT, RPFT, FAARC (AARC)
STAFF
Gary A. Smith, RRT (Hon), FAARC, Chief
Executive Officer and Executive Director
Lori M. Tinkler, MBA, Chief Operating Officer
and Associate Executive Director
Robert C. Shaw Jr., PhD, RRT, FAARC,
Assistant Executive Director
Melanie Thomas, Assistant Executive Director
Homer Rodriguez, RRT, Director,
International Affairs
Ami Bishop, Communications Coordinator
Scott M. Hermansen, CPA, Chief Financial
Officer
Glenda Hocker, Executive Assistant
Nancy Sachen, Administrative Assistant
HORIZONS
Second Quarter 2016
3
NEW BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBER
P
JAMES P. LAMBERTI, MD
lease help us welcome James P. Lamberti, M.D. to the Board of Trustees. Dr.
Lamberti graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
in 1980, where he was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha honor medical society. He
completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the Hospital of the University of
Pennsylvania in 1983 and completed a fellowship in Pulmonary Medicine at Boston
University Medical Center in 1985. He is board certified in Internal Medicine,
Pulmonary Disease, and Critical Care Medicine.
Dr. Lamberti has been in clinical practice since 1985 and is a founding member of Northern Virginia Pulmonary and
Critical Care Associates. He is the Medical Director of the Respiratory Care Program at Northern Virginia Community
College as well as the Medical Director of Respiratory Care Services at Inova Fairfax Hospital. In addition, he is a Clinical
Assistant Professor of Medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine and Clinical Professor of Medicine at
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine – Inova Campus.
Dr. Lamberti has held several posts for the Virginia Thoracic Society including President from 2005-2008. He was a
member of the Board of Directors of the National Association for Medical Direction of Respiratory Care (NAMDRC)
from 2003 to 2009 and 2011 to 2015. Additionally, from 2015 to present, Dr. Lamberti is serving as Secretary/Treasurer
for the NAMDRC. He is also a Fellow for the American College of Chest Physicians, and a member of the American
College of Physicians and American Thoracic Society.
Furthermore, Dr. Lamberti is consistently recognized by The Washingtonian Magazine and Washington Consumers’
Checkbook Magazine as a top rated doctor. He has also been listed as a nationally ranked specialist for Pulmonary Diseases
by U.S. News & World Report.
The NBRC is privileged to have James P. Lamberti, M.D. on the Board of Trustees. The NBRC greatly appreciates
Dr. Lamberti’s expertise and devotion to the medical, respiratory and pulmonary fields, and we welcome his influence to
the respiratory care profession during his time on the Board.
m
CONTINUING COMPETENCY PROGRAM REMINDER
Remember that participating in the Continuing Competency Program (CCP) every five years is mandatory in order to maintain NBRC credentials earned on or after July 1, 2002. The NBRC sends expiration
reminder notices to practitioners one year, 6 months, 90 days, and 30 days before their expiration, as
well as immediately upon expiration. In addition, the expiration date is printed on your credential certificate and wallet card. Information about the Continuing Competency Program is also included
in your certificate packet upon earning the credential. If a practitioner allows their credential to
expire, they will no longer be credentialed and will not be listed in the All Directory. Be sure
to keep your name, address and email up-to-date with the NBRC to ensure you receive these
important reminders.
Please visit our website at www.nbrc.org and click on Credentialed Practitioners for more
information about the Continuing Competency Program.
m
HORIZONS
Second Quarter 2016
4
THE BENEFITS OF SPECIALTY CREDENTIALS
H
Ami Bishop, Communications Coordinator
ave you ever wondered about the benefits of obtaining a specialty credential, or asked yourself “why
should I earn a specialty credential?” You completed your
respiratory care education program and earned your CRT
and/or RRT credential, so what is so special about the specialty credentials?
The simplest answer is specialty credentials go beyond
general activities, so you can demonstrate your acquired
skill level within a specialized area of respiratory care.
Employers and potential employers often use credentials as a means to identify practitioners who have demonstrated their expertise in a chosen area of practice and are
well versed in the current trends. Holding a specialty credential sets that practitioner apart from other practitioners
without a specialty credential. Additionally, some employers may offer a salary or bonus incentive for practitioners
who earn specialty credentials.
Earning a specialty credential plays an important role
in the practitioner’s sense of personal and professional
accomplishment. It may also provide an increased sense of
confidence and credibility by colleagues and patients.
The NBRC offers several specialty credentials; the
Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Care Specialist, the Sleep
Disorders Specialist, the Adult Critical-Care Specialist,
the Certified Pulmonary Function Technologist and the
Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist. Let us take
a closer look at each of the specialty credentials.
NEONATAL/PEDIATRIC RESPIRATORY CARE SPECIALTY
The Neonatal/Pediatric Specialist credential is ideal
for practitioners who provide respiratory care to children
ranging from neonates and premature infants to older children. The practitioner may provide monitoring and treatment of a wide range of respiratory problems, such as cystic
fibrosis, asthma, and other pulmonary diseases.
A specialty credential in neonatal/pediatric respiratory
care is available to CRTs that have held the credential for a
minimum of one year and all RRTs.
SLEEP DISORDERS SPECIALTY
The Sleep Disorders Specialist credential is appropriate for practitioners who work in the area of polysomnography. Practitioners generally work in sleep laboratories or
centers and help identify and treat of a vast number of sleep
disorders.
The Specialty Examination for Respiratory Therapists
performing Sleep Disorders Testing and Therapeutic
Intervention is designed for CRTs that have held the credential for a minimum of six months and RRTs that have
held the credential for a minimum of three months or for
those having graduated from an accredited respiratory care
education program with a sleep add-on track.
ADULT CRITICAL CARE SPECIALTY
The Adult Critical Care Specialist credential is suited
for practitioners who care for critically ill patients or who
are staff therapists in an intensive care unit or a long-term
care facility.
The Adult Critical Care Specialty Examination program is available for RRTs that have held the credential for
a minimum of one year.
CERTIFIED PULMONARY FUNCTION TECHNOLOGIST AND
REGISTERED PULMONARY FUNCTION TECHNOLOGIST
The Certified Pulmonary Function Technologist and
Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist credentials
are ideal for practitioners who play a diagnostic role by performing pulmonary function testing to identify lung conditions or disorders.
Successful completion of the Pulmonary Function
Technologist Examination at the lower cut score leads to
the Certified Pulmonary Function Technologist credential. All graduates of accredited respiratory care education
programs, CRTs and RRTs, and some individuals with
varying levels of education and clinical experience are eligible for this credential.
All CPFTs are eligible for the advanced Registered
Pulmonary Function Technologist credential. Individuals
who hold the RPFT credential are uniquely qualified to
work in a variety of cardiopulmonary diagnostic laboratory settings. To earn the RPFT credential, eligible candidates must successfully complete the Pulmonary Function
Technologist Examination at the higher cut score.
For more information about the specialty credentials
or to apply for an examination, please visit our website at
www.nbrc.org.
m
???
HORIZONS
Second Quarter 2016
5
DID YOU KNOW? SOME QUICK FACTS ABOUT THE NBRC
Ami Bishop, Communications Coordinator
Did you know the NBRC answers hundreds of telephone and email inquiries every day? Often times the information sought is
readily available on our website at www.nbrc.org and other times personal interaction is needed such as with a phone call or email. In
any case, we hope the information in this article is beneficial and provides answers to questions you may have had about the NBRC.
?
Did you know the NBRC publishes annual examination statistics for the preceding year in the 2nd Quarter Horizons issue every year? The 2nd Quarter
Horizons issue is also the only issue that is available to the public
without the need to be an active member of the NBRC. Each
issue of the 2nd Quarter Horizons is stored in our Document
Library on our website, www.nbrc.org. The Document Library
also houses copies of NBRC presentations, detailed content
outlines, brochures and the Candidate Handbook, just to name
a few.
?
Did you know that AARC members have the option to transfer their CRCEs into
the NBRC’s Continuing Competency Program database? The AARC and
NBRC worked together last year to create a transfer system for
credentialed practitioners who are both AARC members and
subject to the Continuing Competency Program. This system
allows credentialed practitioners to transfer their CRCEs into
the NBRC’s Continuing Competency Program eliminating the
need to enter that information manually. The transfer system
became active in September 2015. Credentialed practitioners
only need to provide their AARC member number in order
to transfer any CRCEs earned during their current five-year
certification period into the Continuing Competency Program.
?
Did you know credentialed practitioners can update their contact information
such as address and email through their NBRC online account? Practitioners
can visit our website at www.nbrc.org and click on ‘Credentialed
Practitioners’ to log in to their account. Once logged in, they
can select the menu option “Change Contact Information’. The
next screen allows practitioners to change their address, email,
phone number and/or date of birth. Practitioners also have the
option to choose how they want their information displayed in
the Active Directory as well as email frequency options. If a
practitioner has a name change, they must contact the NBRC
directly. Name changes cannot be made online.
?
Did you know that most states require an NBRC credential verification before
they will issue the practitioner a license to practice? Practitioners may
request an official credential verification online at www.nbrc.org
(under the Credentialed Practitioners link) or submit a written
request including the following information:
yy Name
yy Social Security Number
Current mailing address
yy Address the letter of verification should be mailed
yy Check, money order or credit card number and expiration date ($5 for active practitioners and $20 for inactive
practitioners)
Credential verification requests submitted online will be
processed and mailed within two business days. Written credential verification requests received by mail will be processed
and mailed within 7-10 days of receipt.
yy
?
Did you know that the NBRC provides a discount for products and services to
active practitioners? It is true! An official credential verification
requires a $5 processing fee for practitioners who hold active
status or $20 for inactive practitioners. Similarly, a replacement
certificate requires a $10 fee for active practitioners or $30 fee
for inactive practitioners. Discounts are also provided for other
products such as lapel pins and patches. Keeping an active status with the NBRC also ensures that the practitioner receives
the quarterly NBRC Horizons newsletter.
?
Did you know the NBRC provides free CRT-to-Registry evaluations?
Practitioners with a valid CRT credential who did not earn a
minimum of an associate degree from an accredited advancedlevel respiratory therapy education program may be eligible for
the examinations associated with the RRT credential by meeting certain education and experience criteria. If a practitioner
is uncertain about their eligibility under the CRT-to-Registry
admission provision, they may request a CRT-to-Registry
evaluation by submitting a completed evaluation request form
along with their college transcripts to be evaluated. The NBRC
will determine the candidate’s eligibility under the CRT-toRegistry provision and send the candidate a letter with the
evaluation results.
The subjects in this article barely scratch the surface,
but we hope the information provided is helpful. More frequently asked questions can be found on our website at
www.nbrc.org under FAQS. As always, if you have any questions or concerns for the NBRC, feel free to contact us by calling 913-895-4900 or by email at [email protected]. m
HORIZONS
Second Quarter 2016
6
The following article is reprinted with permission from the author and Johnson County Community College’s The Open
Petal.
RESPIRATORY CARE
STUDENT GRADUATES
FROM BERKELEY &
RETURNS TO JCCC FOR
NEW PROGRAM
By Anne Christiansen-Bullers
After getting her bachelor’s degree at the University of
California at Berkeley, Maggie Chen decided to come back
home – not only to her parents but to the place where she
grew up: Johnson County Community College.
Chen is a student in respiratory care, a JCCC program
that instructs students to care for patients with breathing
problems such as asthma, emphysema or cystic fibrosis.
She became interested in respiratory care after participating in a research project at Berkeley. As part of her biology degree, Chen worked with researchers studying why
urban minority children had higher rates of asthma than
the general population.
The project had two positive outcomes for Chen. First,
she realized that while research was important, it wasn’t
her passion. Second, it made her realize she wanted to help
care for people instead.
“The decision then was between nursing and respiratory care,” she said.
One boy in her Berkeley study died of asthma, and
the feeling of loss contributed to her decision to specialize
in respiratory card. “One day he was there, and the next
day he wasn’t. People don’t understand the seriousness of
asthma…I know I didn’t.”
GOING BACK TO MOVE FORWARD
Chen said she gets a lot of questions as to why she
would return to a community college after graduating
from a prestigious four-year university. But to her, JCCC
has always felt like home. She and her parents, living in
Indonesia at the time, moved to Kansas when Chen was
just a toddler. Their very first stop after the airplane landed
in Kansas City was to check out their new school – JCCC.
Both parents attended classes, and Chen grew up in
the childcare center on campus. She spent every Sunday
with her parents in the Billington Library.
Eventually her parents got degrees and moved on
to master-level study, and Chen returned to JCCC as an
Olathe East High School student to earn 10 credits in
College Now.
Those credits, along with other advanced-placement
credits, allowed her to graduate Berkeley in only three
years. Still, even after a successful internship in the Bay
Area, Chen decided to come back to Olathe.
“For one thing, I realized that if I stayed in the Bay
Area, there was no way I could afford it,” she said. “And
Berkeley has a lot going for it. There are benefits in going to
Berkeley, but there are other consequences, too.”
For example, she contemplated taking a computer science class. The problem was that hundreds of students were
enrolled, she said, and on the first class meeting, she found
herself lucky to be standing near the classroom’s fire exit.
“Students were sitting on the steps, standing where
they could find room,” she said. The professor suggested to
them (without overtly saying so) that they shouldn’t come
to class due to fire-code violations.
Conversely, when she came back to JCCC, her microbiology class had less than 20 people. “I loved it,” she said.
The NBRC would like to acknowledge Maggie Chen
and all students who are graduating soon. We wish you
the best of luck in successfully completing your respiratory care programs and the credentialing examinations.
Congratulations graduates!
m
HORIZONS
Second Quarter 2016
7
REFLECTIONS …
º CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
10-problem CSE after achievement of the CRT credential.
Many candidates scheduled morning and afternoon testing
appointments on the same day while they made attempts
at the Therapist Written Examination and the 10-problem
CSE. A candidate today must pass the TMC Examination
in comparison to the high cut score before taking the
20-problem CSE. The tradeoff is that there is no Therapist
Written Examination to take.
TMC EXAMINATION RESULTS
In the fifteen months since these examination changes
were made, 8,374 people have made a first attempt at
the TMC Examination. Within this group, 7,039 (84%)
achieved the CRT credential and 6,313 (75%) became eligible to take the CSE while making the first attempt.
At least one test form has been retired, which has triggered a set of descriptive information about test scores that
first-time candidates achieved. While each form produces
its own scale of raw scores because the items differ among
test forms, the procedure that is followed during test form
assembly encourages similarities. Hence, the descriptive
information in Table 1 indicates what we expect to see
in the future while assuming that abilities of candidates
remains constant.
Based on a comparison of information shown in Table
1 to descriptive statistics from CRT test scores, I am comfortable making a series of statements about scores from
the TMC Examination.
yy Scores tend to vary through a range of about 100 points.
yy The mean test score is higher than the low cut score
and the high cut score.
yy Scores typically vary around the mean by almost 16
points.
yy Reliability of scores is as high as was observed in the
reliability of scores from the former Entry Level CRT
Examination.
The decision to continue to base scores on 140
items for the TMC Examination was linked to an
expectation that reliability would stay the same
yy The amount of error in any observed score averages 4.8
points.
yy Even the highest-scoring candidate submitted incorrect responses to some items when recalling that there
were 140 items that contributed to test scores.
n
TABLE 1. REPRESENTATIVE DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS FROM A TMC TEST FORM
Statistic
Value
Minimum score achieved by a candidate
34
Maximum score achieved by a candidate
134
Mean score
103.6
Standard deviation of scores
15.8
Reliability of scores
.91
Standard error of measurement of scores
4.8
CSE RESULTS
Across the same 15-month period described above,
7,075 people have made a first attempt at the CSE. Within
this group, 3,960 (56%) have achieved the RRT credential.
Descriptive information from a retired test form is
shared in Table 2. However, these results must be cautiously
discussed as proxies for candidates’ test scores because test
form assembly permits variability in examination elements,
which leads to varying maximum scores.
Based on a comparison of information shown in Table
2 to descriptive statistics from 10-problem CSE scores, I
am comfortable making a series of statements about scores
from the 20-problem CSE.
yy Scores tend to vary through a range of more than 200
points.
yy The mean test score is close to the cut score (272 for
one of the forms) and may fall just above or just below
depending on the test form.
It would be false to infer that CSE cut scores
remain near 272; they can vary by dozens of points
depending on the test form.
yy Scores typically vary around the mean by 26 points.
yy Reliability of scores is higher than observed in the reliability of scores from the 10-problem CSE.
The increase is encouraging to observe since it was
expected when the board decided to combine IG
and DM points into one total score.
yy The amount of error in any observed score averages
12.2 points.
yy Even the highest-scoring candidate missed some points
by skipping options with positive scores or selecting
options with negative scores when understanding that
the maximum possible score was 376.
n
n
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 »
HORIZONS
Second Quarter 2016
8
REFLECTIONS …
º CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7
TABLE 2. REPRESENTATIVE DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS FROM A CS TEST FORM
Statistic
Value
Minimum score achieved by a candidate
102
Maximum score achieved by a candidate
330
Mean of scores
268.0
Standard deviation of scores
26.0
Reliability of scores
.78
Standard error of measurement of scores
12.2
REACTIONS OF STAKEHOLDERS
NBRC staff and board members have received little in
the way of unsolicited comments about changes to the examination system. Perhaps the goal of making positive change
without causing disruptions was achieved. Ultimately, the
rates of success for candidates to become respiratory therapists who achieve CRT and RRT credentials remains the
same as they were in spite of all of the changes.
We have observed that CoARC intends to monitor
success rates linked to the TMC high cut score with an
intent to eventually establish a fair threshold for education
programs who seek accreditation and reaccreditation in the
future.
SUMMARY
The examination system associated with achievement of CRT and RRT credentials changed in multiple
ways starting January 2015. In the fifteen months since
that time, more than 4 out of every 5 candidates achieved
the CRT credential on their first attempts at the TMC
Examination. Over the same period, three out of every
four candidates became eligible to take the CSE and 5.5
out of every 10 candidates achieved the RRT credential all
while making their first attempts.
There are items and problems on both examinations
that the highest ability candidates still find challenging.
The absence of perfect scores on either examination reinforces this assertion.
The location of the cut score is in the vicinity of the
mean score from either examination. However, the cut
score will always fall below the mean TMC test score.
While the rates of success are similar to what was
observed before 2015, the accuracy of credentialing decisions is as accurate within the TMC Examination as they
were and are more accurate within the 20-problem CSE
when compared to the 10-problem CSE. We know this
based on comparisons of reliability values before and after
these changes.
m
LAMBDA BETA SOCIETY SCHOLARSHIPS REMINDER
The Lambda Beta Society will once again
recognize academic excellence in respiratory care by
awarding scholarships at their annual reception at the
AARC International Congress. Lambda Beta is the
academic honor society for respiratory care and has
over 8,000 members in 150 chapters affiliated with
accredited respiratory care education programs. Each
year, the Lambda Beta Society awards scholarships
to recognize and encourage academic excellence in
respiratory care. More details are available on the
Lambda Beta website, www.lambdabeta.org.
There are three scholarships/awards available
– the H. Frederic Helmholz, Jr., MD Scholarship
($2,500), the CoARC Stephen P. Mikles, EdS, RRT,
FAARC Media Award ($2,000), and the NBRC/
Hill Leadership Award ($2,000). In addition to the
scholarship award, all scholarships/awards include
travel expenses including one night’s hotel stay (up
to $750) to the 2016 International Congress held in
San Antonio, Texas, October 15-18, 2016 provided
by NBRC and registration to the Congress provided
by AARC. Information concerning the
scholarships/awards will be updated late
February/early March on the Lambda
Beta website at www.lambdabeta.org.
Scholarship packets are due in the Lambda
Beta Executive Office electronically no
later than May 31, 2016. THE APPLICATION DEADLINE IS
MAY 31, 2016.
DON’T FORGET TO APPLY!
By applying for one of these awards you can
help the Lambda Beta Society, as well as the
NBRC, support respiratory care education and
credentialing-related research, while obtaining
funding for your continued study. The NBRC plans
to continue to support the Lambda Beta Society
in providing these recognition awards as part of
our efforts to support the growth and success of
respiratory care in the future.
m
HORIZONS
Second Quarter 2016
9
2015 EXAMINATIONS IN REVIEW
I
n 2015, the NBRC Board of Trustees continued to focus its efforts on ensuring that examination candidates experienced the
best possible testing service. Throughout 2015, 28,108 appointments were scheduled online, constituting 93.76% of all examinations scheduled. Examination appointments continue to be offered daily, Monday through Saturday, with morning and afternoon
testing sessions at over 190 locations through our testing agency.
The NBRC awarded a total of 14,703 new CRT, RRT, CPFT, RPFT, Neonatal/Pediatric Specialty, Sleep Disorders Specialty,
and Adult Critical Care Specialty credentials in 2015. A total of 28,645 examinations were administered. The charts that follow
present the pass/fail statistics for the respective NBRC examination programs for the past three years.
CRT Credential
RRT Credential
The NBRC administered 13,953 TMC Examinations in
2015. Six thousand seven hundred sixty (6,760) individuals
passed the examination and earned the CRT credential. The
following displays historical pass rate information:
The RRT credential is earned by successfully completing
the Therapist Multiple-Choice (TMC) Examination at the
high cut score and the Clinical Simulation Examination (CSE).
In 2015, 13,953 individuals attempted the Therapist MultipleChoice Examination and 12,237 candidates attempted the
Clinical Simulation Examination. Six thousand one hundred
and sixty-seven (6,167) individuals earned the Registered
Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential by successfully completing both examinations. The following displays historical
pass rate information:
2013
2014
2015
CRT Examination –
Advanced Program Graduates
New Candidates
81.5%
81.8%
N/A
Repeat Candidates
26.6%
25.9%
N/A
CRT Examination –
Entry-Level Program Graduates
2013
New Candidates
66.7%
66.7%
N/A
Repeat Candidates
14.6%
10.9%
N/A
Therapist Multiple-Choice Examinations
2014
2015
Written Registry Examination
New Candidates
68.6%
66.7%
N/A
Repeat Candidates
34.0%
34.2%
N/A
Therapist Multiple-Choice Examinations –
High Cut
New Candidates
Low Cut
N/A
N/A
85.0%
New Candidates
N/A
N/A
76.5%
High Cut
N/A
N/A
76.5%
Repeat Candidates
N/A
N/A
34.2%
Low Cut
N/A
N/A
52.8%
New Candidates
62.7%
61.4%
55.8%
High Cut
N/A
N/A
34.2%
Repeat Candidates
49.1%
49.7%
43.2%
Repeat Candidates
Clinical Simulation Examination
CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 »
2016 ANNUAL RENEWAL REMINDER
Renew now to utilize the benefits of keeping your status active.
Holding active status in the national groups of practitioners credentialed by the NBRC means you care about
protecting your professional future. Your annual renewal fee helps the NBRC work for uniform licensure and develop
examinations that uphold the standards of the respiratory care profession. Active status provides you with numerous benefits including an online subscription to NBRC Horizons, an informative quarterly newsletter communicating
credentialing developments and an annual gift of appreciation, just to name a few.
To renew your 2016 active status online and update your contact information, please visit the NBRC’s website at
www.nbrc.org or contact the Executive Office at 913.895.4900 or by email at [email protected]. m
HORIZONS
Second Quarter 2016
10
2015 EXAMINATIONS …
º CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
Pulmonary Function Technologist Examinations
Sleep Disorders Specialty Examination
From January 1 through May 31, 2015, one hundred thirtynine (139) candidates attempted the CPFT Examination, with
80 individuals earning the Certified Pulmonary Function
Technologist credential. During that same period, fifty-seven
(57) candidates attempted the RPFT Examination, with 39
CPFTs achieving the advanced RPFT credential.
From June 15 through December 31, 2015, two hundred
nine (209) candidates attempted the Pulmonary Function
Technologist (PFT) Examination, with 112 individuals earning the CPFT credential and 62 individuals achieving the
RPFT credential. During the entire year of 2015, one hundred
ninety-two (192) candidates earned the CPFT credential and
101 candidates earned the RPFT credential.
One hundred and ten (110) CRTs and/or RRTs attempted
the Sleep Disorders Specialty Examination in 2015. Ninetythree (93) practitioners earned the CRT-SDS or RRT-SDS
credential.
2013
2014
2015
New Candidates
67.8%
73.4%
66.7%
Repeat Candidates
54.3%
38.2%
35.0%
CPFT Examination
2013
2014
2015
Sleep Disorders Specialty Examination
New Candidates
91.3%
94.5%
87.6%
Repeat Candidates
66.7%
57.1%
61.5%
Adult Critical Care Specialty Examination
Eight hundred fifty-nine (859) RRTs attempted the
Adult Critical Care Specialty Examination in 2015. Six hundred twenty-nine (629) practitioners earned the RRT-ACCS
credential.
2013
2014
2015
Adult Critical Care Specialty Examination
RPFT Examination
New Candidates
56.5%
58.3%
78.9%
New Candidates
87.7%
81.8%
79.0%
Repeat Candidates
46.4%
51.3%
47.4%
Repeat Candidates
47.4%
50.5%
44.8%
Pulmonary Function Technologist Examination
New Candidates
Low Cut
N/A
N/A
77.2%
High Cut
N/A
N/A
37.2%
Low Cut
N/A
N/A
46.9%
High Cut
N/A
N/A
12.8%
Repeat Candidates
Neonatal/Pediatric Specialty Examination
One thousand eighty-one (1,081) CRTs and/or RRTs
attempted the Neonatal/Pediatric Specialty Examination in
2015. Seven hundred sixty-one (761) practitioners earned the
CRT-NPS or RRT-NPS credential.
2013
2014
2015
Neonatal/Pediatric Specialty Examination
New Candidates
71.1%
69.7%
78.3%
Repeat Candidates
45.1%
47.1%
44.0%
The Board of Trustees extends congratulations to the respiratory care professionals who earned the 14,703 new credentials
awarded by the NBRC in 2015! At the end of 2015, the total
number of NBRC credentials awarded was 416,181. The addition of 6,760 new CRTs in 2015 increased the total number of
CRT credentials awarded to 235,837. With the 6,167 individuals who earned the RRT credential in 2015, the total number
of RRTs was 147,505. The number of individuals holding the
CPFT credential totaled 13,181 and 4,465 CPFTs have also
earned the RPFT credential. The number of CRTs and/or
RRTs now recognized as Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Care
Specialists totaled 13,177 and those CRTs and/or RRTs recognized as Sleep Disorders Specialists now totaled 398. The number of RRTs who have earned the Adult Critical Care Specialty
credential totaled 1,618 at the end of 2015.
m
HORIZONS
Second Quarter 2016
11
2015 RECREDENTIALING
The NBRC commends the following individuals for their commitment to excellence and the initiative they have demonstrated
to voluntarily evaluate their continued competence by passing an examination in 2015 for recredentialing.
m
ACCS CREDENTIAL
LAST NAME
DWAN
FIRST NAME
JOSEPH
CRT CREDENTIAL continued
CITY
BEAVERCREEK
STATE
OR
CRT CREDENTIAL
LAST NAME
ARINDER
FIRST NAME
STEVE
CITY
STATE
MERIDIAN
MS
ARTHUR
SUSAN
METAIRIE
LA
BATCHELLER
DAVID
JACKSONVILLE
FL
BENSCOTER
KATHERINE
NAPA
CA
BRONSON
JAMES
BOWLING GREEN
KY
BUSSEY
DAWN
WILLOUGHBY
OH
BUTCHKI
APRIL
UNIONTOWN
PA
CALLIHAN
JEFFREY
MOREHEAD
KY
CARLSON
LEAH
TRENTON
FL
CHANG
DAVID
MOBILE
AL
CHRISTMON
KIMBERLY
JOELTON
TN
CLARK
JENNIFER
SEATTLE
WA
COREAS
KELLY
WEST COVINA
CA
CRAIL
JACOB
FULLERTON
CA
DESHOTEL
JOHN
EUNICE
LA
DILLARD
GARY
SYLVA
NC
LAST NAME
FIRST NAME
CITY
STATE
PIPPIN
GLENDA
CARTHAGE
RODRIGUEZ
JULIO
COOPER CITY
MO
FL
RYE
KATHY
RUSSELLVILLE
AR
SANDERS
BRIAN
PERRYSBURG
OH
SCHOELLKOPFF
ANN
MEDFORD LAKES
NJ
SHANK
STEFANIE
LOWER BURRELL
PA
NC
SHEPPARD
PERRY
CLEMMONS
SIBBERSON
RAYMOND
THE VILLAGES
FL
SMITH
CAROLE
ELLISVILLE
MS
SMITH
JOEY
GERMANTON
NC
STANLEY
DENNIS
IDAHO FALLS
ID
STEPHAN
PAUL
GAINESVILLE
FL
SULLIVAN
DONNA
HANSON
MA
THOMPSON
ROGER
KINGSPORT
TN
WHITE
MICHAEL
SPRING
TX
WHITEMAN
SHERRY
NEOSHO
MO
RPFT CREDENTIAL
LAST NAME
MC NEILY
FIRST NAME
SCOTT
CITY
HATTIESBURG
STATE
MS
DUNAWAY
JANICE
JOPLIN
MO
DWAN
JOSEPH
BEAVERCREEK
OR
EDWARDS
TONYA
WEATHERFORD
TX
FERRERI
TINA
DENVER
CO
BATCHELLER
DAVID
JACKSONVILLE
FL
FORTIER
WAYNE
VACAVILLE
CA
BENSCOTER
KATHERINE
NAPA
CA
RRT CREDENTIAL
LAST NAME
FIRST NAME
CITY
STATE
FREUND
CONNIE
PRARIE VILLAGE
KS
CARLSON
LEAH
TRENTON
FL
GOODWIN
ANNETTE
MUNCIE
IN
CHANG
DAVID
MOBILE
AL
GULLIFORD
DERYL
HENNESSEY
OK
CHRISTMON
KIMBERLY
JOELTON
TN
HANLEY
TIMOTHY
N. CHARLESTON
SC
DILLARD
GARY
SYLVA
NC
HARWOOD
ROBERT
CONYERS
GA
DUNAWAY
JANICE
JOPLIN
MO
HENSLEE
JENNY
WESTERVILLE
OH
DWAN
JOSEPH
BEAVERCREEK
OR
HIGGINBOTHAM
MALLORY
PORTLAND
TN
EDWARDS
TONYA
WEATHERFORD
TX
JOSEPH
WINDA
CHILLICOTHE
OH
FERRERI
TINA
DENVER
CO
LAWRENCE
JEFF
ABILENE
TX
FREUND
CONNIE
PRARIE VILLAGE
KS
LITCHFIELD
PAMELA
POINT PLEASANT
WV
MC NEILY
SCOTT
HATTIESBURG
MS
MC CAMMON
JEFFREY
PORTAGE
IN
MERENDINO
DIANA
SHREVEPORT
LA
MC NEILY
SCOTT
HATTIESBURG
MS
MERRITT
MARK
HIGHLANDS RANCH
CO
MCKENNEY
KEN
BOWLING GREEN
KY
MILLER
WILLIAM
ANTELOPE
CA
MERENDINO
DIANA
SHREVEPORT
LA
PERSING
GARY
BROKEN ARROW
OK
MERRITT
MARK
HIGHLANDS RANCH
CO
PIPPIN
GLENDA
CARTHAGE
MO
MILLER
ANNE
SIMPSONVILLE
SC
RYE
KATHY
RUSSELLVILLE
AR
MILLER
WILLIAM
ANTELOPE
CA
STANLEY
DENNIS
IDAHO FALLS
ID
MULDROW
TERESA
INDIANAPOLIS
IN
STEPHAN
PAUL
GAINESVILLE
FL
MULLINS
JAMES
WISE
VA
THOMPSON
ROGER
KINGSPORT
TN
PERSING
GARY
BROKEN ARROW
OK
WHITEMAN
SHERRY
NEOSHO
MO
HORIZONS
Second Quarter 2016
12
CREDENTIALED PRACTITIONERS BY STATE
A
s of the date of this publication, the NBRC has awarded 418,584 credentials to individuals in the United States and abroad.
The following table lists the demographics of where these practitioners reside. The listing reflects the number of CRTs,
RRTs, CPFTs, RPFTs, Neonatal/Pediatric Care Specialists, Sleep Disorders Specialists, and Adult Critical Care Specialists in
each of the 50 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
When reviewing the “Total Practitioners” column, it is important to realize that many practitioners hold multiple credentials. For example, all RRTs are also recognized as CRTs and all RPFTs are also recognized as CPFTs. Similarly, all Neonatal/
Pediatric Respiratory Care Specialists and Sleep Disorders Specialists are also recognized as CRTs and/or RRTs, and all Adult
Critical Care Specialists are also recognized as RRTs. The “Total Practitioners” column approximates the number of individual
practitioners who reside in a state and is not a summation of the credentialed national groups.
In addition to the information provided for each state, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, the NBRC also has record of
approximately 1,259 credentialed practitioners who reside in other countries or have U.S. Military overseas addresses.
The information presented in this table is based on the most current address information in the NBRC database. Please keep
us informed if you move so we can update your address. You may also change your address online at www.nbrc.org.
m
STATE
CRT
RRT
CPFT
RPFT
NPS
SDS
ACCS
STATE
TOTAL
STATE
CRT
RRT
CPFT
RPFT
NPS
SDS
ACCS
STATE
TOTAL
AK
290
155
25
9
39
2
3
293
NC
6,452
4,826
302
107
391
10
77
6,500
AL
3,465
2,057
148
51
146
2
7
3,515
ND
688
504
47
20
15
4
3
688
AR
2,810
1,356
98
33
148
7
10
2,822
NE
1,827
1,371
79
30
74
4
5
1,842
AZ
6,091
3,376
223
78
160
10
24
6,172
NH
738
449
64
21
43
1
7
754
CA
27,803 15,882
1,375
570
1,932
27
265
28,299
NJ
4,817
3,017
390
146
417
3
37
4,870
CO
3,712
2,378
280
100
229
19
34
3,804
NM
1,525
982
86
30
131
14
21
1,534
CT
2,405
1,567
193
80
136
7
13
2,440
NV
2,060
1,193
92
28
149
4
13
2,084
DC
217
120
13
5
10
0
0
223
NY
9,472
6,687
807
269
804
19
67
9,637
DE
714
536
48
20
79
0
5
719
OH
10,963
7,832
595
165
468
21
57
11,022
FL
16,032
9,896
895
290
734
24
87
16,259
OK
2,939
1,663
91
26
147
8
87
2,963
GA
7,499
5,271
458
157
471
3
60
7,655
OR
2,544
1,614
130
43
123
8
13
2,576
HI
746
541
56
17
87
1
9
765
PA
10,130
6,537
969
306
616
31
68
10,286
IA
2,193
1,387
82
28
88
2
16
2,213
PR
252
87
32
10
27
0
0
255
ID
1,174
733
62
18
47
1
4
1,177
RI
701
384
41
6
22
0
7
708
IL
9,497
5,127
430
128
610
3
102
9,586
SC
3,590
2,543
135
40
136
7
22
3,612
IN
6,058
3,941
274
97
310
12
60
6,088
SD
693
487
53
23
21
0
2
699
KS
3,180
2,125
151
41
132
7
9
3,205
TN
5,862
3,643
282
82
233
13
22
5,890
KY
4,695
2,354
181
70
129
10
28
4,707
TX
19,330
11,912
994
333
1,554
33
162
19,539
LA
4,767
2,515
196
71
223
31
10
4,809
UT
1,736
1,236
135
41
164
3
12
1,803
MA
3,899
2,421
207
69
243
3
22
3,948
VA
5,256
3,375
343
130
334
7
89
5,319
MD
3,928
2,505
274
99
200
1
34
4,035
VI
22
17
1
0
3
0
1
22
ME
1,001
675
80
32
57
2
3
1,017
VT
402
301
40
14
19
1
5
406
MI
8,220
6,196
377
128
162
5
28
8,280
WA
4,047
2,595
248
93
209
8
42
4,113
MN
2,854
1,815
257
57
246
5
17
2,924
WI
3,916
2,414
240
96
146
0
16
3,950
MO
5,534
3,371
258
70
199
8
35
5,585
WV
2,052
1,199
120
41
65
5
13
2,066
MS
3,353
1,710
96
18
93
13
8
3,364
WY
434
250
25
10
11
1
8
439
MT
864
525
66
21
59
2
3
885