Biomedical subjects

Thomas R O'Neill

Publications and source records attributed to Thomas R O'Neill.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Using paired comparisons to create the semantic construct of frequency.

Using a paired comparison data collection procedure and a one-faceted Rasch model, a stable construct of frequency is derived using 43 non-numeric quantitative descriptors, such as never, almost never, rarely, sometimes, often, etc. This construct is acontextual in that only the words or phrases were compared. The raters were not supplied with any particular context. To make the paired comparison survey more manageable certain assumptions were made that would result in a sparse, but connected 43 x 43 data matrix. Three hundred ninety-six pairs were selected and each pair was assigned to one of two forms. The quality control procedures to detect pair-order effects, fatigue effects, aberrant raters, model misfit, etc. are discussed. The results were mapped onto a continuum, which seems to represent the common understanding of frequency using non-numeric quantitative descriptors. These results have implications for how many different strata of frequency people can reliably differentiate in spoken language. This study can also serve as a primer for using paired comparision data collection procedures with the Rasch model and the methodology can easily be applied to other similar semantic continua. This study used a small sample and the pool of raters was not very diverse, therefore future studies should further consider those issues.

Humans↗

PubMed2005

Recommending a minimum English proficiency standard for entry-level nursing.

When nurses who are educated internationally immigrate to the United States, they are expected to have English language proficiency in order to function as a competent nurse. The purpose of this research was to provide sufficient information to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) to make a defensible recommended passing standard for English proficiency. This standard was based upon the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A large panel of nurses and nurse regulators (N = 25) was convened to determine how much English proficiency is required to be minimally competent as an entry-level nurse. Two standard setting procedures, the Simulated Minimally Competent Candidate (SMCC) procedure and the Examinee Paper Selection Method, were combined to produce recommendations for each panelist. In conjunction with collateral information, these recommendations were reviewed by the NCSBN Examination Committee, which decided upon an NCSBN recommended standard, a TOEFL score of 220. Because the adoption of this standard rests entirely with the individual state, NCSBN has little more to do with implementing the standard, other than answering questions and providing documentation about the standard.

Communication Barriers↗

PubMed2005

Re-evaluating the NCLEX-RN passing standard.

Setting passing standards is a critical component of the NCLEX examination process. This research was conducted to provide sufficient information to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing's (NCSBN) Board of Directors to,make a decision regarding the passing standard of the NCLEX-RN. This article illustrates the standard setting process that NCSBN uses. Surveys of educators and employers, a modified Angoff procedure, the Beuk compromise, and global assessments by content experts were methods used. The Rasch model and a presumed ability distribution were used as the framework to integrate these diverse perspectives regarding minimal competence. The revised passing standard was -0.28 logits. For many of the minimal competence estimates, the author did not have authorization to release the information. In those instances, estimates and results were fabricated to be similar to the actual results, yet different enough as to not disclose confidential information. The fabricated results are clearly marked. In conclusion, a variety of approaches, sources, and perspectives are necessary for the establishment of fair and appropriate standards on the NCLEX-RN.

Clinical Competence↗

PubMed2002

Examining item difficulty and response time on perceptual ability test items.

This study examined item calibration stability in relation to response time and the levels of item difficulty between different response time groups on a sample of 389 examinees responding to six different subtest items of the Perceptual Ability Test (PAT). The results indicated that no Differential Item Functioning (DIF) was found and a significant correlation coefficient of item difficulty was formed between slow and fast responders. Three distinct levels of difficulty emerged among the six subtests across groups. Slow responders spent significantly more time than fast responders on the four most difficult subtests. A positive significant relationship was found between item difficulty and response time across groups on the overall perceptual ability test items. Overall, this study found that: 1) the same underlying construct is being measured across groups, 2) the PAT scores were equally useful across groups, 3) different sources of item difficulty may exist among the six subtests, and 4) more difficult test items may require more time to answer.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Recommending a minimum English proficiency standard for entry-level nursing.

The purpose of this research was to provide sufficient information to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) to make a defensible recommended passing standard for English proficiency. This standard was based upon the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A large panel of nurses and nurse regulators (N = 25) was convened to determine how much English proficiency is required to be minimally competent as an entry-level nurse. Two standard setting procedures were combined to produce recommendations for each panelist. In conjunction with collateral information, these recommendations were reviewed by the NCSBN Examination Committee, which decided upon an NCSBN recommended standard, a TOEFL score of 220.

Communication Barriers↗