Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Occupational Therapist
Registered
Executive Summary
CONTENTS
Executive Summary
Review of existing test content outline
Survey process
9-16
17
18
Summary
19
Appendix 1 - Validated domain, task & knowledge statements comprising the OTR
test blueprint
23-29
Table 2:
10
Table 3:
12
Table 4:
Table 5:
19
Figure 1:
11
13-16
About NBCOT
The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT) is the
national certification body for occupational therapy professionals in the United States.
The Mission of NBCOT is to serve the public interest by advancing client care and
professional practice through evidence-based certification standards and the validation
of knowledge essential for effective practice in occupational therapy.
Currently, 50 states, Guam, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia require NBCOT
initial certification for occupational therapy state regulation, (i.e., licensing).
NBCOT certification programs are accredited by the American National Standards
Institute (ANSI) and the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). NBCOT
is a member of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE).
Executive Summary
National Board for Certification in
Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT)
is a not-for-profit certifying body for
individuals with education and experience
in the practice of occupational therapy.
As with other certification programs, the
NBCOTs program aims to establish that
individuals have the knowledge necessary
to perform tasks critical for the safe and
competent practice as an entry-level
occupational therapist practicing under
U.S. jurisdiction.
In 2012, the NBCOT began the process
of reviewing the test blueprint for
the NBCOT Occupational Therapist
Registered (OTR) Examination. The
NBCOT worked with Castle Worldwide,
Inc., a certification and licensure design,
development, and administrative service
company, to ensure that its certificate
examinations meet guidelines and
standards for examination development
(e.g., Standards for Educational and
Psychological Testing, American
Educational Research Association,
1999; Uniform Guidelines on Employee
Selection Procedures, EEOC, 1978).
A number of steps were undertaken for
the analysis of the practice requirements
for newly certified occupational therapists.
First, feedback was obtained from the
existing NBCOT examination item writers,
exam development personnel, and a
review of feedback from candidates
and other persons to identify task areas
on the existing occupational therapist
test content outline that were no longer
current or duplicated in other areas of
the outline. A panel of subject matter
experts (SMEs) was then assembled.
The panel reviewed the existing material
and feedback, establishing a revised
NBCOTs program
aims to establish
that individuals
have the knowledge
necessary to perform
tasks critical for the
safe and competent
practice as an entrylevel occupational
therapist
A total of 73
occupational therapist
statements - four
domains, nine tasks,
and 60 knowledge
statements - were
incorporated into
an online practice
analysis validation
survey.
Contact procedures
The potential respondents were
contacted by email on a prescribed
schedule. All potential respondents were
assured confidentiality regarding their
participation and responses. Data was
collected and analyzed by Castle and
summary results were provided to the
NBCOT. The survey was conducted
from November 12 through December 5,
2012.
0.7%
13
Asian
8.2%
163
3.0%
60
3.8%
76
Multi-racial
1.6%
31
0.5%
10
80.1%
1,584
4.9%
97
White
Prefer not to answer
answered question
Count
Return rates
Percent
skipped question
1,977
258
Education
Of the 1,980 respondents who reported
their education, 94% reported completing
an entry-level masters degree, 2.6%
reported an entry-level doctoral degree,
and 3.2% reported an Occupational
Therapist Early Determination (OTED)
(including internationally educated). A
total of 1,942 respondents provided a
valid response concerning the year they
had completed their occupational therapy
education. The majority of respondents
reported graduating between 2009
and 2012, with the earliest graduation
reported as 19911.
1 Survey respondents were selected based on
the timeframe since initial certification. Some
respondents may have graduated well before
becoming certified.
Practice
Of the 1,976 respondents who completed
the question on current employment,
97% indicated that they were actively
working in a position that requires an
occupation therapist, less than 1% (20)
indicated working in a position other
than occupational therapy, and 2.7%
(53) reported that they were not currently
working. The majority of respondents
employed in an OT role were hourly
employed, with salaried almost equivalent
(Table 2).
Table 2.
Number and percentage of OTR
respondents by employment status
at their primary OT practice location.
Status
Percent
Self-employed
Count
2.3%
44
Salaried
41.8%
806
Hourly employed
48.7%
939
Temporary contract
4.2%
82
3.1%
59
answered question
skipped question
1,930
305
10
Figure 1.
Proportion of respondents by areas of practice for primary OT employment.
Twenty-nine percent
The average number of hours worked
was 37.5 hours per week, with an almost
equal split between salaried and hourly
employment.
Twenty-nine percent of the respondents
indicated that they communicated in
languages other than English in their
primary OT employment setting. Of the
568 candidates who indicated that they
of the respondents
indicated that they
communicated in
languages other
than English in
their primary OT
employment setting.
11
Table 3.
Number and percentage of OTR
respondents by proportion of work
hours spent communicating in a
language other than English at their
primary OT practice location.
Time Spent
Percent
Count
1% 5%
47.3%
283
6% 25%
32.3%
193
26% 50%
10.7%
64
51% 75%
4.7%
28
76% 100%
5.0%
30
answered question
skipped question
598
1,637
12
Table 4.
Number and percentage of OTR respondents providing services across
diagnostic categories.
Disorders
Percent
Count
Neurological Disorders
I do not provide services to this diagnostic category.
10.4%
201
60.7%
1,173
26.0%
502
9.4%
181
Multiple sclerosis
4.8%
93
ALS
0.4%
Parkinsons
22.4%
433
Dementia
46.8%
906
4.9%
94
Cerebral palsy
22.4%
433
Low vision
13.8%
267
4.5%
87
2.7%
52
1.4%
27
Peripheral neuropathy
14.0%
270
7.2%
140
Spina bifida
answered question
skipped question
1,934
301
13
Developmental Disorders
I do not provide services to this diagnostic category.
Percent
Count
47.4%
910
Congenital anomalies
9.4%
180
Developmental delay
42.0%
807
12.7%
243
2.0%
39
Malnutrition
4.8%
92
Intellectual disability
18.6%
358
Learning disorder
15.6%
299
31.7%
608
1.9%
37
1,920
skipped question
315
Musculoskeletal/orthopedic Disorder
I do not provide services to this diagnostic category.
28.5%
545
Fractures
61.5%
1,178
26.9%
514
Osteoarthritis
42.6%
816
Tendinopathy
4.5%
87
53.6%
1,026
Sprains/strains
5.3%
102
3.8%
72
Joint replacements
answered question
skipped question
14
1,914
321
Cardiopulmonary Disorders
Percent
Count
36.5%
692
Myocardial infarction
53.5%
1,016
58.7%
1,114
58.1%
1,103
Tuberculosis
0.3%
4.5%
86
answered question
1,898
skipped question
337
22.7%
436
Schizophrenia
16.0%
307
Mood disorders
24.0%
461
Anxiety disorders
41.5%
796
Substance abuse
23.1%
443
33.0%
633
29.7%
571
Behavior disorders
32.1%
616
Personality disorders
6.2%
119
1.9%
37
answered question
skipped question
1,920
315
15
Count
29.1%
552
2.3%
44
Cancer
37.6%
714
Diabetes
48.6%
921
Rheumatoid arthritis
28.4%
538
4.2%
79
51.9%
984
Burns
3.4%
64
Lymphedema
5.3%
100
11.1%
210
1.5%
29
HIV/AIDS
Fibromyalgia
General deconditioning/debilitation
Open wounds/decubitis
Other (please specify)
answered question
skipped question
16
Percent
1,897
338
Frequency
Reliability of ratings
Criticality
Criticality was defined as:
The degree to which a member of the
public or other stakeholder would be
physically, emotionally, or financially
harmed if the OTR failed to perform
the described duties competently.
Respondents were asked to rate the
criticality of the tasks, domains, and
knowledge statements on a 4-point scale
from 1 (No Harm) to 4 (A Great Deal of
Harm). Average criticality statistics were
calculated for each task and domain.
Importance
Consistent with the Standards for
Educational and Psychological Testing
(American Educational Research
Association, 1999), an importance weight
was calculated for each respondents
ratings of a task or domain. The formula
was designed to create an importance
weight that was as straightforward as
possible and that highlighted the impact
of the consequences of failure to perform.
By emphasizing criticality, the importance
formulation that was used supports
the NBCOTs mission of protecting the
public from harm. Average importance
statistics were calculated for each task
and domain.
17
Assignment of weights
to test content outline
In January 2013, a nine-member panel
of SMEs experienced in item writing was
assembled to assign the proportion of
items to each domain assessed by the
validated test content outline.
The webinar meeting consisted of three
rounds of review of the test content
outline. For each round, the panel
members were asked to independently
determine the percentage of items they
felt should be allocated to each of the
domain areas. Following each round,
a discussion was held to review overall
average, highest/lowest ratings, and how
the ratings and average reflects the OTR
content outline. Participants were asked
to revisit the purpose of the meeting
and talk about how the ratings support
concepts. Domain 4 was identified as
an area where much of the knowledge is
infused throughout the other domains in
the document. The proportion of items
assigned to each domain was established
as 17% for Domain 1, 28% for Domain 2,
45% for Domain 3, and 10% for Domain
4 see table 5 for details.
18
Table 5.
Test blueprint for the OTR examination.
Percent
of exam
17%
Domain 02
28%
Domain 03
45%
Domain 04
10%
Summary
The 2012-13 occupational therapist
practice analysis study used wellestablished methods to describe and
validate the practice of newly certified
occupational therapists in North America.
This included:
a. A review of existing test content
material.
b. SME knowledge.
c. A large scale survey.
Respondents to the 2012 NBCOT
occupational therapist practice analysis
survey validated the tasks and domains
appropriate for inclusion on a certification
exam for entry-level occupational
therapists. The representativeness
and reliability of the survey instrument
were very good. In addition, there was
evidence to support the validity of the
domain, task, and knowledge statements.
Based on evidence,
the findings of this
study can be used
to evaluate and
support an entrylevel occupational
therapist certification
examination.
19
References
Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests.
Psychometrika, 16, p. 297-334.
De Champlain, A. F., Cuddy, M. M., & LaDuca, T. (2007). Examining
Contextual Effects in a Job Analysis: An Application of Dual Scaling.
Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, 26(3), p. 3-11.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), U.S. Civil Service
Commission, U.S. Department of Labor, and U.S. Department of
Justice. (1978). Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures.
Federal Register, 43 (166), p. 38290-38315.
Joint Committee on Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing
(American Educational Research Association, American Psychological
Association, National Council on Measurement in Education) (1999).
Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing. Washington,
D.C.: AERA.
National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). (2009). The 2008 RN
Practice Analysis: Linking the NCLEX-RN Examination to Practice.
(Research Brief Vol. 36). Chicago: Anne Wendt.
Nunnally, J. C., & Bernstein, I. H. (1994). Psychometric Theory (3rd ed.).
New York: McGraw-Hill.
21
Appendix 1
Validated domain, task and knowledge statements comprising the OTR test
blueprint
Domains are specified in bold with a two-digit number, tasks are grouped under each
domain (four-digit number), and the tasks associated knowledge statements are listed
with a six-digit number.
Code
Description
DOMAIN 1
01
0101
010101
010102
010103
010104
010105
010106
0102
010201
010202
010203
23
Code
Description
DOMAIN 2
02
0201
020101
020102
020103
0202
24
020201
020202
020203
Code
Description
DOMAIN 3
03
0301
030101
030102
030103
030104
030105
030106
Splint design and fabrication, and types, functions, and use of orthotic
and prosthetic devices based on pediatric condition(s) and task
demands
030107
030108
030109
030110
030111
25
Code
030112
030113
030114
030115
0302
26
Description
030201
030202
030203
030204
030205
030206
Splint design and fabrication, and types, functions, and use of orthotic
and prosthetic devices based on general medical, neurological, and
musculoskeletal condition(s) and task demands
Code
Description
030207
Assistive technology (i.e., high and low tech), adaptive devices, and
durable medical equipment based on client needs and general medical,
neurological, and musculoskeletal condition(s)
030208
030209
030210
030211
030212
030213
Methods for adapting and grading tasks and activities based on client
needs and medical, neurological, and musculoskeletal condition(s)
030214
0303
030301
030302
27
Code
28
Description
030303
030304
Environmental modifications to enhance community safety and wellbeing consistent with occupational roles and client needs
030305
030306
030307
Code
Description
DOMAIN 4
04
0401
040101
040102
040103
0402
040201
040202
040203
040204
040205
040206
29
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise) without prior written permission of the copyright owners.
2013 National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.
NBCOT (formerly American Occupational Therapy Certification Board AOTCB) is a service
and trademark of the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.
OTR is a certification mark of the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.
COTA is a certification mark of the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.
All marks are registered in the United States of America.