NBCOT Certification Update

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NBCOT Certification Update

• An overview of certification related information
  for students and educators.

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Topics

• About NBCOT
• Certification Examination Overview
• Submitting Your Application
• Useful Tools
• Certification Renewal
• Contact NBCOT

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NBCOT

• Initially incorporated in 1988 as the American
  Occupational Therapy Association Certification
  Board.
• 1996 changed to the National Board for
  Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.
• Governed by a Board of Directors comprised of
  occupational therapists (OTR), occupational
  therapy assistants (COTA), and public or
  consumer members.

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NBCOT

• 47 regulatory jurisdictions rely on NBCOT
  certification for licensure of Occupational
  Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants.
• Organizationally, NBCOT is accredited by the
  National Organization for Competency Assurance
  (NOCA) American National Standards Institute
  (ANSI) and U.S. Department of Labors National
  Skills Standards Board.

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NBCOT

• Our Mission
• Serving the Public Interest

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Who Are NBCOTs Public?

• Candidates
• Certificants
• Occupational Therapy Education Program Directors
• State and Regulatory Entities
• Occupational Therapy Community at Large
• Those who receive occupational therapy services
  provided by an OTR or COTA

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How Does NBCOT Serve the Public Interest?

• By developing and implementing certification
  standards.
• By developing and administering a valid and
  reliable certification examination for OTR and
  COTA candidates.
• By establishing and enforcing a
  Certificant/Candidate Code of Professional
  Conduct.

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How Does NBCOT Serve the Public Interest?

• By ensuring that practitioners who identify
  themselves to the public as being an OTR or
  COTA are eligible to do so.
• By conducting research on what are the elements
  of entry-level and ongoing practice.

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How Does NBCOT Serve the Public Interest?

• By ensuring that NBCOTs program, products, and
  services are
• In compliance with applicable state and federal
  regulations, laws and statues and
• Consistent with credentialing industry standards.

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Certification Examination Overview

• Practice Analysis
• Examination Development

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Practice Analysis Study

• For the purpose of 2003 study, entry-level means
  an OTR or COTA certificant who has been
  initially certified for 3 years or less.

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Practice Analysis

• A detailed description of practice.
• To ensure that representative linkage of test
  content to practice providing evidence of the
  examinations job relatedness or content validity.

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Practice Analysis

• A professions practice is described in
• terms of
• Domains - broadly define the major performance
  components of the profession.
• Tasks - describe activities that are performed in
  each domain. (Things practitioners do).
• Knowledge and Skill Statements - describe
  information required to perform each task
  competently.

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(No Transcript)
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OTR Test Blueprint
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COTA Test Blueprint
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How are the results used?

• The outcomes of the Practice Analysis Study are
  used to construct NBCOTs entry-level
  certification examinations.

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Implementation of 2003 Study

• Effective January 1, 2005, certification
  examinations content will be based on the test
  examination blueprints of

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Examination Development

• Certification examinations are developed based on
  a percentage of items within each of 5 domain
  areas
• Evaluation
• Intervention Planning
• Implementing Interventions
• Occupational Therapy Services for Populations
• Manage, Organize Promote Occupational Therapy
  Services

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Examination Development

• Items are written at the entry-level to determine
  minimal competency of candidates
• By occupational therapy practitioners
  educators.
• Represent various practice areas.
• Diverse geographical areas.
• Require a synthesis of information
• Combining practical application with textbook
  knowledge.

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Examination Development

• 200 multiple choice items
• 170 statistically reliable items
• Scored for pass/fail.
• Pre-equated using IRT statistics.
• 30 pre-test items
• Not scored for pass/fail status.
• Collecting statistics for future use on the
  examination.

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Application Facts

• 96 of all exam candidates registering to take
  the exam online.
• Authorization To Test (ATT) letter.
• Sent electronically by e-mail (or mailed in hard
  copy if it cannot be e-mailed).
• Is active for 90-days.
• Provides instruction on contacting Prometric
  Testing Center and scheduling the exam.

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Submitting Your Application

• Candidates can submit their applications in one
  of two ways Online using the Internet or by
  paper.
• The online application can be accessed at
  NBCOTs home page www.nbcot.org.
• After all required materials have been received
  and evaluated, the candidates Authorization To
  Test (ATT) letter will be sent to the candidate
  by e-mail or by snail mail.

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Submitting Your Application

• Candidates who submit their application online
  should
• Have access to the Internet.
• Have a valid e-mail address.
• Have Internet Explorer 5.0 and higher or
  Netscape 6.0 and higher. All versions (4.0 and
  higher) will work, but some versions of Netscape
  4.7 have been problematic.
• Have a computer connected to a printer in
  order to print the Application Receipt or
  invoice. If you are paying by check, printing
  your Application Invoice to mail with your
  payment will prevent delays in application
  processing.

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Submitting Your Application

• Candidates should not have their Transcripts
  or ACVF Forms (Academic Credential Verification
  Form) sent to NBCOT until they have submitted
  their application.
• Please note, candidates are permitted to take
  the certification examination with an ACVF on
  file with NBCOT, but an official transcript must
  be received before certification can be granted.

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Application Processing Problems

• The candidate is no longer using the e-mail
  address that was used to submit the application.
• The candidate accessed the Internet at a public
  facility, like a library, that is configured to
  Send Only and not receive mail.
• We have learned that some ISPs (Internet Service
  Providers), particularly the free ones like
  HOTMAIL, are filtering NBCOT e-mail with
  attachments. Candidates who are using one of
  these providers, should change their systems
  filter to allow e-mails coming from www.nbcot.org
  domain.

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Application Processing Problems

• A candidate does not request early determination
  character background reviewed prior to applying
  for the certification examination to determine
  eligibility to take the examination because of
  previous conditions such as
• Felony charge or conviction
• Encumbrance of professional license
• Negligence, malpractice or willful intentional
  misconduct
• Outstanding/unresolved payment issues.
• Special accommodation delays.

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Examination Administration

• Prometric Testing Center
• 350 testing sites throughout the U.S., Canada,
  Puerto Rico, and Guam.
• Testing available six days per week.
• Some sites have evening hours.
• Generally, candidates are able to schedule their
  examination at a center on the date and time of
  their choice.

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Useful Tools from NBCOT

• Certification Examination Study Guides.
• Web-based Practice Examinations.
• NEW PRODUCT Web-based content examinations
  provides feedback basis for correct and incorrect
  answers (Summer 2004).

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Study Guide Outline

• Section 1 Overview of Adult Learning
• Section 2 Effective Study Habits
• Section 3 General Test Taking Strategies
• Section 4 Specifics of NBCOT
  Examinations
• Section 5 Practice Examination with
  Answers and Rationale

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Practice Examinations

• Accessible by the Internet.
• Composed of 75 questions.
• Questions previously were used on certification
  examination.
• Predictive value has been determined to success
  on the OTR certification examination (92) new
  graduate test takers.

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Practice Area Content Examinations

• 35 questions related to specific content.
• If candidate chooses incorrect answer, they are
  provided with rationale of why answer is
  incorrect, and told the right answer with
  justification of why this is correct.
• Content areas are
• Physical Disabilities
• Mental Health
• Pediatrics

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Certification Renewal

• Phase II of the Certification Renewal requirement
  became effective in 2002.
• Class of 2002
• 39,000 certificants in the renewal class
• 33,150 renewed (85)
• Class of 2003
• 16,146 certificants in the renewal class
• 13,548 renewed (85)

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Did You Know

• 11 states currently do not have continuing
  education requirement for license renewal.
• Geographically, 22 of the United States.
• A combined total of 40 of the OTR and COTA
  population are not required to engage in
  continuing education activities for licensure
  renewal.

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Initial Certification

• Beginning in 2004, new certificants will receive
  Certification Renewal information including
  professional development materials. Prior to
  completion of the initial three-year cycle, 36
  Professional Development Units (PDUs) are needed
  to renew their OTR or COTA certification status.

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Why Renew Your Certification?

• Recognition of YOUR ongoing commitment to
  professional development.
• Signifies to the Public patients, clients,
  employers, and your peers that your status as an
  Occupational Therapist or Occupational Therapy
  Assistant is recognized nationally.
• Enhance employment opportunities and growth.
• Enhances the publics understanding on and
  reliance about Occupational Therapy professionals.

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For Additional Information

• Online at
• http//www.nbcot.org
• By Telephone [phone]
• By Mail NBCOT
• 800 South Frederick Ave., 200
• Gaithersburg, MD 20877

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Thank You