Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care
Resources to Assist Students in
Preparing for Credentialing Success
Monday, November 12, 2012
Bradley A. Leidich, MSEd, RRT, FAARC
Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care
Resources to Assist Programs in
Improving Pass Rates on the NBRC
Credentialing Exams
Monday, November 12, 2012
Bradley A. Leidich, MSEd, RRT, FAARC
Is your program struggling with pass rates on
credentialing exams?
Are you insistent that your curriculum
adequately prepares students for the rigors
and critical thinking that come with a
credentialing exam?
Do you have a growing repeater pool?
This presentation will identify and compare
resources available during and after program
completion for improving success on
credentialing examinations.
Credentialing Success
I am going to focus on CRT credentialing success
since this is what accreditation actions are based
on.
However, your program is an advanced level
program with a goal of producing a competent
RRT, therefore, if you are having CRT
credentialing success issues, RRT credentialing
success is probably an issue that also needs to be
addressed.
What is (CRT) Credentialing
Success
Percentage of graduates earning the NBRC’s
CRT credential compared to the number of
graduates for that cohort
 80% of total number of graduates obtaining
NBRC CRT credential (3-year average)
 Calculation: Number of graduates earning the
CRT credential (numerator) ÷ Number of
graduates (denominator)
What Causes Low Credentialing
Success?
Low participation on the NBRC examination
 Low participation may be a result of poor
performance by prior graduates
 This typically only effects RRT credentialing
success since most states require the CRT to
practice.
 Less of an issue with state licensure/legal
credentialing
What Causes Low Credentialing
Success?
Poor graduate results on the exam
 Major focus of presentation
 Do graduate and employer surveys provide
any information that may be helpful?
 Does your RAM provide any information
that may be helpful?
NBRC School Score Report
Your NBRC CRT and WRRT School Score
Reports: What Are They and How Do I
Interpret Them?
April 27, 2012
Bradley A. Leidich, MSEd, RRT, FAARC
NBRC School Score Report
Webinar Objectives:
 Describe the purpose of the NBRC School Score
Reports and how they differ from other NBRC
reports (e.g., Annual School Summary);
 Interpret the results of the school score reports for
use in revising curriculum to improve exam scores;
 Interpret the results in order to complete required
CoARC Standardized Progress Reports for
credentialing success.
School Score Report
School Score Report
Repeaters
What are you doing to assist repeaters?
 Tutoring (faculty, graduates, advisory
committee)
 Professional review courses
 Periodically offered prior to graduation
 In-service sessions
 Computer assisted instruction
Curriculum Review
Do you have:
 Sufficient didactic hours with in-depth
curriculum?
 Sufficient lab hours to prepare students to
transition into the clinical phase of the
program?
 Sufficient clinical hours to develop critical
thinking skills?
Resolving Deficiencies
 Have faculty sit for the NBRC exams to see
firsthand what is expected
 Meaningful analysis and action plan (RCS) to
resolve deficiencies
 Frequently poor with lack of depth
 Programs with 100% credentialing success
with poor first time pass rates and poor
results on the NBRC School Score Report
Resolving Deficiencies
 Include the secure NBRC CRT, WRRT, and
CSE as part of your summative evaluation
prior to graduation
 Require passing exams to successfully
complete the program and graduate
 Get your advisory committee involved
Menu for Success
 Cohort of qualified applicants
 Selective/competitive admission versus an
open door policy
 Is your admission criteria reasonable?
 Size of your applicant pool
 Large applicant pool frequently weeds
out less qualified applicants
Menu for Success
 Qualified faculty
 Well defined curriculum (didactic, lab, and
clinical)
 Well defined outcomes/expectations
Menu for Success
 Perform a detailed analysis and action plan
following exam results
 Increasing repeater pool is indication that
you haven’t resolved your issues
 Consider that maybe your curriculum isn’t
up to par or faculty aren’t teaching to your
expectations
Menu for Success
Have an open mind…
Assessment
Required by regional accreditation
 Curricular assessment
 Program assessment
baleidic@hacc.edu
Senior Professor Emeritus
Harrisburg Area Community College
Harrisburg, PA
Thank you!