Table of Contents
Background
Since the beginning of their decade-long partnership, PSI and the NBRC have joined forces to meet the needs of individuals who graduate from accredited respiratory care programs and seek certification in an accelerated timeframe. Within a few weeks of graduation, candidates turn to the NBRC and the solutions developed by PSI for the accessible, convenient, secure testing that is a hallmark of their professional careers. These innovation-focused organizations rely on each other to conceive and build the programs that usher in the future of respiratory care.
Challenge
The NBRC – a leader in the respiratory care industry where top therapists go to obtain the necessary certifications to work in hospitals – administers over 30,000 examinations annually to eager candidates. Selecting an assessment solution vendor with best-in-class security procedures and an expansive test center network to administer and score their global examinations was no easy task. PSI’s understanding of the critical role that reliable, efficient exam administration and scoring play in getting new graduates employed and certified to practice in their states set them apart.
Recently, the NBRC sought a state-of-the-art item banking system as a critical part of the credential maintenance program they developed internally. Beyond PSI’s customized platform for data storage and migration, it was important that they could rely on PSI, a trusted partner, to grasp the strategic business objectives behind designing and implementing the new program. Based on that understanding, PSI was able to leverage PSI Dimensions, a pioneering test generation and delivery platform, to keep the NBRC’s proprietary data secure.
PSI provides a very secure system, not only for our candidates but also for the data that we share in terms of test forms and test content.
The integrity and security of our examination program is of the utmost importance. That’s our bread and butter. PSI, as our business partner, truly understands that.
Solution
PSI utilizes innovative test administration and scoring technology to power the NBRC’s certifications and ensure a safe, smooth candidate journey. “The fact that, from the time they apply to us and we send their record to PSI, candidates can get a testing appointment in as little as two days means a lot,” says Melanie Thomas, VP of Credentialing Operations at the NBRC. “Then they are one step closer to getting a certification to practice in their state.”
With over 70 years’ experience helping certificants achieve success by delivering excellence in testing solutions, PSI has emerged as a market leader who puts the candidate experience first. As Lori Tinkler, Chief Executive Officer at the NBRC puts it, “PSI’s longevity in the testing space correlates really well with the NBRC’s expectations for customer service.” Ultimately, open communication with our trusted partners and a commitment to resolving candidate issues quickly and significantly reduces the time to successful exam completion.
Innovative Test Generation and Delivery
PSI Dimensions, a market-leading test generation and delivery engine, enables the seamless end-to-end capture and delivery of vital testing data. It allows organizations the flexibility to seamlessly integrate with their proprietary tools and platforms. “Our examination department used PSI Dimensions to develop the examinations for our initial credentialing program,” explains Thomas, “and we also started using PSI Dimensions to develop the assessments for our new credential maintenance program.”
Over 30,000 exams delivered annually
As our partner’s organizational needs evolve, PSI’s platforms are regularly updated to meet strategic growth initiatives and robust item types. Through intuitive online partner sites, clients can access customizable reports on demand. “It’s a program we developed in-house,” Tinkler says of the NBRC’s credential maintenance plan, “but it uses PSI’s item banking system to store the items, so we can effectively look at performance and see how people are doing on those assessments. What’s unique about PSI is that they can take on a project that might not necessarily be familiar to them, and we can work together to come up with a solution.”
Outcome
PSI and the NBRC are committed to pursuing the work of future focused exam delivery and scoring that enhances and protects their examination programs. “I think PSI’ll be at the forefront of emerging technology. I think they’ll have to be,” says Tinkler. “As the testing industry has changed over the last 30 years, if you’re not at the forefront you’re not going to survive.”
With the promise of bringing PSI’s expertise to bear in all phases of test development, from secure item banking and authoring to publishing, delivery, and data management, Thomas adds, “I feel like PSI will definitely be able to meet our needs in the future as far as technology and knowledge of the industry.”
As market demands shift and change, improving business performance and leveraging powerful diagnostics to drive development are paramount for forward-thinking organizations. As Lori Tinkler puts it, “I think that’s why PSI has been successful as a company, because they have been able to be at the forefront. It’s been a great relationship for us, and one that will obviously continue on into the future.”
"I think PSI will be at the forefront of emerging technology. As the testing industry has changed over the last 30 years, if you’re not at the forefront you’re not going to survive."
