title: Safety in numbers 5: Evaluation of computer-based authentic assessment and high fidelity simulated OSCE environments as a framework for articulating a point of registration medication dosage calculation benchmark.
abstract: This paper reports a key educational initiative undertaken by NHS Education for Scotland (NES), based upon recommendations from a 'Numeracy in Healthcare' consultation. We report here the design of a web-based technical measurement authentic assessment environment evolved from the safeMedicate suite of programs that provided a model for an environment within which a medication dosage calculation problem-solving (MDC-PS) benchmark could be articulated. A sample of 63 third-year pre-registration nursing students was recruited from four participating universities in the UK. A counterbalanced design was employed where the virtual authentic assessment environment was evaluated for internal consistency reliability and criterion-related validity against an objective structured clinical assessment (OSCE) undertaken in high-fidelity simulated clinical environments. Outcome measures indicated an extremely high internal consistency of the web-based environment. It was concluded that the combination of a web-based authentic assessment environment and further assessment of safe technical measurement interpretation and dexterity in a practice/practice simulation setting, populated with a benchmark and a criterion referenced rubric validated by the profession, is an innovative, viable, valid and reliable assessment method for the safe administration of medicines. As a result, the rubric for assessment of the appropriate range of calculation type and complexity informed the NMC's revised Essential Skills Clusters for Medicines Management (NMC, 2010a; NMC, 2010b). This inclusion provides a particularly strong example of both research directly influencing policy and of evidence-based regulation.
authors.affiliation: NHS Education for Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sabin
authors.forename: Keith W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Weeks
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Rowe
authors.forename: B Meriel
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Hutton
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Coben
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Woolley
mesh_terms: D019985:Benchmarking; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D054796:Drug Dosage Calculations; D004506:Education, Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D011340:Problem Solving; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012606:Scotland; D013222:State Medicine