NR 537 Test Construction

13 August 2024

NR 537 Test Construction: Creating Effective Assessments for Comfort Care in Terminal Cancer Patients

Jennie Long Chamberlain College of Nursing March, 2020

Introduction

Test construction is a critical aspect of nursing education, particularly when it pertains to sensitive and essential topics such as comfort care for terminal cancer patients. The ability to create assessments that accurately measure students' understanding and application of concepts related to palliative care is crucial in ensuring that future nurses are well-prepared to provide compassionate and effective care. This essay explores the process of constructing a test for first-year medical/surgical students focused on comfort care for terminal cancer patients, in line with the course outcomes.

Course Overview

The unit on comfort care for terminal cancer patients is designed to introduce first-year medical/surgical students to the fundamental aspects of palliative care. The emphasis is on planning, assessing, and evaluating evidence-based interventions that ensure the comfort of terminally ill adults. This unit is consistent with the course description, focusing on maintaining the comfort and dignity of patients through various strategies, including maintaining activities of daily living (ADLs), non-pharmacological and pharmacological pain management, and providing emotional support.

Test Blueprint

A well-structured test blueprint is essential in guiding the creation of a comprehensive and balanced assessment. For this unit, the test will have a total of 100 points, with each question valued at 5 points. The test content is divided into four main areas, each aligning with specific course outcomes:

  1. Activities of Daily Living (ADLs):
    • Course Outcome #1: Explains the importance of maintaining ADLs in terminal cancer patients.
    • Content Weight: 20 points (4 questions)
  2. Non-Pharmacological Interventions:
    • Course Outcome #2: Applies non-pharmacological methods to enhance patient comfort.
    • Content Weight: 20 points (4 questions)
  3. Pharmacological Interventions:
    • Course Outcome #3: Utilizes medications effectively to manage pain and other symptoms.
    • Content Weight: 30 points (6 questions)
  4. Emotional Support:
    • Course Outcome #4: Appraises the emotional needs of terminal cancer patients and provides appropriate support.
    • Content Weight: 30 points (6 questions)

This blueprint ensures a balanced assessment that covers all critical areas of comfort care, enabling students to demonstrate their knowledge and application of both practical and emotional aspects of patient care.

Keywords and Focus Areas

When constructing test questions, it is important to include keywords and scenarios that reflect real-world challenges and considerations in palliative care. For this unit, keywords such as “ICU palliative care guidelines,” “signs an ICU patient is dying,” “end-of-life care in ICU,” “comfort care in ICU,” and “management of critical illness patient towards life of end care” should be integrated into the questions. These keywords will help ensure that students are not only recalling information but are also critically thinking about how to apply their knowledge in a clinical setting.

Test Question Examples

Below are examples of test questions that align with the blueprint and course outcomes:

  1. Activities of Daily Living (ADLs): Question: “Explain the importance of maintaining ADLs in terminal cancer patients and provide two evidence-based strategies to support these activities.”
  2. Non-Pharmacological Interventions: Question: “Discuss three non-pharmacological interventions that can be employed to enhance the comfort of a terminal cancer patient in the ICU.”
  3. Pharmacological Interventions: Question: “Utilize a case study to describe the process of titrating opioid medication for a terminal cancer patient experiencing breakthrough pain.”
  4. Emotional Support: Question: “Appraise the emotional challenges faced by terminal cancer patients and suggest two strategies for providing effective emotional support.”

Conclusion

The construction of a test for first-year medical/surgical students on comfort care for terminal cancer patients requires careful consideration of the course outcomes and the complexity of palliative care. By aligning the test blueprint with the key content areas and including real-world scenarios, educators can create assessments that not only measure knowledge but also encourage critical thinking and application. This approach ensures that future nurses are well-prepared to provide the highest level of comfort and care to their terminally ill patients