The purpose of this study was to identify the responsibilities of critical care nurse
professionals specializing in cardiac medicine as a first step in the development of a job-related certification examination. The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses-Certification Corporation (AACN-CC) requested the services of Applied Measurement Professionals, Inc. (AMP) to design and conduct a study which would provide the support necessary to develop specifications upon which a content valid certification examination could be built. AACN-CC identified the need to ensure that the examination specifications would be representative of critical care nurse
professionals who specialize in cardiac medicine.

AACN-CC appointed a Practice Analysis Committee (PAC) to conduct the activities necessary to identify cardiology nurse practitioners' responsibilities and develop examination specifications. The diversity of this group was reflective of the cardiac medicine specialty and all PAC members had demonstrated expertise in this area of critical care nursing.

The study involved development of a practice analysis survey, distribution of that survey to practitioners via the web, and an analysis of the responses. Test specifications for the nurse specializing in cardiac medicine were developed on the basis of these data.

The PAC met during February 2004 to initiate the following six tasks:
1. Developing a sampling plan
2. Identifying tasks for the survey instrument
3. Identifying classifications of core tasks
4. Determining the rating scales
5. Determining the relevant demographic variables of interest
6. Integrating demographics, rating scales, and tasks into a survey instrument

A total of 1,642 surveys were e-mailed to professionals in cardiology nursing. After reducing the sample size for undeliverable e-mail addresses (n=160), it was determined that twenty-two percent of the sample responded with surveys that were suitable for analysis (n=330). The responses to the demographic questions indicated that there were sufficient numbers of respondents in relevant groups for subsequent analysis. Approximately 99 percent of the respondents felt that the practice analysis survey at least adequately addressed the responsibilities of the cardiac medicine nursing profession. In addition, respondents used all rating scales with an acceptable level of reliability.

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