An investigation into the validity and reliability of an instrument for the assessment of clinical performance during work integrated learning of emergency medical care students at the University of Johannesburg

Abstract

Background - As emergency medical care students approach the exit level of their four-year qualification, additional focus get placed on assessment of their ability provide patient care in the real world pre-hospital emergency care environment. Upon graduation, there is no opportunity for newly graduated emergency care practitioners to complete an internship programme. The assessment of clinical competence is therefore regarded as a critically important and invaluable activity within the academic unit. Academic staff within the Emergency Medical Care department at UJ recognised the need for the development of a standardised assessment instrument to purposefully assess pre-hospital clinical performance and developed an assessment instrument referred to as the University of Johannesburg Clinical Performance Assessment Instrument (UJ CPAI). Having developed the UJ CPAI it became necessary and important to scientifically investigate and evaluate the extent to which the CPAI (as a newly developed instrument) meets the requirements of what is considered to be a "good assessment instrument". For this reason investigation of the validity, reliability and end-user support for the implementation of the UJ CPAI became the central aim and focus of this study.