Assessing the Construct Congruence of the RN Comprehensive Predictor and NCLEX-RN Test Plan

Background: The 2013 NCLEX-RN (R) test plans specified an underlying general entry-level nursing ability encompassing all the tested specific categories and subcategories, as indicated by a second-order factor structure. This study attempted to verify this hierarchical factor structure in real data. Method: Data from the RN Comprehensive Predictor (R) 2013 assessment, developed by Assessment Technologies Institute using the 2013 NCLEX-RN test plans, were used to test the entry-level nursing ability secondorder factor structure by a confirmatory factor analysis technique. Results: The results indicated a good fit of the proposed factor model to the RN Comprehensive Predictor 2013 assessment data. Conclusion: The verified secondorder factor structure provides evidence for the existence of the general entry-level nursing ability, which has important theoretical implications to the development and testing of a nursing instrument or theory in nursing science research. In addition, the verified congruent factor structure provides strong evidence for the construct validity of the RN Comprehensive Predictor 2013 assessment.