Test Item Writing Competence Among Oman College of Health Sciences Nurse Faculty

<i>Background</i>: The demand for nursing faculty to deliver high-quality teaching and assessment has surged, emphasizing the need for accurate learning assessment through effective testing and outcome measurement. Yet, the literature reveals that many nursing faculty are underprepared in measurement and evaluation, lacking essential competencies in test development and often failing to follow established guidelines. While both teacher-made tests (TMT) and standardized test scores are used to inform nursing faculty what the students have learned, the validity and reliability of TMT remain a significant concern. This study, guided by Social Justice Theory, assessed nursing faculty competencies in TMT development within Oman’s College of Health Sciences, evaluating the fairness and effectiveness of these assessments based on content coverage, difficulty level, and test validity and reliability. <i>Methodology</i>: Descriptive statistics were used to portray the sample; Pearson's correlation was used to determine the relationship between TMT and committee-designed standardized end-of-semester final examinations (CDESFE). <i>Results</i>: Results showed a strong positive correlation between student scores on teacher-made tests (TMT) (<I>M</I> = 23.95, <I>SD</I> = 4.74) and committee-designed standardized exams (CDESFE) (<I>M</I> = 31.99, <I>SD </I>= 6.22), <i>r</i> (1672) =.613, <i>p</i> <.001. MANOVA analysis indicated no significant differences between TMT and CDESFE regarding best-practice guidelines and item analysis (Wilk’s Ʌ =.93, <I>F</I> (2, 21) =.78, <i>p</i> =.47, partial <i>ŋ<sup>2</sup></i> =.69). Multiple regression analysis further demonstrated that both TMT and CDESFE scores significantly predict students' overall academic achievement (<I>F</I> (2, 1671) = 2241, <i>p</i> <.001, <I>R²</I> =.73), underscoring the predictive value of both testing methods for student success. <i>Conclusion</i>: With a gap in how nurse faculty implement TMT, there are potential negative consequences on students’ progress towards licensure examination. This study contributes to nursing science and education through objective, efficient, fair, and equitable assessment measures in the classroom setting. These findings may also transfer to the clinical setting, where nursing students, staff, and faculty are assessed during and after educational sessions and workshops.