Evaluation and Research Advisory Committee (ERAC)

In August 2017, the NBCRNA established the Evaluation and Research Advisory Committee (ERAC) to assist the NBCRNA Board of Directors by providing oversight for project development and study design, performing data analysis, identifying and pursuing transformative outcomes, and generating reports related to the NBCRNA's credentialing programs.

Through the work of the ERAC, the NBCRNA is constantly exploring the latest technologies and staying abreast of current evidence based on their key question: What are optimal (i.e., evidence-based, valid, reliable, feasible, desirable, and viable) ways to assess and  maintain knowledge needed for initial and  continued board certification over time in CRNA practice?

The ERAC’s research focus areas and program evaluation are tightly aligned with the Board’s mission and strategic priorities. The ERAC provides recommendations to the NBCRNA Board of Directors for their review and final determination.

In 2022, the ERAC and staff co-created a research agenda using a Delphi method, which involved multiple rounds of input gathering, prioritization/rating exercises, and ensuing discussions among ERAC and NBCRNA staff to generate and refine the agenda. The agenda encompasses research questions, program evaluation ideas, and continuous quality improvement projects. While initial rounds of input gathering generated 50 potential research questions, participants were asked to take part in several surveys to achieve consensus and converge on a concentrated list of research topics. Substantial care was taken throughout the process to clearly link the research questions to specific elements of the Board’s strategic plan. After three rounds of rating the priority, feasibility, relevance, and impact, the ERAC recommended the following research agenda questions, which was approved by the NBCRNA Board of Directors, to be designed and implemented over the next three to five years:

  1. Do any of the NBCRNA credentialing programs exhibit bias against any groups (e.g., age, gender, race/ethnicity, and native language)? (Strategic Goal 1: Years 1-1c, 3-1c, 5-1c).
  2. Is the SEE providing nurse anesthesia educational program faculty useful information or are additional enhancements needed? (Strategic Goal 1: Year 3-2c; Year 5-1c).
  3. Is certificant performance comparable on CPCA and CPCA-LA; are there significant differences in perceptions among CRNA participants who complete either modality as well as their perceptions on the feasibility and acceptability of CPCA-LA? (Ongoing – Strategic Goal 1: Years 1-1a, 3-1a, 5-1a, 5-1b).
  4. What changes, if any, are needed to the CPC Program? (Strategic Goals 1 & 2: Years 1-2c; 3-1d, 3-2c, 3-2d, 5-1c).
  5. What has been the impact (on certificants and patients) of the NSPM-C since its inception? (Strategic Goal 1: Years 3-1d, 5-1c).