Constructing The Exams

Who Writes the CPAN® and CAPA® Examinations?

Both the CPAN® and CAPA® examinations are written by CPAN® and CAPA® certified nurses who are content experts!  Two volunteer groups of very talented individuals comprise the Exam Construction Committees.

The IWRC (Item Writer/Review Committee) writes and reviews all examination questions.  The ERC (Exam Review Committee) review and edits, as needed, drafts of all CPAN® and CAPA® examinations prior to their printing and administrations.

Each of these committees is selected to represent the demographics of the CPAN® and CAPA® candidate base.  In other words, members of each committee bring a diverse educational, practice setting, role, and geographical representation across the country. 

All members of the committees have attended an Item Writing Workshop, held each year in conjunction with the ASPAN National Conference.  Here participants learn the ABC’s of how to write multiple choice questions for the CPAN® and CAPA® certification examinaions.  Each year new individuals are invited to partifcipate on either the CPAN® or CAPA® IWRC.

One of the committee members has written an article about her experience as a first-time member of the IWRC – Click here to read this story! 

To learn more about the benefits of this volunteer opportunity, click here.

Members of the 2007 IWRC

Kathy Paskewitz, RN, CPAN (Chair), Manchester, MD
Valerie Gillis, RN, CPAN (Chair Elect), Redmond, WA
Lori Crosby, CAPA, Jamestown, NY
Bonnie Crumley Aybar, RN, CPAN, Concord, NH
Carolyn Jones, RN, CPAN
Pamela Guarin, RN, CPAN
Patricia Gatto, BSN, RN, CPAN
Mike Adams, BSN, RN, CPAN
Elisa Haynes, BSN, RN, CPAN
Tonia Bordignon, BSN, RN, CPAN, CAPA
Nadine Walsworth, RN, CPAN, CAPA
Gail Kuhlman, BSN, RN, CPAN, CAPA
Ruth Joy Shiller, MS, RN, CAPA
Patricia Legg
Jane Beaudoin, RN, CPAN, CAPA

The November 2007 meeting of the IWRC was held at the Loews Portofino Hotel and Resort, in Orlando, Florida.

Exam Review Committee (ERC)

Members of the 2008 ERC**

Kathy Paskewitz, RN, CPAN (Chair), Manchester, MD
Valerie Gillis, BSN, RN, CPAN (Chair Elect), Redmond, WA
Lori Crosby, CAPA, Jamestown, NY
Bonnie Crumley Aybar, CPAN, Concord, NH
Evelyn Codd, CPAN, Morristown, NJ
Betty Gibson, CPAN, Midwest City, OK
Pamela Guarin, CPAN, Silver Springs, MD
Michele Halat, CPAN, Howell, NJ
Gail Kuhlman, CPAN, CAPA, Garner, IA
Judy Sargalis Sears, CPAN, Fairport Harbor, NY
Ruth Joy Shiller, CAPA, Richmond, TX
Linda Smith, CPAN, CAPA, Arden, NC
Cindy Terwilliger, CPAN, CAPA

** The Exam Review Committee met in January, 2008 in San Antonio, Texas to review CPAN and CAPA draft examinations.