Internet resources help you study for CCM exam
Guide gives overview of exam, sample questions
By Hussein Tahan, DNSc, RN, CNA
Chair
William Downey, PhD, CCM, CRC
Commissioner and Chair
Exam and Research Committee
Commission for Case Manager Certification
Rolling Meadows, IL
Commissioners with the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC) frequently are asked in many forums, such as conferences, how applicants can study and prepare for the Certified Case Manager (CCM) certification exam.
Unfortunately, that question cannot be answered directly by the commissioners due to conflict-of-interest issues. As an independent, nationally accredited organization, the CCMC cannot provide or endorse any materials such as texts or courses that are aimed specifically at helping people prepare for the CCM certification exam.
The CCMC’s policies are governed by the fact that it is the oldest and largest case management certification organization to be accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies.
Nonetheless, the CCMC provides resources on its web site (www.ccmcertification.org) that are useful for case managers who wish to become certified. Some of these resources also are of great value for other certified case managers. These resources include:
- CCM Certification Guide
- Glossary of Terms
For those wishing to become certified case managers, the first step is the CCM Certification Guide. The guide, which can be downloaded free from the CCMC web site (www.ccmcertification.org — see "Apply for Certification"), provides useful information, from an overview of the certification process to sample exam questions and a suggested reading list. The suggested reading list is not comprehensive; however, it provides candidates for the CCM exam direction as to where to start their review.
The guide explains the application process, including a description of the role of licensure or certification, work eligibility criteria, and the exam schedule. The guide also features a one-page questionnaire aimed at helping applicants determine whether their work experience is acceptable for CCM certification. It is worth noting that the CCM certification is broad-based and relevant in a variety of work settings. This wide recognition and portability is useful to case managers who frequently move from one practice setting to another.
The content of the certification exam is broadly outlined in the guide. The guide describes the six knowledge domains addressed in the exam. These were identified based on rigorous research in the practice of case management. The guide also indicates the percentage and number of questions that appear on the exam reflective of each domain. The domains (listed in order of mean importance rating) are: Processes and Relationships, Healthcare Management, Community Resources and Support, Service Delivery, Psychosocial Intervention, and Rehabilitation Case Management.
Each identified domain represents knowledge areas that are needed by case managers to perform the activities and functions typically associated with case management (i.e., assessment, planning, implementation, coordination, monitoring, evaluation, and advocacy).
The guide includes a description of each knowledge domain as well as subsets within the domain. For example, the guide states: Processes and Relationships "emphasizes knowledge of communication skills and interpersonal relationship skills. The domain requires knowledge of methods of communication necessary to facilitate outcomes, which are in the client’s best interest." Areas of preparation within this domain are listed in the guide as: case recording and documentation, clinical problem solving, critical thinking skills, case management process and tools, interviewing skills, negotiation skills, and conflict resolution strategies.
The CCMC provides another resource on its web site, which is helpful for those preparing for the CCM certification exam, as well as for already certified case managers: the on-line Glossary of Terms. This 31-page downloadable document contains more than 300 terms related to the practice of case management. The glossary is divided into several sections/clusters, including: community, disability, health and human services, insurance, legal and law, medical, rehabilitation, return to work, and miscellaneous. The glossary is not intended to be a definitive list but rather a compilation of frequently used terms in various areas of case management practice.
The glossary covers the breadth of practice areas within case management such as acute care setting, rehabilitation counseling, social work, managed care organizations, and so on. Case managers who have expertise in one area may use the glossary as a guide to understand common terms and concepts they should be aware of but happen to be outside their primary orientation/work setting. Examples from the Glossary of Terms include these listed here:
- Health and Human Services
- Assessment: The process of collecting in-depth information about a person’s situation and functioning to identify individual needs in order to develop a comprehensive case management plan that will address those needs. In addition to direct client contact, information should be gathered from other relevant sources (patient/client, professional caregivers, nonprofessional caregivers, employers, health records, educational/military records, etc.).
- Insurance
- Network Model HMO: This is the fastest growing form of managed care. The plan contracts with a variety of groups of physicians and other providers in a network of care with organized referral patterns. Networks allow providers to practice outside the HMO.
- Medical
- Comorbidity: A pre-existing condition (usually chronic) that, because of its presence with a specific condition, causes an increase in the hospital length of stay by about one day in 75% of the patients.
- Miscellaneous
- Life Care Plan: A dynamic document based upon published standards of practice, comprehensive assessment, research, and data analysis, which provides an organized, concise plan for current and future needs with associated costs for individuals who have experienced catastrophic injury or have chronic health care needs.
- Assistive Device: Any tool that is designed, made, or adapted to assist a person to perform a particular task.
The glossary was an in-depth undertaking by members of the CCMC’s Exam and Research Committee in collaboration with the other CCMC commissioners. Each of the commissioners, as an expert in a specific case management practice setting/professional discipline, researched her/his associated field and selected the terms and phrases she/he thought must be included in the glossary. Some of the terms were based on a literature review; others were based on the personal thoughts and the expertise of the individual commissioner. The compiled list of terms was then given to all commissioners for review.
Commissioners were asked to provide specific feedback about the glossary that included agreement with the definitions, inclusion in the glossary, required additions, edits, and revisions. The outcome was the glossary currently available on-line. The compilation of the glossary complements the CCMC’s commitment to remaining current and relevant to the practice of case management in its varied fields. CCMC’s Exam and Research Committee intends to review the glossary on an ongoing basis and modify it as deemed necessary.
The CCMC takes pride in its certification exam, which is administered twice annually, once in the spring and once in the fall. The exam is based on rigorous and ongoing scientific study.
To date, the examination process has been used to certify nearly 30,000 case managers since the first certification exam was given in May 1993.
The CCM exam is backed by intensive and ongoing research. It reflects the multidisciplinary nature of the case management field. Development of each iteration of the exam begins with a role and function study of the case management field, typically conducted every five years.
This major research undertaking identifies and describes areas of practice, tasks performed, required skills, and knowledge needed by case managers. Based upon the findings of the study, the CCMC exam content is analyzed to ensure it is valid, reliable, relevant, and up-to-date. (A report on the results of the most recent Case Manager Role and Function Study currently is being finalized and will become the basis of the certification exams in 2006).
The certification exam validation process does not end there. The CCMC Exam and Research Committee reviews the items/questions included in the exam at least biannually. Items are written first by experts in the field of case management during an annual item writing workshop.
Each newly written item then is reviewed for its merit and to assess its relevancy and applicability to the certification exam. It also is examined for its currency; that is, its relationship to the practice of case management. If it passes this review, it then is field-tested during an upcoming examination cycle.
Next the results of each tested item are reviewed by members of the CCMC’s Exam and Research Committee. The review includes an examination of the item’s statistical performance to measure the ability of the majority of the test takers to answer the item correctly and the relationship between the results of the item and the overall performance of the test takers.
It is worthwhile noting that the content of each item used also is evaluated in terms of its relevancy to current practices. For each item generated, CCMC keeps a hard copy of the reference used to write the item and to support the answer. The copy is maintained for the entire time an item is part of the examination process.
The CCMC Exam and Research Committee, in collaboration with the Commission as a whole, reviews the references used (or to be used) in item generation for currency, credibility, relevance, and rigor. Such ongoing review allows for the recommendation of a reading list pertinent to preparation for the examination.
The CCMC takes pride in its rigorous research activities that ensure that the CCM certification exam is the "gold standard" in the field.
For certified case managers and those who aspire to become certified, the depth of research that backs the certification exam should be a source of pride and accomplishment.
The value of the CCM certification exam is derived from the fact that it is evidence-based, backed by scientifically conducted research, and reflective of current demands and practices of the field. This makes the CCM credential highly desired in the case management field.
Certification also allows case managers to access better job opportunities by achieving an advanced level of competence in their field of practice. This competence is desired across the care continuum, by patients, health care providers and executives, and payers.
There also are indications in the market of a rising number of employers who value case management, evidenced by the number of advertisements for case management jobs that ask for certification in case management — either as a requirement or a preferred condition to employment.
For the case manager seeking to become certified, the integrity of the exam is paramount. As certified case managers recognize, certification speaks volumes about their credentials, experience, and professionalism. Through certification, case managers distinguish themselves by their commitment to continuing education, professional development, and adherence to a strict Code of Professional Conduct as required by CCM certification.
Further, they recognize the importance of certification as a means to set standards in the profession, mainly for the benefit and protection of the consumer.
(Hussein A. Tahan, DNSc, RN, CNA, is the chair of the CCMC, the first and largest case management certifying organization to be accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies.
Tahan also is the director of nursing for cardiovascular services and care coordination at Columbia University Medical Center, New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. Additionally, he is the co-author of The Case Manager’s Survival Guide: Winning Strategies for Clinical Practice.
William Downey, PhD, CCM, CRC, is a commissioner and chair of the Exam and Research Committee of the CCMC.
He also teaches rehabilitation counseling and case management at the college of education at the University of Arizona in the department of special education, rehabilitation, and school psychology.)
Commissioners with the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC) frequently are asked in many forums, such as conferences, how applicants can study and prepare for the Certified Case Manager (CCM) certification exam.You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
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