OSCE The objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is a practical exam for nurses and midwives trained outside the European Union (EU) / European Economic Area (EEA) designed to test theoretical knowledge of nursing applied to clinical practice in the UK.
Purpose OSCE is primarily used to assess focused clinical skills such as history taking, physical examination, diagnosis, communication, and counseling.
OSCE structure
The OSCE has 10 stations:
- Four stations are linked together around a scenario: the APIE (one station for assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation)
- Four stations to test skills (two pairs of two skills)
- Two stations to assess the candidate’s values and behaviors and evidence-based practice.
OSCE Attempt Validity Healthcare professional coming to the UK for a nursing or midwifery role has up to three months, from the employment start date noted on their certificate of sponsorship (CoS), to sit the OSCE exam. During this time, they can be legally employed as a pre-registration candidate.
Approved OSCE test providers:
- Oxford Brookes University
- University of Northampton
- Ulster University
- Northumbria University
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Nursing OSCE APIE (assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation) stations:
Nursing OSCE skills stations:
Fees
The fee for the OSCE is £794. The reduced resit fee is £397 if you need to resit 7 or fewer stations.
Preparing for your OSCE
Material for OSCE preparation:
- The Code – these are the professional standards that everyone on our register must uphold throughout their practice.
- Test of Competence 2021: the OSCE information booklet for nurses
- Test of Competence 2021: the OSCE information booklet for midwives
- Preparing for your OSCE All Nursing fields (2021)
- Preparing for your OSCE Midwifery (2021)
For all other preparation materials: Test of Competence 2021: preparation materials