OSCE tips

Before the station

• Use the reading time. Where it is given, such as 2 minutes at AMC Clinical, write the task in your own words and decide your first three actions.
• Note the role. A nurse on a ward, a doctor in a clinic and a pharmacist in a community setting all act differently.
• Watch for the verb. "Assess", "explain" and "hand over" need different answers.

During the station

• Say it aloud. If you do a check silently, the assessor cannot mark it.
• Talk to a manikin as if it were a patient. The NMC and NMBA both say candidates should do this.
• Use the patient's words. Short, plain sentences work better than technical terms.
• Do the safe thing first. If you are short of time, make sure identity, consent and safety are covered before extras.
• Do not stop at a mistake. Correct it aloud and carry on. Dwelling on it costs time.

When you are stuck

• Say what you are thinking. "I would like to check the chart" shows reasoning.
• Return to a structure such as A to E, or identify, situation, background, assessment, recommendation.
• Ask for help in the way you would at work, if the scenario allows it.
• Take a breath at the next bell. Each station is marked on its own in most exams.

In the weeks before

• Practise against the clock. Our OSCE practice page explains how.
• Practise the exact format you will sit. See the live exams.
• Record yourself, or use a partner, to hear how you sound.
• Learn the local conventions. UK nurses use NEWS2 and SBAR, and Irish nurses use INEWS and ISBAR.

Use the OSCE checklist as a frame for your own list.

Common questions

What are the best OSCE tips?

Use reading time, say your actions aloud, keep to time, and do safety, identity and consent first.

How do I manage time in an OSCE station?

Plan your first three actions in the reading time, then practise against a clock until the order is automatic.

What should I do if I make a mistake?

Say you are correcting it and carry on. Most exams mark each station separately, so a mistake in one does not end the exam.