Gasping collapse in a ward bay
RN OSCE practice station

The task

You are the RN on a hospital ward. Keith Harris, aged 62, has collapsed beside the bed. A second RN can respond; no limitation of resuscitation is documented. Recognise the emergency, demonstrate DRSABCD and hand over to arriving help. Complete the supplied practice record. Speak to the patient and describe each assessment as you perform it. A second RN is available. You have eight minutes; describe and select physical actions in this online exercise.

What this station tests

• Gasping after Keith collapses is abnormal breathing and triggers immediate resuscitation.
• The ward response is the cardiac arrest call with the resuscitation trolley and AED.
• Equipment arrival is separate from pad attachment, analysis and shock delivery.
• Handover uses actual CPR and shock times alongside the witnessed 10:00 collapse.

Sources for the clinical content

• ANZCOR Guideline 8: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
• ANZCOR Guideline 6: Compressions
• ANZCOR Guideline 7: Automated External Defibrillation in Basic Life Support
• ACSQHC: Communicating for Safety Standard

An original practice scenario with invented patients. Not an exam question.

Practise next

• Collapse in the GP treatment room
• No-shock AED prompt in residential care
• Signs of life during community resuscitation
• AED use after collapse beside a community pool
• Basic life support for a child in a clinic