Calling from a clinic about sudden breathlessness
RN OSCE practice station

The task

You are the RN in a general practice clinic. Maria Costa, aged 45, has sudden breathlessness in the clinic. The GP is in another room and can be reached by the clinic telephone. Assess urgency, call the GP using ISBAR and arrange appropriate emergency assistance. Complete the supplied practice record. A second RN is available. The doctor can be telephoned. You have eight minutes; describe and select physical actions in this online exercise.

What this station tests

• Maria’s low saturation needs oxygen, 000 and immediate GP attendance in parallel.
• Flight, calf swelling and contraceptive use belong in the acute handover.
• Read back GP instructions and challenge a delayed response.
• Interpretation supports detailed communication without postponing emergency care.

Sources for the clinical content

• ACSQHC: Communicating for Safety Standard
• ACSQHC: Recognising and Responding to Acute Deterioration Standard
• TIS National: qualified interpreting services

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

Practise next

• Telephone escalation for worsening infection
• RN handover after a minor head injury
• Shift handover for a resident with acute confusion
• Calling for a child with increasing oxygen needs
• Telephone escalation of a falling neurological score