Reading a single study on early mobilisation
NMC OSCE practice station
Evidence-based practice · 1 min to read · 10 min to perform
A written station. Free to try, no sign-up.
The task
You are a registered nurse on a medical ward. The ward manager has asked you to read the study summary in the folder, which reports early mobilisation for older patients, and to say what it means for your practice. In the response sheet, explain what the study found and how far the results can be trusted. Then say what you would recommend for your ward and what you would want to find out next.
What this station tests
- A confidence interval that includes no difference means the study has not shown a clear effect, whatever the headline says.
- Look at how patients were allocated, whether assessors knew the groups, and how many dropped out.
- Funding by a company that sells the product is a reason for care, not automatic rejection.
- Weigh harms such as falls as well as benefits before you recommend a change.
- Recommend a proportionate step: audit locally and look for stronger evidence.
Sources for the clinical content
- CASP UK: Critical appraisal checklists
- Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions
- NMC: The Code
An original practice scenario with invented patients. Not an exam question.