OSCE nursing exam for students

Pick your course

• OSCE nursing: observations, medicines, assessment and handover for nursing students.
• OSCE medical school: history taking and communication for medical students.
• OSCE pharmacy: counselling and prescription stations for pharmacy students.

What is the same, and what is not

School OSCEs follow the same idea as a licensing OSCE: timed stations, an assessor and set criteria. But your school chooses the stations, the minutes, the marking and the pass rule. No national format covers all schools. Annual numbers of students sitting OSCEs are not published.

Your course handbook and teachers are the source for your own rules. Use this site for extra practice, and not as a replacement for what your school tells you.

How to use this site as a student

1. Learn what your school says about timing, stations and documents.
2. Practise each station type from OSCE stations aloud.
3. Use the checklist as a frame, not a script.
4. Practise hands-on skills with a classmate or in your skills lab, because an AI patient cannot watch technique, as explained on OSCE AI.

Read what is OSCE for the licensing exams that use the same format.

Common questions

What is the OSCE nursing exam?

Nursing students usually sit an OSCE set by their school to show practical skills. Overseas nurses may also sit a regulator's OSCE to register.

Do all schools use the same OSCE?

No. Each school sets its own stations, minutes and marking.

Can I practise for a school OSCE here?

You can practise station types such as history taking, observations and handover. Check your school's own rules for what is assessed.