OSCE nursing

OSCE nursing examples

Public exam blueprints show the kinds of tasks nurses meet. They are a good guide to what nursing OSCE examples look like, even if your school's list is different.

• Assessment: vital signs, a focused assessment, a risk assessment.
• Care delivery: giving medicines, aseptic technique, pain assessment, IV fluids, basic life support.
• Evaluation and communication: a handover and talking with patients and families.

The groupings come from the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia's registered nurse OSCE handbook, and the NMC lists similar topics for UK nurses. Read OSCE stations for how station types work.

OSCE stations for nursing foundation

Foundation-level stations usually test basics done safely. Think of hand hygiene, vital signs, a bed bath, a medicine check, a handover and a simple wound dressing. Use the OSCE checklist as a frame for each. Say your steps aloud as you do them.

Check your own school's rules

Your school sets the number of stations, the minutes, the marking and what happens if you fail. We cannot tell you these. Ask your tutor or read your course handbook, and note whether stations are marked pass or fail, or graded.

For hands-on tasks, practise with a classmate or a skills lab. An AI patient is useful for talking, assessment and handover but cannot watch your technique. See OSCE AI and OSCE tips.

Common questions

What is OSCE in nursing school?

It is a practical exam made of timed stations where nursing students show clinical skills to an assessor. Each school sets its own.

What are some OSCE nursing examples?

Examples of tasks are taking vital signs, giving a medicine, a focused assessment, a basic life support station and a handover.

How many stations are in a nursing school OSCE?

It depends on your school. Licensing OSCEs for nurses use between 10 and 14 stations, but a school OSCE can differ.