NMC OSCE APIE: the four linked stations

The four APIE stations and their minutes

The NMC's September 2026 timings PDF gives the times below for nurses.

Total APIE time is 57 minutes. See the full NMC OSCE stations list.

What each station asks

• Assessment. An identity check, an A to E assessment, observations and scores, and documentation.
• Planning. A handwritten care plan with two problems, aims, dates and evidence-based interventions. No abbreviations.
• Implementation. Spoken checks against a prescription chart, an explanation to the patient, and documentation.
• Evaluation. A spoken handover in the SBAR shape: situation, background, assessment, recommendation.

Why the link matters

The same patient runs through all four stations. What you find in assessment should drive your plan, your medicine checks and your handover. A weak assessment can undermine the next three. Because each is marked separately and you need a pass in all of them, one failed APIE station means a resit for that station only. See resit rules.

Topics the NMC lists for adult APIE include heart failure, pneumonia, end of life and suspected DVT. Mental health, children's and learning disabilities fields have their own lists, and nursing associates have three linked stations without a written planning station (NMC page).

Practising a linked chain

Practise the chain in one sitting, not as four unrelated tasks. One station is free to try with an AI patient and no sign-up. Judge yourself against the marking criteria habits such as hand hygiene, two-identifier checks and legible, signed notes. Our stations are original, and the NMC OSCE mock test shows how to run them.

Common questions

What does APIE stand for in the NMC OSCE?

Assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation: four linked stations on one patient.

How long are the APIE stations?

Assessment 20 minutes, planning 14, implementation 15 and evaluation 8.