NMC OSCE evidence based practice station

What the EBP station is

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is one of two written stations. The other is professional values. You write in the room, for 10 minutes, and no assessor observes you (NMC booklet). The skill being tested is judgement: what does the evidence say, how strong is it, and what would you do on your ward?

Public EBP topics

The NMC's timings PDF lists topic titles for all fields. They are topics, not questions:

ankle sprain, bedside handover, cervical screening, cholesterol and coffee, dementia and music, diabetes, donor human milk, communication with colleagues, female heart attack symptoms, fever in children, honey for herpes and venous ulcers, physical health in mental illness, oxygen saturations, osteoporosis and exercise, sleep on the ward, parental presence, restraint, pressure ulcer prevention, saline versus tap water, smoking cessation and smoking and schizophrenia.

A way to structure an answer

1. State the question in a line.
2. Say what the evidence shows, and how reliable it seems. Note the size and type of study.
3. Link it to UK guidance where it exists, such as NICE nutrition guidance or NICE guidance on venous thromboembolism.
4. Say what you would do, and what you would check with your team or local policy.
5. Name the limits: what the evidence does not tell you.

Keep each point short. Ten minutes is tight, and a clear short answer beats a rambling one.

Practising EBP answers

Pick one topic from the list, read a single NICE summary or study abstract, and write a 10-minute answer from memory of the key points. Compare it with the Code theme of practising effectively (the Code). You can try one station free with no sign-up from the NMC OSCE practice test. See where this station sits in the full station list.

Common questions

How long is the NMC OSCE evidence based practice station?

10 minutes, written, with no assessor in the room.

What topics are used in the NMC OSCE evidence based practice station?

Public topics include pressure ulcer prevention, saline versus tap water, smoking cessation, fever in children and bedside handover.