OSCE Silent Written Stations: Professional Values and EBP

The OSCE includes two silent written stations alongside the four APIE and four skills stations. They are shorter (10 minutes each) and less observed (no examiner watching live), but they contribute equally to your overall pass.

Station 9: Professional Values

The first silent written station. Tests application of UK nursing professional standards.

Content typically covers:

• The NMC Code, with specific sections applied to scenarios.
• Ethical dilemmas: capacity, consent, confidentiality, end-of-life decisions.
• Professional boundaries.
• Duty of candour.
• Safeguarding.
• Whistleblowing and raising concerns.

Question style:

• Brief scenario (3-5 sentences).
• One or more questions about what the nurse should do, what the relevant Code section is, or how to manage a specific issue.
• Answers expected as short structured responses (3-6 sentences or bullet points).

Example question style (illustrative, not actual exam content):

“A patient with capacity is refusing to take their prescribed morning medications. They have done so consistently for three days. What is the appropriate nursing response, and which sections of the NMC Code apply?”

A good answer would cite Section 2 (listen and respond, particularly 2.5 on right to refuse), Section 4 (consent), Section 10 (documentation), and outline the actions: respect the refusal as the patient has capacity, document the refusal and reasons, communicate with the prescribing team, ensure the patient understands the implications, offer ongoing support.

Station 10: Evidence-Based Practice

The second silent written station. Tests application of evidence to clinical scenarios.

Content typically covers:

• Use of NICE guidelines.
• Critical appraisal basics, including what makes evidence strong or weak.
• Specific clinical evidence-based interventions.
• Hierarchy of evidence (systematic reviews, RCTs, observational, expert opinion).
• Translating evidence to practice.

Question style:

• Clinical scenario.
• Question about what evidence-based intervention is appropriate, or which guideline applies.
• Answers expected as short structured responses.

Example question style (illustrative):

“A 65-year-old patient is admitted with type 2 diabetes and a new diagnosis of hypertension. Which NICE guideline informs the management of hypertension in this age group, and what is the recommended first-line intervention?”

A good answer would name NICE NG136 (Hypertension in adults), the relevant treatment threshold for the age group, and the first-line interventions (lifestyle advice plus medication as appropriate).

How to use the 10 minutes per station

Minutes 0-1: Read the scenario carefully. Identify what’s being asked.

Minutes 1-7: Write the answer. Structure with brief paragraphs or bullet points. Cite specific Code sections or NICE guidelines where relevant.

Minutes 7-9: Re-read your answer. Check it actually addresses the question.

Minute 10: Final adjustments. Submit.

What examiners mark

For Professional Values:

• Specific Code section identified correctly.
• Practical actions listed (not just theoretical principles).
• Recognition of complexity (capacity, consent, dignity considerations).
• Appropriate escalation where relevant.

For Evidence-Based Practice:

• Specific guideline named (NICE NG-something, or named professional body).
• Recommended intervention identified.
• Recognition of how to apply evidence to the specific patient context.
• Acknowledgement of any caveats or contraindications.

Common failure patterns

Generic answers. “The nurse should follow the NMC Code” is true but not specific. Name the section.

Theoretical without practical. Quoting principles without saying what the nurse would actually do.

Wrong Code section. A common error when candidates haven’t read the Code recently.

Wrong guideline. Naming NICE guidelines that don’t exist or that don’t apply to the scenario.

Missing the question. Writing about the scenario rather than answering the specific question asked.

Preparation strategy

For Professional Values:

• Read the NMC Code in full. Part 3 of this guide covers each section.
• Practice scenario-based questions on Code application.
• Know the relevant UK legislation: Mental Capacity Act, Children Acts, Care Act, Public Interest Disclosure Act.
• Familiarise yourself with duty of candour requirements and the difference between professional and statutory candour.

For Evidence-Based Practice:

• Read 5-10 NICE guidelines in common areas: diabetes, hypertension, COPD, dementia, sepsis, fall prevention.
• Understand the hierarchy of evidence and how to assess source quality.
• Be familiar with how clinical evidence translates into UK nursing practice.
• Know where to find guidelines (NICE, SIGN, professional body publications).

How the stations affect overall pass

Like all OSCE stations, these are pass/fail individually. Failing one or both contributes to the overall fail count. Passing both is straightforward if you’ve prepared with the Code and NICE guidelines.

The silent stations are sometimes treated by candidates as “the breather” between practical stations. That is a mistake. They require focused thinking and writing, and rushed answers lose marks the candidate could otherwise have earned.

The next chapter covers the practical side of the OSCE: fees, retake rules, and what happens if you don’t pass.