NMC OSCE Structure: All 10 Stations Explained

The OSCE is the second part of the NMC Test of Competence. Where the CBT tests theoretical knowledge, the OSCE tests applied clinical skill. Actually doing the things a UK registered nurse does, observed by examiners.

The structure is 10 stations across about 3 hours. This chapter is the overview.

The 10 stations

The 10 OSCE stations break into three groups:

Group 1: Four APIE stations (Assessment, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation).

These four stations follow a single patient scenario through the full nursing process. You’re given a clinical scenario (the patient’s presentation, history, current observations) and work through it in four phases over four separate stations.

• Station 1 (Assessment): gather information, perform appropriate assessments, identify the priority concerns.
• Station 2 (Planning): develop a nursing care plan addressing the identified issues.
• Station 3 (Implementation): carry out the planned care.
• Station 4 (Evaluation): review the patient’s response and update the plan.

Each APIE station is typically 8-20 minutes. The four together take about an hour.

Group 2: Four skills stations (in 2 paired sets).

Two pairs of clinical skills, each pair taking 21 minutes combined.

The 20 possible skills (covered in Chapter 81) include:

• Subcutaneous injection
• Intramuscular injection
• Inhaled medication administration
• Suppository administration
• NG tube insertion
• Blood glucose monitoring
• Peak flow measurement
• Oxygen therapy
• IV flush and VIP score
• ANTT (aseptic non-touch technique)
• Catheter specimen collection
• Catheter removal
• Wound assessment
• Pressure area assessment
• Pain assessment
• Nutritional assessment
• Bowel assessment
• Oral care
• Fluid balance recording
• MSSU (midstream urine) collection

You don’t know which 4 will appear in your sitting. Preparation covers all 20.

Group 3: Two silent written stations.

These are written stations with no examiner observation:

• Professional Values station: scenario-based questions on Code application, ethical and professional dilemmas.
• Evidence-Based Practice station: questions on EBP, NICE guidelines, applying evidence to clinical scenarios.

Each silent station is 10 minutes.

The order on the day

The order varies by centre and day. Some centres put APIE first; others mix the order. You’ll receive a schedule on arrival.

The standard practice is rotation between stations. Candidates move between stations at fixed intervals, with brief reading time between each. You don’t have time between stations to consult notes or relax; the flow is continuous.

Marking

Each station is marked independently by examiners using standardised checklists. The marking categories typically include:

• Clinical accuracy (did you do the right thing).
• Process and order (did you do it in the right sequence).
• Communication (did you explain to the patient, gain consent).
• Documentation (did you record what you did appropriately).
• Safety (did you maintain IPC, dignity, patient safety).

Each station is pass or fail. Some stations allow partial pass status (a “near miss” that’s discussed at moderation), but the working assumption is pass/fail per station.

The overall pass criteria

The OSCE doesn’t require passing every station. The criteria allow a minimum number of fails. The specific number varies by sitting and is published before the test.

Broadly:

• Passing 9 or 10 stations: overall pass.
• Passing 7-8 stations: borderline; depends on which stations were failed.
• Passing fewer than 7: overall fail.

A fail in a single critical skill station (a sharps incident, an IPC breach, a serious patient safety issue) can be enough for an overall fail regardless of how the other stations went.

Where the OSCE is taken

NMC-approved test centres in the UK:

• University of Northampton.
• Oxford Brookes University.
• Ulster University.
• A small number of others (the list changes periodically; check the NMC website for the current list).

Test centres are located at universities with nursing schools because the OSCE requires simulation suites, mannequins, and trained examiners.

What the day looks like

A typical OSCE day:

• Morning arrival: ID check, briefing, schedule handed out.
• Mid-morning to early afternoon: the 10 stations, with short rotation periods between.
• End of session: brief debrief, candidates leave.

Total time on site is typically 4-5 hours. The 10 stations take about 3 hours; the rest is administration.

Results

Results are returned through the NMC portal, typically within 2-4 weeks of the sitting.

A pass leads to registration. A fail leads to a retake, either of fewer than 7 stations (the cheaper resit) or the full OSCE (if 7+ stations were failed).

The chapters that follow walk through each station type in detail: APIE stations 77-80, skills stations 81, silent stations 82, fees and retakes 83, and the 12 known APIE scenarios 84.