NMC OSCE Midwifery (10 Stations)
What is in the NMC OSCE?
The NMC’s Objective Structured Clinical Examination or OSCE is a practical examination that forms part two of the NMC’s Test of Competence. The Legacy version, which is also known as the “6 stations,” exam is a version of the exam that includes the APIE stations and 2 clinical skills. The new version of the exam, which started from 2nd August 2021, is known as the ToC 21 or “10 stations”.
How does the 6 stations compare to 10 stations?
In the NMC OSCE Test of Competence 21 or “10 Stations” NMC OSCE midwifery, the APIE stations are still a core part of the test of competence. However, in the 6 stations exam, the Assessment, Planning, Implementation and Evaluation are all 15 minutes. In the 10 stations OSCE, the Assessment is 20 minutes; the Planning is 14 minutes; the Implementation is 15 minutes and the Evaluations is 8 minutes.
What else is new about the 10 station OSCE?
In the 6 station OSCE, midwives had a range of skills from ANTT to Taking A CSU Sample and from SC Injection to Removal of Foley Catheter. In the ToC 21, however, midwives no longer need to perform these skills and instead have a pair of linked clinical skills stations. These include completing a postnatal check; performing a systematic examination of a newborn; managing post-partum haemorrhage; resolving shoulder dystocia.
What are the Professional Values and Evidence Based Practice stations in the NMC OSCE for Midwives?
These are the names of stations that form another pair of critical skills that are tested within the ToC 21. At the Professional Values station, nurses need to write an answer to a scenario that requires them to demonstrate the values ventilated in the NMC Code of Conduct. The NMC Code details what the Nursing and Midwifery Council consider to be professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses, midwives and nursing associates. One such scenario includes asking a midwife candidate to consider what he or she would do in a safeguarding situation. In the Evidence Based Practice station, midwives are asked to consider and article or summary of articles about the profession. Midwife-candidates then need to critically appraise the article(s) and make recommendations based on what you’ve learned. Once such scenario includes asking a midwife-candidate to consider the advice she would give to a pregnant person deciding on where to give birth.
How does IELTS Medical prepare midwives for the NMC OSCE?
Here at IELTS Medical, we have 3, 4 and 5 day courses for the NMC OSCE Midwifery. The typical course structure includes A, P, I, E on day 1; skills practice on day 2 and a full mock exam on day 3. Some of our midwives then choose to return for a 4th and 5th day after the core 3-day course in order to do some practice or undertake a second full mock examination.
To learn more about our NMC OSCE preparation for Midwives, visit: www.oscemidwives.com or call 02036376722.
