Purpose
Create OSCE practice stations for internationally qualified nurses preparing for New Zealand nursing practice.
Each station should help candidates practise safe nursing communication, assessment, escalation, and decision-making within nursing scope.
Step-by-step
- Choose the module, difficulty, interaction mode, setting, time of day if relevant, and candidate role.
- Write the reason for admission or presentation so the learner knows why the patient is there.
- Write the current situation so it is clear why the nurse is seeing the patient right now.
- Add only relevant background: age, history, allergies, risk factors, observations, treatment already given, last medication time, and pending review or results.
- Write one clear candidate task, such as assess pain, explain the plan, respond to a relative, check consent, reassess deterioration, or escalate using ISBAR.
- Define the patient or participant persona: opening line, main concern, emotional tone, what they reveal immediately, what they reveal only if asked, worries, expectations, and response to empathy.
- List expected nursing actions, including introduction, hand hygiene where relevant, identity/allergy checks, consent, privacy, structured assessment, escalation, reassessment, documentation, and handover.
- Define red flags and the expected escalation pathway, such as senior RN, charge nurse, medical team, rapid response, or local emergency process.
- If medication is involved, include name, dose, route, frequency, time last given, effect, allergies, PRN status, and the need to check chart, allergies, timing, observations, and local policy.
- Add New Zealand cultural safety expectations: preferred name, plain language, privacy and dignity, whanau/support person involvement where relevant, and no assumptions about culture, family, language, or beliefs.
Difficulty guide
- Beginner stations use one main issue, a stable patient, simple communication or assessment, and a clear next step.
- Intermediate stations use one main issue plus a complication, prioritisation, red flags, reassessment, or ISBAR escalation.
- Advanced stations may include multiple abnormal cues, incomplete information, deterioration, conflict, urgent escalation, or competing priorities.
Safety rules