Preparation materials

Midwifery OSCE assessments

As part of the ongoing development of the Test of Competence OSCE for midwifery, we have made some changes to the existing assessments and released a small number of new stations which will come into use from Monday 26 June.  These changes will ensure a wider coverage of the standards, code of practice and blueprint and forms part of our routine maintenance to keep the test valid and reliable. 

Candidates will still sit a 10 station OSCE but these changes will mean that there will be a greater selection of skills that could be assessed which will make the assessment less predictable. We will continue to develop new stations covering different skills and scenarios, so it is important that candidates and those supporting them incorporate the NMC blueprint and standards into their preparation for the test.

The new stations are:

APIE stations 

• Antenatal
• Postnatal

Clinical skills stations 

• Birth
• Postnatal Sepsis
• Unexpected Breech Birth
• Neonatal blood glucose monitoring
• Intramuscular injection
• Removal of urinary catheter

Evidence Based Practice

• Induction of labour at term

Professional Values

• Safeguarding women and children

In addition to these changes the existing stations have been updated.  Systematic Examination of the Newborn has been amended to require candidates to carry out two aspects (heart, eyes hips or testes) as opposed to one aspect and it has been split from the postnatal check.  There are also other small changes to the existing stations to bring them into line with the latest best clinical practice and to ensure that the APIE stations flow more logically and are clearer and there is no duplication of tasks for candidates.   

The marking criteria available to trusts and candidates have also been updated as we are seeing higher numbers of candidates attempting to rote learn the marking criteria. This is problematic as they no longer approach the assessment with an open mind and in some cases find the assessment challenging when presented with new or different scenarios.The updated marking guidance are more holistic and will give trusts and candidates the key points that that all candidates will be assessed on.  They should be used by candidates to confirm understanding of the different skills that they need to demonstrate across the OSCE but the standards, code, and blueprint should form the basis of all teaching and learning.   

All candidates who sit their assessment prior to 26 June 2023 will not be presented with the updates covered above.  All candidates who sit on or after 26 June will experience the changes we have made.

As part of the ongoing development of the OSCE we have made some changes to the existing midwifery materials. When we introduced our new and revised test content in June 2023, feedback and ideas were shared with us on how we could strengthen and improve the candidate experience.

We have introduced the IV flush and VIP station. Following the feedback, we have re-introduced the marking schemes for all midwifery stations as we do for nursing. We have updated the charts and diagrams in the mock examination to reflect the changes we have made in the diagrams and charts that candidates use in the live exam. We hope this will provide candidates with the opportunity to use this as part of their ongoing preparation and learning for the test of competence.

Over the coming days the following documents will be updated and published on our website reflecting all of our 2021 materials:

• Midwifery Station Timings – to include the IV flush and VIP station which has been set at 12 minutes. We have not reduced any of the timings across any aspect of the test at this time.
• Midwifery Marking Criteria – to include the IV flush and VIP station.
• Midwifery Mock OSCE
• Supporting Documents

The changes to the above documents will be implemented from 11 December 2023 (excluding the IV flush and VIP station).

To give employers and candidates time to prepare and incorporate this skill into their learning and preparation programmes, the IV flush and VIP station will not be implemented until 15 January 2023.

ACER, our new test development partner, have recently taken on the test of competence work. They have reviewed many areas of the midwifery test and we have made some minor changes and updates which do not impact the preparation that employers are providing to candidates or change the level of preparation candidates need to do prior to the exam.

As part of routine maintenance and to ensure the test continues to be reliable and authentic, we have made a number of changes. Following feedback, our test design and development partner have made some updates to the preparation materials to improve clarity, as well as to address some changes in clinical practice, to support those sitting the test.

All test delivery centres will be using the updated materials from Monday 9 September 2024, which will give candidates and employers time to prepare and incorporate the updated preparation materials into their learning and preparation programmes.

If your exam is before Monday 9 September, then you should continue to use the existing versions of the materials. If your exam is on or after Monday 9 September, you should prepare by using the updated versions of the materials.

Part of this development will actively discourage rote learning so all candidates should be encouraged to review their exam papers as they may be given a different scenario to test the failed skill at their resit.

Updated RN1 Adult Nursing Marking Criteria
Updated RN1 Adult Nursing Mock OSCE
Updated RN3 Mental Health Marking Criteria
Updated RN3 Mental Health Nursing Mock OSCE
Updated RN8 Children's Nursing Marking Criteria
Updated RN8 Children's Nursing Mock OSCE
Updated Nursing Station Timings
Updated OSCE Supporting Documents

Following feedback from our test development partner, we have reviewed and updated the preparation materials that were released on Monday 29 July, and will be postponing the launch date of these materials to Monday 30 September, and all test delivery centres will be using the updated materials from this date.

This will allow candidates time to prepare and incorporate the updated preparation materials into their learning and preparation programmes.

If your exam is before Monday 30 September, you should continue to use the existing versions of the preparation materials.

If your exam is on or after Monday 30 September, you should prepare by using the updated versions of the preparation materials. The updated versions can be found as part of the above July 2024 announcement.

Please note, any candidates who sit BLS, IHR and/or NPS before 9 September and fail, will resit the same station up until December 2024.

We have received some feedback from candidates who attended their Mental Health OSCE and were not fully prepared for the change outlined below. We have, therefore, delayed the implementation of this change to give candidates time to prepare.

Please note that there is no change to the marking criteria. This change will make the de-escalation station more reflective of clinical practice, providing candidates with greater opportunities to test their skills in this area.

The de-escalation station for Mental Health nursing is being changed from a written station to a simulated activity by introducing a patient to the station; in this case it will be an actor. We believe that candidates can more effectively demonstrate their de-escalation skills by interacting with an actor in a more real-life, natural scenario rather than simply imagining the interaction and writing about it.

To allow candidates and employers time to prepare, test centres will begin running the actor led station from Monday 4 November 2024. If your exam is on or after Monday 4 November, you will be sitting the actor-led station. Any candidates who sit the de-escalation station before Monday 4 November, and fail will resit the written station.