Objective structured clinical exam: a successful approach to pre-registration mental health nurse assessment
| Published date | 13 March 2017 |
| Date | 13 March 2017 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-06-2016-0031 |
| Pages | 90-97 |
| Author | William John Murcott,Nicola Clarke |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Mental health education |
Objective structured clinical exam:
a successful approach to pre-registration
mental health nurse assessment
William John Murcott and Nicola Clarke
Abstract
Purpose –Pre-registration mental health nursing courses are a mixture of clinical practice and university-
based education completed over three years, culminating in a successful student entering the professional
nursing register. During a student’s time at university they will encounter many different types of assessment,
whether formative or summative. These are typically academic written assignments, academic exams,
presentations, viva, assessed clinical practice by an approved mentor, and objective structured clinical exam
(OSCE). The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach –An OSCE to assess second year mental health nursing students was
determined to be a highly appropriate method of allowing students to demonstrate the skills associated with
the nursing process, NMC standards and learning outcomes for the module.
Findings –It was recognised that preparation was essential in supporting the reduction of the student’s
anxieties over the process, careful design and planning was needed to ensure reliability and validity of a
logistically challenging assessment method.
Originality/value –OSCE have become a major contributor towards the assessment of student nurses and
are regarded by some as the gold standard for assessment. However, this assessment has not been widely
utilised within mental health nurse education and little research exists surrounding their use. This paper
furthers the literature base on the use of OSCE by exploring the underpinning design rationale and the
subjective experience of staff and students.
Keywords Students, Undergraduate, Mental health nursing, Assessment, OSCE
Paper type Case study
Introduction
The Nursing Midwif ery Council sets the s tandards for pre- registration me ntal health nurses
and the competencies that are required for registration (Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC),
2010). In 2010 standards were set by the NMC; across the domains of communication,
interpersonal skills, nursing practice, decision making and leadership, management
and team working. It is important to note that following the Shape of Caring Review
(Willis, 2015) these standards and domains may well be replaced following further review.
However, public and patient involvement has been prominent within the Shape of
Caring Review and as such the objective structured clinical exam (OSCE) process
discussed here is not only currently relevant as will be demonstrated but will maintain its
currency for futu re standards.
During validation of an entirely new degree programme developed to meet the NMC standards
set in 2010, the question arose as to how, as a higher education institute, we are to suitably
assess these areas of learning for undergraduate mental health students and ensure they are
meet the standards of clinical competence. The decision taken by the programme team for the
summative assessment for the module “Mental Health Nursing Practice Three (MHNP3)”was to
utilise an OSCE.
Received 13 June 2016
Revised 9 August 2016
Accepted 19 August 2016
The authors would like to thank
the students of 04/11 for their hard
work and enthusiasm during the
module.
William John Murcott and
Nicola Clarke are Senior
Lecturer, both at the Faculty of
Health, School of Nursing
Midwifery and Social Work
Professions, Birmingham City
University, Birmingham, UK.
PAGE90
j
THE JOURNAL OF MENTALHEALTH TRAINING, EDUCATION AND PRACTICE
j
VOL. 12 NO. 2 2017, pp.90-97, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1755-6228 DOI 10.1108/JMHTEP-06-2016-0031
To continue reading
Request your trial