What are tips and steps on how to pass OSCE in Australia?
Well, as we all know, the first step is always the hardest to take. It takes a lot of courage and a spice of risk.
As people grow comfortable with their current situation, they opt to stay wherever they are and be cozy about it. In contrast, this will lead to a rhetorical question about what their lives could’ve been if they’d taken the step their hearts wanted them to take.
Remember, it is always better to try and fail than do nothing and regret.
Read through these five simple steps to passing OSCE and get on the head start of your AuRN journey!
OSCE: Test of the Fittest
Like any other professions, regulating boards give assessments to evaluate one’s readiness and competency. Aspirants undergo thorough review and constant application of knowledge to ensure the positive result for the assessment.
In the field of healthcare programmes, Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) assess medical aspirants through the Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE) to evaluate their level of clinical performance and provide feedback on areas to improve. This is where the challenge starts.
Typically, there are 8-10 stations with limited time duration per station. The examination serves as a simulation that is usually summative in nature. Examinees will rotate in those stations which will test their discrete knowledge and clinical and professional skills.
For the case of Overseas Qualified Nurses, passing the OSCE can be easy by knowing simple steps straight from a Nurse Educator. To know more about five easy steps to passing OSCE in Australia, get your pen and note these tips.
Takeaway from a Nurse Educator
To keep up with changes, Australia has recently changed its conversion of Overseas Qualified Nurses to becoming a Registered Nurse in Australia.
This change has urged nursing review centers to improve their methods of training to align with the conversion. Outcome-based principle is the foundation of this shift. Technically, it reveals what the nurse is able to perform at a given level of competence in a context.
Basically, the assessment anchors on Outcome Based Assessment (OBA). Internationally Qualified Nurses undergo National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX) first and pass it prior to taking the practical exam – the Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE).
Needless to say, OSCE challenges not only the Nurses’ clinical skills and judgment but also their interpersonal and communication skills. It is undeniably an anxiety-provoking exam, as it carries an element of unpredictability. Also, it requires skills that extend much further than clinical knowledge.
To optimize Aspiring Nurses OSCE performance, let’s have a look at these five simple steps to acing the test.
1. Understand the OSCE Candidate Handbook
To understand what you are getting yourself into is crucial. As a first step, Overseas Qualified Nurses must read and understand the content of the OSCE handbook. Australian Health and Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) has provided this for Overseas Qualified Nurses. The handbook contains important guidance and expectations on the actual practical exam.
Also, it has essential information that is worth taking note of. There is information on OSCE, preparation, and tips for completing the OSCE!
Contents of the book can help you ace the test!
2. Develop Habit of a Positive Mindset
This goes for everything in life! It takes 21 days to actually get into a habit; why not start now? This will also boost your confidence and improve your memory. Consistency is the key to attaining a positive mindset. A positive mindset equals healthy brain function.
Combine this while you study for your OSCE and as practice for your clinical skills. You have just stepped up your game!
3. Practice Intentionally
When we say intentionally, you need to make a schedule, write it down, put it on a wall, and set up an alarm for your phone, for you to practice regularly. The more you practice, the better you will perform. This is mainly down to muscle memory – the more times you practice particular clinical skills for example, the more the steps become second nature and the less mental effort you spend trying to remember the next steps. This also applies when taking histories.
When it comes to OSCEs, the saying “practice makes perfect” really rings true.
4. Set Your Timer
Befriend time. In the test, each station has only 2 minute reading time and 8 minute performance time. Try to get the feeling of what eight minutes feels like. Set your phone to vibrate, and set the alarm for eight minutes. Pretend that you’re in the actual practical exam, set the alarm, and put the phone in your pocket. Eventually, you start to get a sense of how much you can get done in eight minutes and build up your confidence.
5. Enrol to an OSCE Preparation Course
Australian Standard is indeed one of the best in the world. There are countless of policies and procedures that are different from other countries when it comes to being a Registered Nurse in Australia. It would be almost impossible to pass OSCE without enrolling in a preparation course. AuRNPathway can help you prepare for your exam. The program includes modules and face-to-face training. Get a chance to engage in relevant nursing activities. Practice real Nursing scenarios and receive feedback from our experienced Nurse Educators.
AuRNPathway: Best OSCE Training Center in Australia
Numbers of nursing training centers continue to increase in the hope of helping Internationally Qualified Nurses achieve their dream of working and living in Australia. Proudly, AuRNPathway tops the list. It has created registered nurses in just a span of months upon its establishment.
Currently, AuRNPathway continues to create linkages and upgrade methods to keep up with curriculum shifts. To date, it has created branches ranging from Melbourne to Gold Coast. With its highly qualified nurse educators, its rating remains at the top among other nursing centers in Australia with 100% passing rate.
Ready to take the step with us? Take the bold step, Future AuRN! Enrol now.
