Are you angry about the NMC OSCE???

[WrigleyRN]

I wonder if there is anyone out there who, like me, who has been slogging through the NMC application process and has taken or will take the OSCE? Are any of you ANGRY about the OSCE? I am.

Those of us applying to be registered in the UK have been put through the ringer, been vetted in every way imaginable (references, one year of practical experience required, education hours, training hours, IELTS, etc), and the fact that they add a practical test on top of that is just redundant, unnecessary, and a huge waste of time and resources for everyone. Especially amid the UK nursing shortage, when they should be facilitating the immigration of well-qualified nurses, not hindering us!

I recently took the OSCE and failed the skills section for absolutely bogus and arbitrary reasons. But before finding out that I had a "partial fail", I initially came out of that test feeling confident, like I had done well, and there is no way they would judge me to be an incompetent nurse. But despite my feeling that I performed well, I also emerged from the test simultaneously angry and frustrated, for having just committed 5 weeks of my life to stressing, floundering through disorganized, overabundant study materials on the Nile website, and traveling across the world... all for a test that clearly has nothing to do with assessing a nurse's competence. All the OSCE succeeds in testing is our willingness to jump through meaningless hoops and pay excessive fees!

The fact that we are subjected to this psychological roller coaster is infuriating... especially from an organization whose bedrock is the holistic caretaking of all people!

And why the exorbitant fees? Why do we have to repay the fee if we sit again for the test? Exactly whose pockets are we lining? The whole thing just rubs me the wrong way.

I'm just appalled at what I and others have been through with the OSCE. I plan to appeal my test result and also lodge a complaint both with the University of Northampton and the NMC, who are the controllers of the OSCE. If anyone is interested, I will share what I write, and I encourage ANYONE who is frustrated to write to the NMC and make yourself heard!!!

[Avid reader]

Hi there - thank you for the reply. I respect your experience and your perspective on this. I know you have seen a lot in your time as an IEN.

However, I completely disagree with you. I, and all of us, do have the right to speak our minds if we feel we are trapped in an unjust system.

The fact that other countries like Canada may have more extensive and expensive vetting requirements doesn't justify the NMC's requirements. It only shows that perhaps Canada is the most out of touch with reality, and needs the biggest overhaul of all.

I understand a governing body like the NMC wanting to safeguard the public, and it is their duty to do so. However, it is also their duty to ensure their licensure requirements are valid and fair... Neither of which the OSCE is.

As far as validity is concerned (and this is an important factor for a nursing organization whose bottom line is evidence-based practice), where is the literature that points to this test being an accurate (or even barely sufficient) determiner of competence? I would implore them to publish any literature they have used in the creation of this exam that shows it tests what it is supposed to test: a nurse's competence or lack thereof.

In my case, because I didn't vocalize one line in my skill station, though it was obvious I had done the skill according to guidelines, they failed me. After all my years of applying, my years of practical nursing experience in acute care, my education, the theory test, the passing of all the patient journey aspects of the OSCE.... They will fail me and judge me to be incompetent based on the fact I didn't vocalize one line??? This is unfair, illogical, and insulting.

Mind you, they have informed me I can resit the skills stations. This means they are generously allowing me to fly across the world, pay the excessive fee, pay for accommodation, take PTO from work... And try again to carry out these skills that could potentially be memorized and mimicked by anyone.

I will not be participating in a resit. I have more self-respect than that, and honestly, don't desire to work in a country where well-qualified, experienced nurses are "welcomed" in this way.

I am in a unique position to voice my opinion because I don't actually need to work in the UK. I just thought it would be a cool experience... unlike some of the other nurses taking the OSCE who must work in the UK due to a spouse living there, or whatever reason. I feel empowered because I, for one, am not beholden to the NMC. Thus, I feel I can and should speak up on behalf of everyone that feels intimidated by the NMC and doesn't want to rock the boat and potentially become a target for dismissal.

I know there is already a movement of nurses who are trying to have the NMC do away completely with the OSCE. This is not a new idea. I just didn't know to what degree it had been voiced in an online forum yet. And I wanted to plant the seed here in the minds of competent nurses from around the world that... Things could change if we speak our minds. In the years to come, the NMC can and should grant licensure to qualified RNs without subjecting them to an invalid, redundant, meaningless OSCE.

Totally agree with you. I was trained in the UK both Psych and General and to re-register it was a fuss. However, I worked with one Hungarian nurse who was a sister who barely spoke English and her charting was atrocious. She was a brilliant brown noser however. Wish you luck m8.

[Jhurlow]

As you likely have seen, there are several complaints posted about the UK NMC processes, including their OSCE. In March of this year I filed a Level 3 complaint with the NMC which included very specific concerns about this rather expensive exam.

The NMC Complaints division told me they would respond to my concerns by April 8. When that date came and left without response I emailed them. They then reported that they will have final response by May 8. When that date came and went without response I queried again. I still have received NO RESPONSE from the NMC nearly 4 months after filing my initial complaint. I have communicated this with the UK's Professional Standards Authority, apparently the only UK organization with any authority over the NMC, but have received no response from them either. Neither this UK nursing regulatory agency nor the agency which has the only authority to regulate it appear to be very professional! So sorry for the UK which is experiencing a profound nursing shortage yet their NMC is more of a road block than a regulator.

I've been told that the only way an internationally trained nurse can be assured of a good chance of passing the OSCE is to start work as a Healthcare Assistant (HCA), which is like a US nursing assistant. The NMC does not yet 'regulate' HCA's though they want to. This venue is NOT an NMC International Application process. This is a default process which the NMC is taking monies for. The UK NMC is a run away train functioning within a double standard while the NHS and UK citizens suffer for lack of well trained nurses. Travesty!!

[Down with OSCE]

Hey WrigleyRN,

I'm currently drafting a letter to send to MP's to lobby the removal of the OSCE. You've made some excellent points, and I was wondering if I could use some of the phrases in your post for this letter. I will reword it of course, but just want to check with you first.

thank you,

Carmen

[Jhurlow]

-------------, MPs and the Dept of Health have both told me that the NMC is an independently functioning agency. There are no Lobbies in the UK. They all have told me that the best initial option is to file a complaint with the NMC, which I have found to be essentially useless; more on that shortly. The Professional Standards Authority will take complaints then provide recommendations about the NMC to the MPs who can decide to act or not act. My Professional Standards Authority contact, to whom I have sent numberous complaints, is-----------------. After taking the OSCE I complained with great detail to the NMC International representative ------------------------------. This resulted in her filing a Level 2 complaint with the NMC Complaints department, which resulted in a jibberish response. I then complained to ------------- and my MP and ---------------- all in one email about the response I received. This resulted in ------------- filing a Level 3 complaint for me. The NMC complaints department reported I would receive response to this complaint by April 8, but I received nothing. After contacting them again they stated the usual meaningless apologies then told me I would receive response by May 8. Again I heard nothing. I contacted the NMC again but heard nothing, so again sent emails to --------------- and my MP. ----------------------- from the Professional Standards Authority sent the NMC an email on my behalf to which the NMC has now responded they will have an answer to my concerns by July 8; they report they have been too busy with a 'severe problem' which is likely the lawsuit being taken up against them in High Court by a nurse whose career has been destroyed by the NMC processes after she stepped up to report bad care being delivered in a UK nursing home (whistleblowing). UK nursing is a terrible mess which is very sad amidst an ageing population which could benefit from the care of nurses. The NMC is dysfunctional and runs essentially with no oversight. Best I've been able to figure out, the NMC spends the bulk of the money given to them by the UK government disciplining the nurses who happen to make it through their dysfunctional regulatory processes. I am an experienced, US trained nurse practitioner with specialties in geriatrics, wounds, continence. I have tried to work through NMC processes for 1 1/2 years, since my husband was transferred here to the UK. I am a UK resident, I have struggled to learn and proceed through all of the correct channels and still cannot practice here in the UK. I've been told by UK nurse that internationally trained nurses can either repeat the OSCE until they pass or take employment as a Health Care Associate (like a nursing assistant, no qualifications required) which will allow access to NMC testing practice centers. I will certainly let you know if and how the NMC responds on July 8. But my recommendation is that, unless you are despirate to work as a nurse in the UK, consider going to a different country. Processes here are far too bureaucratic and dysfunctional, pay is low, and housing especially in London is way to expensive and generally unsafe.

[evacortes]

Hello to all nurses,

If you have failed the OSCE please contact me her [email protected] and I will help you find a new employer. I understand it can be a very stressful situation but there is a way round to this.

All the best,

Eva

[Jhurlow]

I want everyone in this chain and any other well trained international nurses that I have climbed the full ladder on this issue. I have directly communicated with my MP (currently an influential member of the Teresa May's parliament), the Professional Standards Authority, the Department of Health, NMC senior leadership, and I've filed a Level 3 complaint about the OSCE (and the complex, redundant application processes leading up to this testing scenario). I want you all to know that NO ONE in this chain has any interest in evaluating or improving anything about the International Nursing Application process. My MP has excused himself, the Professional Standards Authority representative has no response, NMC leadership defauts to lower level processes, and my Level 3 complaint, for which I waited 4 months, made no specific mention of any of my specific concerns, instead again completely responded with narcisistic NMC rhetoric. If you are in love and are willing to meet any level of challenge to achieve NMC PIN then by all means, consider coming to the UK. But for simple adventure, this is NOT the spot! Nursing pay is capped, nursing practice is way over regulated with essentially no autonomy, nurses cannot afford cost of living especially in London, nurses are overworked and I believe under valued, and safety is a growing issue especially in the larger cities. I'm going to get a PhD instead, which should just fill the remainder of my time here in the UK. Please spread the word. Nurses and the nursing profession is too valuable to any healthcare system to be wasted by UK's apparently disinterested bureaucracy. Poor Florence is probably turning in her grave about now!!

[NurseDonnaKay]

Do you have to go through this to take a travel position?

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Do you have to go through this to take a travel position?

To work as a RN in the U.K. You have to meet NMC requirements and be issued a PIN

[bryaniackis]

Hi Everyone,

Do you have any OSCE sample scenario for APIE as a review material? Please email me at [email protected]

Just to share a story, I have a friend and her niece took the OSCE and failed twice on APIE. She appealed on the 2nd fail and according to her she was successful but NMC and UoN agreed that she has to retake it again for the 3rd time without closing her NMC account. I just couldn't believe about this story because if they agreed that it was their (UoN and NMC) fault to fail you, why will they ask for a retake instead of passing the candidate. Looks like there is something fishy going on.

Anyway, to those who can send me something very useful for the exam it will be very much appreciated. I hope I pass on my second take.

Thanks

[Lientjie]

Have you passed your exam yet? When you had to re-apply, did you have to send all the documents again? I am a South African nurse and I failed my osce twice. I have gone to a lawyer and I plan to take this all the way to level 3 complaint.

[bipana07]

I just passed my OSCE.

[jnixrn]

Hello. Can you tell me what happened after failing the OSCE twice? I just failed my re-sit and I don't know what to do. I am working in a nursing home and my manager has no idea either. I have been doing full-time caring and she didn't give any training to take OSCE. She didn't even know what OSCE is. I told her I want to know if the company would really cancel the sponsorship so I could seek help before it's too late. Thanks.