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!!!
You will be fine. Just remember when doing basic life support verbalize out paid you are checking for danmger. Read the Royal marsden book. For dressing change and injection follow it exactly as its written. . When doing medicaton. Be vigilant about allergiesallergies. Make sure what is prescribed isn't in the group of medications dhe is allergic to.. when doing patient assessment e through.look around for things on table etc hearing aids or lighters May be placed. . As I have heard that a person failed because they didn't notice a lighter on the table. I did notice a hearing aid on my patients table. So they do put things there for you to notice. You will be fine . It's really not that bad. Just that the have done failing points which are tricks really. Make sure you draw up medicaion with the needle. Etc. Exact ly as the royal marsdend describes.
So I started the registration process with them just because I want to live in Europe for 1-2 years and I'd rather keep up my skills and license then work as a waitress or something while I'm there. I took the IELTS and then started reviewing the remainder of the process. It is so daunting and notoriously difficult that I think it's honestly a way to deter foreigners especially with the arbitrary reasons applications get delayed and rejected things like acronyms and periods in the wrong place. I think I will move forward with a different country especially after reading this. The fees are just unethical, I could understand a few hundred dollars but over $1000 it's just fraudulent in my opinion. I can't think of any professional registrations in America MD, lawyer, nurse, realtor etc. that cost anything close to that.
It's all about ensuring quality, competent care for the taxpayers.
Google and you will find some horror stories about foreign nurses with fraudulent credentials and references.
Its not cheap to register in the US for overseas nurses.
I understand that a process has to be in place to keep the public safe and of course those fees will be placed onto the applicants. But it's well over $1000 in fees alone I think actually close to 1500, also you have to fly to England for the test, that's despicable I'd like to see their financial justification broken down in some kind of itemized way. Not only that the application process is so tedious, after hearing the reasons some applications were delayed or rejected it's lost its legitimacy in my opinion. For instance pretty much everything has to be on letterhead or have an official stamp, if you don't have either you have to attach a paper to each document with name, candidate number, date of birth and short statement indicating that you don't have either. When I asked if I could just attach a paper at the end listing everything I didn't have stamp/letterhead for they said no I need an explanation paper for every single paper. WhY?! why make it so complicated.
This is so well said. I believe that this type of OSCE exam does not prove you are a competent nurse. I am still waiting a response from my complaint to the NMC about the univeristy. The more people that complain must prove that something has to be done
This is so well said. I believe that this type of OSCE exam does not prove you are a competent nurse. I am still waiting a response from my complaint to the NMC about the univeristy. The more people that complain must prove that something has to be done
I plan on doing this too- can you let us know what they say? I don't understand how 'exams' like this to test competency even make the final cut then used in practice- surely someone along the way realised it was totally bogus?!
I plan to complain too. I got knocked around by the NMC in general for months because they didn't know the difference between Abu Dhabi and Dubai -_- I haven't decided if I'm more bitter about that or the fact that I come from an English speaking country yet had to do the IELTS. If there's a smoother process for EU countries why is there not one for those within the Commonwealth? Especially one, for example, that speaks the same language and has very similar practices... I've been salty about this for two years (yes, that has been the length of my arduous application) and will be sending a complaint in along with an atlas...
I had to do the ielts to. I come from New Zealand. We are part of the common wealth, our nursing training practices are based on the same principals as uk nursing. Not only that I am a british citizen. Just because I grew up in NZ and did my training there I still have to go though all his --------
It's cost me a fortune in lost wages and extravagant fees.
I had to do the ielts to. I come from New Zealand. We are part of the common wealth, our nursing training practices are based on the same principals as uk nursing. Not only that I am a british citizen. Just because I grew up in NZ and did my training there I still have to go though all his --------
It's cost me a fortune in lost wages and extravagant fees.
Haha it's nice to know that the pain is shared :-) have you done your OSCE yet?
Ouch!! I hope your appeal goes well! I've been panicking for weeks about the exam haha, the care plans just do my head in... I don't get the purpose of writing a care plan the way they've set their paperwork out (the university of northampton provides a pdf of what the paperwork in the exam is supposed to look like)... I just... I don't understand how this is an accurate representation of nursing ability? At least let us write out the care plans properly if we're going to perform useless tasks *le sigh*.
I am a New Zealand Nurse and have been trying to get UK RN registration for 2 and a half years now!! I am almost at the end of my tether with the whole thing. It is soul destroying to not be able to do what I love, what I have trained so hard for and had to give up such a great job back home. I came over here with my Husband thinking surely the NHS would accept NZ nurses with open arms...ha ha how silly and naïve I was! I am on a spouse VISA so not reliant on sponsorship but I have been blocked every step of the way by the NMC. I started my application in the old system but was turned away for being 20 clinical hours (out of 1600) short. Then I re applied in the new system but they refused to transfer my old application and so I fought with them for months. Eventually all they needed me to do was write and sign a statement. I too had to sit the IELTS exam before starting the process (English is the only language I speak being from New Zealand!)
There is no common sense or login within the NMC!
I have recently sat the OSCE and failed the skills part, I re-sat 2 skills just 2 weeks ago and had gone over the RM guidelines for them both. I did them both by the book and now they have failed me AGAIN for contaminating the sterile field! I am appealing my results as I do not recall or believe at any time I contaminated the field. All of the NZ/Australian nurses I have met since being in the UK (almost 3 years now) have had similar problems and many are still in the application process being hindered by the smallest things or illogical reasons such as not having worked in Paediatrics even though they are Adult specialised, will sit the Adult nursing OSCE and ONLY be able to work with Adult patient! It madness.
Is there anyone out there who has appealed a decision and had any positive outcomes? (or heard of any other nurses who have)
If you appeal to the university must you complain/appeal to the NMC as well?
We are all in this together and we should all keep speaking up and sharing. I am looking into contacting an MP or a journalist to shed the light on this situation and what a determent it is to the UK and NHS. The NMC/NHS hate bad press and they have been getting a lot of it lately so it's worth a try to plead our case and fight for our careers and livelihood's. I'm at the point where I have nothing more to lose. I've spent too long waiting and de-skilling and too much money in fee's and lost waged to stop now.
Best wishes to all of you in the process still! Stay strong!
kiriann
26 Posts
You will be fine. Just remember when doing basic life support verbalize out paid you are checking for danmger. Read the Royal marsden book. For dressing change and injection follow it exactly as its written. . When doing medicaton. Be vigilant about allergiesallergies. Make sure what is prescribed isn't in the group of medications dhe is allergic to.. when doing patient assessment e through.look around for things on table etc hearing aids or lighters May be placed. . As I have heard that a person failed because they didn't notice a lighter on the table. I did notice a hearing aid on my patients table. So they do put things there for you to notice. You will be fine . It's really not that bad. Just that the have done failing points which are tricks really. Make sure you draw up medicaion with the needle. Etc. Exact ly as the royal marsdend describes.