There are 22 clinical skills in the adult NMC OSCE syllabus. Four of them are written skills: you are given a scenario and write your answers rather than demonstrate anything. A fifth, nutritional assessment, is half written and half verbal. The rest are hands-on or verbal.
Wound assessment and aseptic non-touch technique (ANTT) always come together, count as two skills and share 21 minutes. The timings below are from the NMC’s nursing station timings (September 2026).
All 22 skills at a glance
| Skill | Time | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Administration of inhaled medication | 12 min | Hands-on, medication |
| Administration of suppository | 10 min | Hands-on, medication |
| Anti-embolism stockings (new) | 10 min | Hands-on |
| Blood glucose monitoring | 8 min | Hands-on |
| Bowel assessment | 8 min | Written |
| Catheter specimen of urine (CSU) | 8 min | Hands-on |
| Fine bore nasogastric (NG) tube insertion | 12 min | Hands-on |
| Fluid balance | 14 min | Written |
| Intramuscular injection | 12 min | Hands-on, medication |
| IV flush and VIP score | 12 min | Hands-on, medication |
| Nutritional assessment (MUST) | 8 min | Half written, half verbal |
| Oral care plan | 8 min | Written |
| Oxygen therapy | 10 min | Hands-on |
| Pain assessment (PQRST) | 6 min | Verbal |
| Peak expiratory flow (PEFR) | 8 min | Hands-on |
| Pre-operative check (new) | 12 min | Hands-on |
| Pressure area assessment | 8 min | Written |
| Removal of urinary catheter | 8 min | Hands-on |
| Subcutaneous injection (insulin pen) | 12 min | Hands-on, medication |
| MSU and urinalysis | 12 min | Hands-on |
| Wound assessment and ANTT | 21 min together | On a picture, then hands-on |
Medication stations: the checks you do yourself
In any station where you give a medication, you carry out the full checks yourself: patient ID, allergies, validity of the prescription, the drug checks, and signing the chart at the end. In stations with no medication, the examiner tells you the ID and allergy checks are already done.
Key points, skill by skill
Inhaled medication. Usually salbutamol, one or two puffs as prescribed, given with a spacer device, as is common practice in the UK. Learn the spacer technique.
Suppository. Given for pain or constipation. Follow all medication principles, including charting the drug at the end. The technique is set out in the marking criteria.
Anti-embolism stockings (new). You read a short scenario (for example, a patient going home with stockings). Usually full-length stockings. Measure both legs separately: length from the gluteal fold to the heel, the widest part of the thigh and the widest part of the calf. Ask the patient to stand if they can. Choose the size from the chart, sign and date, then give at least four pieces of advice on caring for the stockings at home and what to watch out for.
Blood glucose monitoring. Show the correct finger-prick technique on the mannequin (the side of the finger, avoiding the index finger and thumb), use the sample you are given, record the reading accurately, and tell the patient the result and what happens next.
Bowel assessment (written). Use the Bristol stool chart to identify the stool in the picture (type 1 or 2 for constipation, type 6 or 7 for diarrhoea) and write a care plan for the scenario, with at least five aspects of care for full marks. Sign, date and add the time. No verbalising.
Catheter specimen of urine. Clamp the catheter, clean the sample port, take the sample from the port using aseptic non-touch technique, clean the port again, then unclamp the catheter.
Fine bore NG tube. Take consent, measure from the tip of the nose to the earlobe to the xiphisternum and say the measurement out loud, insert the tube as per the marking criteria, then check the pH of the gastric aspirate (given to you in a gallipot). It should be 5.5 or below.
Fluid balance (written). Transfer 24 hours of oral intake, IV fluids and urine output onto the intake and output chart and work out the balance. A calculator is provided.
Intramuscular injection. A medication station: full checks, correct technique and signing for the drug. In the exam you may be giving an antibiotic or vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin).
IV flush and VIP score. Assess the cannula site for signs of phlebitis using the chart provided and say your VIP (visual infusion phlebitis) score, then flush with a 10 ml prefilled syringe of 0.9% sodium chloride as prescribed.
Nutritional assessment (MUST). Work out the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool score from BMI, weight loss and the acute disease effect, and fill in the form. Then say your risk category and interventions to the examiner. Forgetting the verbal half is a fail, so split your time.
Oral care plan (written). You get one of four scenarios: a ventilated or unconscious patient, a patient on chemotherapy, a patient at the end of life, or a patient with a learning or physical disability. Write the oral care plan, with at least six aspects of care relevant to the scenario for full marks.
Oxygen therapy. Check the prescription, including the target saturations, device and flow rate, then start oxygen using the device given: non-rebreather (reservoir) mask, nasal cannula, simple face mask or Venturi mask. Complete the documentation and apply the device correctly.
Pain assessment (PQRST). Entirely verbal. Provoking factors, Quality, Radiation, Severity (using the 0 to 10 scale) and Time, then say your interventions.
Peak expiratory flow. Take three readings with the correct technique, chart all three, and record the highest as the final reading.
Pre-operative check (new). Complete and sign every item on the theatre checklist: ID band, allergies, consent, dentures, jewellery, make-up and nail varnish, prostheses, implants, fasting status and theatre gown. You also calculate the BMI, so practise that. Straightforward, but still revise it.
Pressure area assessment (written). Three parts: the body areas at risk of pressure ulcers, the Braden score (the risk of developing a pressure ulcer, not grading one), and the signs that may indicate a pressure ulcer. For full marks you need at least eight body areas and seven signs. Many nurses get confused by the scenarios, so practise.
Removal of urinary catheter. Check the volume of water in the balloon on the documentation (usually 10 ml) and deflate it fully. Remove it as per the marking criteria, ask the patient to tell you when they have passed urine, and give post-catheter health education: possible urgency, frequency and discomfort, drinking 2.5 litres a day and keeping active. Many nurses fail by missing the education.
Subcutaneous injection. An insulin pen: check it is the right insulin and in date, ask for the blood glucose reading, prime the pen with two units before setting the dose, say that you will rotate the injection site, and chart the insulin at the end.
MSU and urinalysis. Teaching the patient how to collect a midstream sample is straightforward. Take care with urinalysis: dip the strip for no longer than one second, wait the reading time on the container (often up to 2 minutes) and read it correctly, record the results accurately, and give the results and health education to the patient. The station is not complete without them.
Wound assessment and ANTT. Assess a wound from a picture (the surrounding skin, any redness, exudate, closure and wound floor, plus pain, and any further action such as a swab or referral), then clean a wound on the mannequin and apply a fresh dressing using aseptic non-touch technique. Take care setting up the sterile field and putting on sterile gloves.
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