Overseas nurses coming to United Kingdom for preparing for NMC OSCE will have many queries in their mind. One of those it about the equipments available at the OSCE Center. In this article i am tryng to familiarize with you about the equipment’s, dressing sets and other things used in various osce centers. Hopes this will help overseas nurses preparing for NMC OSCE for getting familiarized with equipment’s and various articles used in Real OSCE centers.

Articles and Equipment’s Used in OSCE Centers

 

Manikin

This is a manikin usually used in OSCE Centers. Manikins are mainly used for Implementation station (Medication Administration) and for demonstration of skills (For all skills). Its a very rare scenario in which manikins are made to talk by written comments from invigilator. Also note the possible hazards that can be placed in front of manikin during your Assessment Station. Hazards can be a Cigarette packet, Cup of water for an NBM patient or a sample bottle. You need to address it during your assessment.

Observation Machine (Obs Machine)

Obs machine is a movable digital machine which is used to measure patients blood pressure, oxygen saturation and heart rate. Please note that you need to use hand rub before and after using observation machine.

Readings will be displayed in OBS Machine as in given in the picture below. Note that obs machine will be showing the pulse rate of patient. But you need to check it along with respiration for one minute each.

Tympanic Thermometer

Thermometer used to measure temperature is a tympanic one. Its a digital thermometer. You need to put a disposable cap before measuring temperature. It will get auto on when you puts the disposable cap. After putting the tip into the outer year of patient, you need to press the button, which will show three dashes blinking before displaying the temperature.

Medication Trolley

Your Medication Trolley for Implementation station of OSCE will look like this. It will contain around 10 – 20 medicine bottles with name of medicine and expiry written on it. You need to press and twist the lid of the bottle in order to open it. You will also get a British Nurses Formulary similar to CIMS in India in order to clear any doubts regarding medications.

Clinell Wipes

Clinell wipes are used mainly to clean trolley/trays used for injection and antt procedures.

Alcohol Swabs

Mainly used to wipe site in case of Intra muscular injections as well as for cleaning sampling port for collection of urine from catheter.

Urine Sample Specimen Container

This is the common container used for collecting urine sample. You need to pour 20ml (usually) of urine without touching inside into the container using non touch technique.

Injection Tray

Injection tray can be either a disposable one or a plastic tray. If its a plastic tray, you need to wipe it with Clinell wipes for 30 seconds before using it.

Urinary Catheter and Sampling port

This is the commonly used urinary catheter in NHS hospitals, they have a specific port for collection of urine sample. You need to insert a syringe into the port and withdraw the sample. Don’t forget to wipe with alcohol swabs before and after collection of urine. Some gets confused and use the bladder (catheter) emptying port for taking sample and have resulted in OSCE fail.

Plastic Apron

Plastic aprons are usually kept as rolls and you need to take one detaching from the roll

Gloves

All sizes of latex free clean and sterile gloves are available starting from 6-7 size, 7-8 size and 8-9 size. Since glove powder is not put in these gloves, you may find difficulty in wearing it sterile. So its better to have few extra pairs of sterile gloves before doing Antt procedure.

Trolley

This is the trolley you are going to get for demonstrating Aseptic Non Touch Technique wound dressing. You need to clean from top to bottom using clinell wipes in a zig zag manner for 30 seconds and leave it for 30 seconds to dry.

Torch

This is the torch used for checking pupillary reactions in Neurological assessment. On the side of torch different sizes of pupils are given which helps you to compare.

Dressing set

This is the sterile dressing pack you are gonna get for your ANTT Procedure. You should make sure that the dressing set is not torn/intact, dry and within expiry date. The contents of dressing set are the following – A paper scale, set of gloves, drape, tissue paper, saline tray and sterile gauze

Incopad

This is the incopad or incontinence pad you need to lay under the patients bottom before doing catheter removal

Kidney Tray

This is a plastic kidney tray which you are going to get to used for urine sample collection as well as catheter removal.

Patient ID Band

This is a sample patient identification band. Name of the patient, date of birth as well as hospital number will be mentioned in the patient id tag which you need to confirm during the introductory phase of your procedure/assessment/medication administration.

Call bell

This is how patient’s call bell is going to look like. You need to give patient call bell within reach of the patient when ever you are standing away from the patient as well as before leaving the room.

Clamp for blocking Catheter

This is a sample of clamp (plastic one) which you need to apply before collecting sample from patient’s catheter. You should not forget to remove it after procedure. You need to wear apron whenever you are handling catheter.

Sharp Bin

This is how your sharp bin is going to look like. You need to carry sharp bin along with you when you are attempting injections. You should throw your used ampules (even if plastic) into the sharps bin. You also need to discard waste or fallen medications into the sharp bin provided.

BP Cuff

This is usually the BP cuff used in NHS Hospitals. You will be telling about the length and width of bladder cuff during your Assessment station.

Medication Cup

This is  a sample medication cup in which you will be taking tablets during your implementation station (without touching tablets) and administering it to the patient.

Saline Sachet

This is a picture of saline sachet which you would have to tear open to pour the sterile saline to the tray provided in dressing set. Used during your ANTT Procedure.

Conclusion

This article is meant to introduce you about common articles and other equipment’s used during your Objective Structured Clinical Examination at various OSCE Centers.