Assessing clinical skill competence of nursing students through Objective Structured Clinical Examination

Aim To investigate the possibility of assessing clinical skill competence of nursing students by using the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Methods The search for empirical articles on the assessment of clinical skill competence of nursing students was based on the SCOPUS electronic database. Search strategy included the utilization of two or three key words based on the MeSH index (OSCE, nursing students and clinical competence). The analysis was restricted to papers in the English language during the last ten years. Bibliography of selected papers was used to search for additional empirical studies as well. Results A review of the literature showed that since 1975, when the first objective structured clinical examination was introduced, there has been a growing interest in the assessment utilization of clinical skill competence of nursing students. This method of assessment included direct evaluation of clinical skills in the classroom or hospital room. Application of objective structured examination required a good organization, prepared checklists, as well as a number of examiners, time and money. By analyzing the efficiency of this method some authors have pointed out that the use of this method could lead to considering health care as a simple set of tasks to be performed, while others have emphasized that by a customized implementation of this method other clinical skill competence of nursing students can be also evaluated. Students’ opinion about this method of assessment is different. Conclusion The widespread use of OSCE for the assessment of clinical skill competence also imposes a number of questions for those involved in its planning, implementation and assessment.