24/03/2026
I scored 76% in the first OSCE I wrote and since then, I never scored beyond that. Last semester, I had 89% — being my highest so far.
How have I been able to achieve these?
1. I never miss any OSCE class. Research generally suggests that about 65% of the population has a high affinity with visual information. And I’m among that 65%. Seeing the tutor perform that procedure, the jokes she tells, the stories of patients she tells makes me not to easily forget that procedure.
And, during exam period, I watch lots of YouTube videos on those procedures. I watch and drop my phone to practice.
2. Being confident with oneself. No matter how little you’re with your preparedness, be confident with the ones you know. Once you enter hall, and you hear the bell, do not panic—do not let your examiner know you’re panicking, begin immediately and go straight to the point.
You know, OSCE lets you be an independent Nurse for that 3 minutes. Why not use it to show your examiner what you can do?
3. Know your Preambles. Now, there’s a preamble that is applicable to every procedure that has to do with a patient. Knowing your preambles gives you an edge incase you don’t perform the main thing the procedure demands from you.
“Good morning, my examiner, my exam number is 001, I’m asked to perform male Catheterization on Mr. Jones” has no mark oh.
Here are the preambles you must not forget.
i. Greet & introduce yourself to your patient.
ii. Tell your examiner you have asked your patient the language he understands and that’s what you’re using to communicate with him.
iii. Explain the procedure to the patient and seek consent.
iv. Perform hand hygiene and bring your instruments to patient bedside.
v. Know whether it’s a two nurses procedure and ask for an assist when necessary. Ensure to say you work in unison with your assistant.
vi. Screen your patient and perform the procedure.
vii. When you’re done with your procedure, keep your patient in a comfortable position and thank him for cooperation.
viii. Return the instruments and clear your surroundings.
ix. Hand hygiene & Document.
You know OSCE is stingy with allocation of marks so at the end of the day, these ones you manage to say might equate 4 marks while the main things you should say in the procedure would be 6 marks. But 4 marks is something. It can get you to 50, it can get you to 70. No mark is a waste.
4. Your examiner might want to throw you off balance—No gree. They might pretend they are not paying attention to you (one then, plugged earpiece and was nodding to a music while i was speaking. I didn’t know she was paying attention until i was done and she began asking me questions). They might even keep asking questions on something you’re answered already but they want you to change your answer or to know how confident you’re with your answer. It makes no sense but yeah, do not fall to that trap.
5. When you’re done, try and say everything you did again. You might remember one or two you missed.
6. Have your own tactics. Others do group discussions, or group practicals but i have an OSCE guide i use. It contains all the whole procedures in Nursing and Midwifery. The marks allocated to each point you say. It also has past questions that you can practice with for the written stations. That is what i read and rehearse until i enter the exam hall. It makes me not to miss out those big points—the important ones. After the OSCE, i use that guide and score myself. I’m aware of my likely score even before i see my results.
I can give it out if you want. But for N2,000. Check comment section for my account details.
I wish every student writing exams this month and next goodluck. May God crown all your efforts with success. Amen!
©️ Nurse Derex
