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Important NMC OSCE updateSeptember 2026

New NMC OSCE stations and updated preparation materials

The Nursing and Midwifery Council has announced new Nursing stations as part of its regular Test of Competence replenishment. Review the new stations and use the official preparation documents appropriate to your examination date.

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Is your first examination on or after Monday 26 October 2026?
You may encounter the newly introduced stations and should use the updated marking criteria and supporting documents. Candidates sitting their first examination before this date should continue using the current materials.
23newly announced station topics
3nursing field groupings
26 Octfirst-exam implementation date

Newly announced NMC OSCE stations

Open each nursing field to review the relevant stations.

All nursing fields
  • Evidence Based Practice: Donor human milk
  • Evidence Based Practice: Improving the physical health of a mental health patient
  • Evidence Based Practice: O2 saturations
  • Evidence Based Practice: Patient’s sleep on ward
  • Evidence Based Practice: Parental presence
  • Evidence Based Practice: Physical restraint in mental health care
  • Evidence Based Practice: Smoking and schizophrenia
  • Professional Values: Hand washing
  • Professional Values: Information sharing
  • Professional Values: Missed information in PICU
  • Professional Values: Racism in mental health care
  • Professional Values: Self-medication from ward stock
  • Professional Values: Team Christmas party
  • Professional Values: Unsafe staffing levels
  • Professional Values: Use of bed rails
Mental Health Nursing
  • APIE: Psychosis
  • APIE: PTSD
  • Skill: Medication Adherence
  • Skill: Mental State Examination (MSE)
  • Skill: Non-suicidal self-injury
Children’s Nursing
  • APIE: Allergic Reaction
  • Skill: Aseptic Non-Touch Technique (ANTT)
  • Skill: Medication administration via NGT

What candidates should do now

Use the examination date and your field of nursing to choose the correct preparation material.

1

Check your first-exam date

If your first sitting is on or after 26 October 2026, prepare for the possibility of the new stations. If it is earlier, continue with the current material specified by the NMC.

2

Choose your nursing field

Review the all-fields topics, then add the Mental Health or Children’s Nursing topics where they apply to your route. Adult candidates should use the updated Adult Nursing criteria.

3

Use the official documents

Study the updated marking criteria alongside the equipment list, supporting documents and station timings. The criteria supplement learning; they should not replace broad clinical preparation.

What each official resource is for

A quick guide to the linked NMC materials before you open them.

Equipment list

Shows equipment likely to be used across NMC OSCEs. The NMC notes that brands and variants may differ because of availability, so understand each item’s purpose rather than relying only on one product.

Field-specific marking criteria

Sets out the assessed criteria for Adult, Mental Health and Children’s Nursing stations, including the newly introduced material. Select the document that matches your nursing field.

Supporting documents

Contains clinical forms, charts and other documents used during preparation and stations. Practise locating, interpreting and recording information accurately.

Nursing station timings

Lists the time allowed for nursing stations. Use it to plan timed practice while maintaining patient safety, communication, documentation and professional values.

Official NMC preparation documents

Use the links below to open the latest official resources in a new tab.

Source: Nursing and Midwifery Council. This NursingJobsUK summary is provided for candidate awareness. Always refer to the official NMC resources for the current examination requirements.

Prepare for your NMC OSCE with confidence

Explore NursingJobsUK’s on-site training or speak with our training team about preparation for the updated stations.