Quality Management of Objective Structured Clinical Examinations at a Multicampus Nursing College: A Pilot Study

Although objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) are deemed objective and bias-free, human error, inconsistency, nonuniformity in grading, and inter-rater variability have been reported. Quality management of OSCEs therefore is crucial.

Semistructured individual interviews with 14 nurse educators and a qualitative document analysis of 15 external moderators' reports were conducted.

Participants identified measures in place that facilitated quality in management of OSCEs, including a peer review system, control measures ensuring confidentiality, pre-OSCE briefing, orientation, and validation of assessment tools. However, gaps were identified relating to inadequate OSCE assessment tools and documents, as well as a lack and maldistribution of resources, such as physical space, appropriate fidelity manikins, and sufficiently trained examiners.

To address gaps, developing robust policies, pilot testing OSCEs and assessment tools, efficiently budgeting for and using required resources, conducting in-depth examiner briefing and training, and setting a gold standard for assessment practices are recommended. [.