NMC OSCE APIE Station is one of the most important parts of the NMC OSCE. Which assesses your ability to deliver safe, structured, and person-centred care. APIE stands for Assessment, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation, and it reflects real patient-centric clinical care.
In the APIE station, candidates are presented with a patient scenario and expected to demonstrate clinical reasoning, communication, documentation, and professional behaviour. Below is a brief overview of 11 possible APIE scenarios that can be asked in the NMC OSCE.
Table of Contents
Mastering NMC OSCE APIE Station
1. Alzheimer’s Disease
This scenario focuses on cognitive impairment, communication, and safety. During assessment, you may identify confusion, memory loss, or agitation. It is a common type of dementia. It is a progressive disease that begins with mild memory loss and may eventually lead to a loss of the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to one’s environment. It involves parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language.
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2. Chronic Heart Failure
Chronic heart failure scenarios test your ability to recognise breathlessness, fatigue and oedema. It is a condition in which the heart is unable to pump blood effectively around the body. Common Symptoms: Shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling of the feet, ankles and abdomen, etc.
Charts getting in NMC OSCE – NEWS chart.
3. Colorectal Cancer (End of Life)
This scenario emphasises patient-centric care, dignity, and communication. A stage of disease in which the possibility of death becomes real, and life expectancy is less than 12 months. There is rapid physical and psychological deterioration, as well as increased symptoms. Symptoms are shortness of breath, delirium, feeling very tired, coughing, constipation, trouble swallowing, etc.
Usually, in the NMC OSCE, we are getting colorectal cancer (It is a type of cancer that affects the colon or rectum).
Charts getting in NMC OSCE – NEWS chart.
4. Community Assessment
Community assessment scenarios test holistic and social care skills. During community assessment, patients are suffering from malnutrition, which is the condition of deficiencies or excesses in nutrient intake, imbalance of essential nutrients, or impaired nutrient utilisation. Symptoms are reduced appetite, feeling tired, poor concentration, etc.
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5. Ectopic Pregnancy
This is a high-risk, emergency-focused scenario. It is the condition when a fertilised egg implants itself outside of the womb, usually in one of the fallopian tubes (Fallopian tubes are the tubes connecting the ovaries to the womb). If an egg gets stuck in them, it will not develop into a baby, and the mother’s health may be at risk if the pregnancy continues. Symptoms are a missed period and other signs of pregnancy, lower tummy pain, vaginal bleeding or a brown watery discharge, discomfort when peeing or pooping, etc.
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6. Fall and Fracture
Fall scenarios assess risk management and mobility care. A bone fracture is a break or crack in a bone. The wrist, ankle, and hip are common sites for bone fractures.
Charts getting in NMC OSCE – NEWS chart.
7. Hernia
Hernia cases often test recognition of complications such as obstruction or strangulation. It occurs when an internal body part pushes through a weakness in the muscle or the surrounding tissue wall. Pain is the main symptom.
Charts getting in NMC OSCE – NEWS chart.
8. Homelessness
This scenario examines social determinants of health. In the name itself, we can understand that a person doesn’t have a house in this scenario. In the NMC OSCE, the patient is now in the community shelter. The patient has a history of alcohol and substance misuse and had a leg ulcer and multiple bodily injuries. In addition, they will provide leg ulcer pictures. During exposure, the wound must be assessed.
Charts getting in NMC OSCE – NEWS chart.
9. Pneumonia
Pneumonia scenarios assess respiratory assessment and infection management. It is an infection of one or both lungs caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. It is a serious infection in which the air sacs fill with pus and other liquids. Symptoms are cough, which may produce greenish, yellow, or even bloody mucus, fever, sweating and shaking chills, shortness of breath, rapid, shallow breathing, sharp or stabbing chest pain that gets worse when you breathe deeply or cough, loss of appetite, low energy, and fatigue, etc.
Charts getting in NMC OSCE – NEWS chart.
10. Subdural Haematoma
This neurological scenario tests observation skills and monitoring care. It is a severe condition where blood collects between the skull and the brain’s surface. A head injury usually causes it. Symptoms of a subdural hematoma can include a headache that keeps getting worse.
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11. Suspected Deep Vein Thrombosis
Deep vein thrombosis is a condition where a blood clot forms in a deep vein, usually in the calf or thigh. In this scenario, the patient has signs and symptoms of leg pain, swelling, and redness.
Charts getting in NMC OSCE – NEWS chart.
Final Tips for NMC OSCE APIE Success
- Always follow the APIE structure clearly
- Communicate calmly and professionally
- Escalate concerns appropriately
- Prioritise patient safety and dignity
- Document accurately
Across the eleven commonly encountered APIE scenarios, the core expectations remain consistent – accurate information collection, identification of patient needs, and formulation of a realistic care plan. What differentiates a competent student from an excellent one is the ability to verbalise care clearly, prioritise patient safety, and demonstrate empathy while maintaining clinical accuracy. Mastering these scenarios will help you approach the NMC OSCE APIE station with confidence and clinical clarity.
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