2Mental health and learning disability nursing students' perceptions of the usefulness of OSCE to assess their competence in medicine administration ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to evaluate mental health and learning disability nursing students' perceptions of the usefulness of the Observed Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) in assessing their administration of medicines competence. Learning Disability (n=24) and Mental Health (n=46) students from a single cohort were invited to evaluate their experience of the OSCE. A 10-item survey questionnaire was used, comprising open-and closed-response questions. 12 (50%) learning disability and 32 (69.6%) mental nursing students participated. The OSCE was rated highly compared to other theoretical assessments; it was also reported as clinically real and as a motivational learning strategy. However, it did not rate as well as clinical practice. Content analysis of written responses identified four themes: Benefits of OSCE; Suggestions to improve OSCE; Concern about lack of clinical reality of OSCE; and OSCE induced stress. The themes, although repeating some of the positive statistical findings, showed participants were critical of the university setting as a place to conduct clinical assessment, highlighted OSCE related stress, and questioned the validity of OSCE as a real-world assessment. The OSCE has an important role in the development of student nurses' administration of medicines skills.However, it may hinder their performance as a result of the stress of being assessed in a simulated environment.

Ninety-nine patients from a non-urgent general surgical waiting list were randomly selected for either direct admission to a hospital bed or review at a preadmission clinic. A considerable reduction in subsequent bed occupancy was shown in the latter group. The findings suggest that more detailed review of patients in the outpatient department would result in the more efficient use of hospital facilities.

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