Implementing the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) in postgraduate education in nursing science—a pilot project to assess ethical competences in nursing practice and research

Abstract

Background: Teaching ethical competencies is an essential component of professional and postgraduate curricula. Developing practical–ethical problem-solving competencies as well as appraising program-specific studies and related research ethics are topics typically addressed. However, assessment of these ethical competencies poses a challenge. Written or oral assessment formats addressing relevant learning objectives is mainly limited to knowledge testing alone, often not capturing relevant skills or attitudes pertinent to those competencies. Aim: During the reaccreditation of the masters of science (MSc) program in Nursing Science at Witten/Herdecke University, this challenge was addressed by implementation of an innovative examination format for postgraduate education. Procedure: For the module “Ethics in nursing practice and research” a format based on the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) format was developed. This assessment method incorporates evaluation of acquired skills and attitudes of nursing students. Conclusion: The article demonstrates development and adaption of the OSCE format for this purpose.