The problems and discrepancies occurring in the final evaluation of nursing students brought about the introduction of the OSCE method (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) in the University Course for nurses.
Aim: of the article is to describe our experience and first results.
Methods: Sixty-seven Ist year students were assessed with the OSCE and asked to perform 3 tests to assess theoretical knowledge; practical skills and diagnostic reasoning.
Results: 82% passed the three tests. The best results were achieved for the diagnositc reasoning (87%) and the higher number of failures in the practical skills test (57%). The students who had previously passed the exams of the nursing courses had a lower number of failures (3% vs 29%).
Conclusions: exposure to the skills assessed and to the differences between what is thaugh in the classroom and what the students observe in practice. A close collaboration is needed with ward nurses to reduce the gap between theory and practice and the variability of assessment criteria.