Nursing & Midwifery Board of Australia Introduces CBT And OSCE For Internationally qualified Nurses.

Internationally qualified nurses have all reasons to smile after Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Introduces Outcomes-Based Assessment Model which encompassess CBT And OSCE For Foreign Educated Nurses and Midwives, emulating a model used by Nursing and Midwifery Council of UK (NMC) and Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).

This is an year after the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) announced the introduction of a new assessment model for internationally qualified nurses and midwives to attain registration in the country, the board has declared that the new system will come into effect from October 1 this year.

At present, internationally qualified nurses and midwives (IQNMs) who arrive in Australia holding qualifications which are relevant but not substantially equivalent to the Australian qualifications have to undergo a bridging program to attain the registration required to work in the country. However, from October 1, 2019 NMBA will introduce a new assessment model giving candidates the option to choose between the bridging course and the outcomes-based-assessment (CBT plus OSCE) to register in Australia and who arrive in Australia . But those applying from the January 1 2020, will not be offered the choice of two models and instead they will only be able to choose OBA, as this will completely replace the current bridging course from 2021.

"The new model known as outcomes-based-assessment (OBA) will commence in January 2020," the NMBA said in a statement. “From January 2020, all IQNMs with relevant but not substantially equivalent qualifications will be referred to the OBA,” the statement reads. There will not be any new referrals to the bridging program from next year. “Bridging programs are expected to continue until 2021, for IQNMs who hold a referral to bridging. IQNMs will no longer be referred to bridging programs from January 2020,” reads the statement from NMBA.

What is OBA?

The outcomes-based-assessment model or OBA that will replace the bridging course consists of two parts. This includes CBT, a multiple-choice exam, followed by an objective structured clinical exam (OSCE), which is currently implemented in countries like UK and Ireland.

NMBA CBT

The first part is a computer-based multiple-choice cognitive assessment, and will be taken in test centres that will be communicated later by NMBA

Those applicants who pass the first stage will be able to go through to the second part of the OBA which is OSCEs

Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE)

The is a behavioural assessment in the form of an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). According to NMBA, the OSCE is used to assess whether an IQNM possesses the knowledge, skills and competence of a graduate-level Australian nurse or midwife.

"OSCE implemented in many countries including the United Kingdom and Ireland is basically to assess how a nurse or midwife can handle the patients in different scenarios in a simulation environment,"

“In the OSCE implemented in the UK and Ireland the IQNMs need to demonstrate their skills in handling a patient in that country, in the presence of a clinical educator who observes them. It covers every aspect, like their communication to the patient, clinical decision making and practice standards,”

Orientation to be completed

Once the two-stage assessment process is completed, all IQNMs will also be required to complete an orientation program . The program will be provided by the IQNM’s employer, based on NMBA guidelines.

While CBT is an online assessment to introduce IQNMs to Australia and the Australian healthcare system, OSCEs covers the diversity of Australian culture and Orientation program will be completed once the IQNMs are registered with the NMBA.

The new model is expected to benefit the applicants financially as the adaptation program in Australia is very expensive now when compared to other countries like UK and Ireland. With the new model Internationally qualified nurses will find it easier, cheaper, and faster to register and relocate to Australia.

For more information

Visit the Changes to Changes to Assessment of Internationally qualified nurses and midwives

Visit the Internationally qualified nurses and midwives section of the NMBA website

Visit the Registration standards section of the NMBA website

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