University of Northampton Upgrades NMC Competency Test Centre

The University of Northampton has re-opened its Competency Test Centre for overseas candidates sitting Part 2 of the Nursing and Midwifery Council's (NMC) test of competence in a new state-of-the-art facility.

The centre, the first of three to receive NMC approval in the UK, allows nurses and midwives who complete their training in non-European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) member states, to undertake an Objective Structure Clinical Examination (OSCE) qualifying them for inclusion on the NMC register.

To ensure full compliance, the centre was fitted out with sound and vision recording facilities and synchronous digital countdown clocks.

With an estimated shortfall of 20,000 nurses in the NHS and 96 per cent of hospitals reporting shortages of nurses as well as midwives, the NHS has increasingly had to rely on recruiting nurses from abroad. Last year more than a quarter of new recruits came from overseas.

More than 3,000 nurses have undertaken the NMC's Test of Competence at The University of Northampton since 2014, with the university investing in the upgraded facilities in response to new demand.

Northampton-based Adaptive IT was contracted to fit out the Test Centre to ensure examinations can be conducted competently and impartially. Each of the 18 Test 'stations' was fitted with CCTV and sound so each examination can be recorded for quality assurance purposes or should the test result be challenged.

All examinations are conducted within strict time limitations. Students are given five minutes to read a brief and must then act out a series of six clinical scenarios which nurses and midwives are likely to encounter when they assess, plan, carry out and evaluate care for patients. Each of the scenarios must be completed within a strict 15 minute window, so Adaptive IT installed 18 pairs of Bodet's synchronous countdown clocks.

Adaptive IT's commercial director, Jonathan White commented: "As part of the upgrade, we decided that Bodet's Style 5S LED digital clocks would fit in well with the contemporary style of the Innovation Centre. The 5 cm LED display is easy to read, and the green light is more calming in a test environment especially as it can be adjusted for brightness depending on the lighting conditions. From a practical perspective, the clocks can display time of day or be used as accurate countdown timers, and can be paused or reset easily."

A Style LED clock was fitted in each of the 18 examination stations so that examinees can see clearly how much time they have left to complete each test. The Competency Test Centre also has two invigilator stations, each monitoring nine of the examination stations. The time displayed at each station is synchronised with a duplicate clock in the invigilator centre so the invigilator can verify the examinations are completed competently and within the time limit.

White also said: "Although it has only just opened, this brand new facility at the University of Northampton is running at full capacity, and is playing an important role helping to ensure that every nurse and midwife has the professional skills to provide the highest quality of care for the ever growing number of patients."