NMC OSCE Mental Capacity & Professional Communication 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During a ward handover, what is the most effective communication structure to ensure patient safety?
- Give a verbal summary from memory
- Use a structured tool such as SBAR and ensure all incoming staff have the opportunity to ask questions (Correct answer)
- Write a brief note in the patient's record
- Use an unstructured approach tailored to each patient
Correct answer: Use a structured tool such as SBAR and ensure all incoming staff have the opportunity to ask questions
Structured handover tools such as SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) ensure consistent, complete information transfer. A structured approach reduces omissions, supports clinical prioritisation, and allows staff to ask questions about high-risk patients.
Question 2: A patient becomes aggressive on the ward. Which de-escalation technique is most appropriate?
- Walk away and leave the patient alone
- Use a calm, non-threatening tone, acknowledge their feelings, and maintain a safe distance (Correct answer)
- Restrain the patient immediately to prevent injury
- Raise your voice to establish authority
Correct answer: Use a calm, non-threatening tone, acknowledge their feelings, and maintain a safe distance
De-escalation uses calm verbal and non-verbal communication to reduce agitation. This includes a calm tone, non-threatening body language, validating the patient's feelings, and giving them space. Physical restraint should only be used as a last resort when de-escalation has failed.
Question 3: A patient asks a nurse not to share their diagnosis with their family. What should the nurse do?
- Share the information with the family anyway as they have a right to know
- Respect the patient's wishes and maintain confidentiality unless there is a safeguarding concern (Correct answer)
- Share only with immediate family without the patient's knowledge
- Document the request but share with the family after discharge
Correct answer: Respect the patient's wishes and maintain confidentiality unless there is a safeguarding concern
Patients have a right to confidentiality under the NMC Code, GDPR, and common law. The nurse must respect the patient's explicit request unless there is an overriding public interest or safeguarding concern. Family members have no automatic right to a patient's health information.
Question 4: What does the term 'therapeutic communication' mean in nursing practice?
- Communication that involves discussing drug therapy
- Purposeful, patient-centred communication that supports the patient's emotional and psychological wellbeing (Correct answer)
- Communication using only medical terminology
- Any communication that takes place in a clinical setting
Correct answer: Purposeful, patient-centred communication that supports the patient's emotional and psychological wellbeing
Therapeutic communication is intentional, patient-centred communication that builds the therapeutic relationship and supports the patient's wellbeing. It involves active listening, empathy, open-ended questions, and non-verbal attunement.
Question 5: A patient is from a non-English-speaking background. A family member offers to interpret. What is the safest approach?
- Use the family member as this is most convenient
- Use a professional interpreter service to ensure accuracy and confidentiality (Correct answer)
- Use basic hand gestures and hope for the best
- Proceed with consultation and use the family member only for sensitive topics
Correct answer: Use a professional interpreter service to ensure accuracy and confidentiality
Professional interpreter services ensure accurate clinical communication, preserve confidentiality, and avoid placing family members in difficult roles where they may filter, alter, or be unable to interpret clinical terminology accurately. Using untrained interpreters is a patient safety risk.
Question 6: When documenting patient care in the UK, which principle underpins all nursing records?
- Records should be brief to save time
- Documentation should be timely, accurate, factual, and legible (Correct answer)
- Only significant events require documentation
- Digital records are optional in most NHS trusts
Correct answer: Documentation should be timely, accurate, factual, and legible
NMC guidance requires that nursing records are factual, accurate, legible, dated, signed, and completed as soon as possible after care is given. Records serve as a legal document, support continuity of care, and provide evidence of care given.
NMC OSCE Mental Capacity & Professional Communication 2
During a ward handover, what is the most effective communication structure to ensure patient safety?