Development and Testing of an Objective Structured Clinical Examination for Evaluating Nurses in Infusion Therapy.

Abstract

This study aimed to develop, assess, and test an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) to evaluate nurses' competency in planning and managing infusion therapy. The study adopted a methodological approach with a quantitative design and was conducted from December 2020 to August 2021 at a university hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. Data collection occurred in 3 stages: development of scenarios and assessment checklists, evaluation of expert consensus, and testing scenarios with the target audience. Data analysis involved calculating the Modified Kappa coefficient. The OSCE comprised 8 clinical stations, designed based on the theoretical framework of the Vessel Health and Preservation model and the Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice, which delineate evidence-based procedures for vascular access and infusion therapy. During expert assessment and examination testing, all evaluated items demonstrated coefficient values ≥0.74. Thus, the study successfully developed evidence-based OSCE for infusion therapy, showing strong expert consensus. Testing with nurses yielded positive outcomes, affirming the effectiveness of the educational practice's design and structure.