Nursing Test of Competence: what is it and how to prepare?

Test of Competence is used to assess the skills and knowledge of foreign citizens wanting to become nurses in the UK. It is a computer-based multi-choice online test that tests the candidates’ knowledge about nursing. To become a successful registered nurse in the UK, you have to first pass the test.

The test ensures that regardless of where nurses receive education and training, the services they offer to patients are of the highest quality.

Who needs to take the Test of Competence?

If you are a nurse who received training abroad and you want to come to the UK to pursue a career in nursing, you have to take the Test of Competence. After you submit your application, The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) will assess your qualifications and will confirm whether you have to take the test.

Nurses who have been awarded relevant qualifications from a country that is an EU member state do not have to take the exam.

What are the recent changes to the Test of Competence?

If you are an international nurse looking to come to the UK, you probably heard that in recent months the Test of Competence has changed slightly. The new test format was supposed to be introduced in the summer of 2020 but was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It eventually went live in August 2021.

Here is the overview of the main changes to the Test of Competence:

The Computer-Based Test is now split into two parts:
Part A, which tests Numeracy skills – candidates can receive 15 marks and have 30 minutes to complete it
Part B, which tests Theory knowledge about nursing – candidates can receive 100 marks and have 2 hours 30 minutes to complete it.

The Objective Structured Clinical Examination now has 10 stations:
4 stations that cover assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation
4 stations that test various skills
1 station that tests candidate’s values and behaviours
1 station that tests evidence-based practice.

In the OSCE part, each station is assesses based on different criteria specific to each station.

Test content might be reviewed and updated by The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

How is the Test of Competence structured?

There are two parts of the Test of Competence:

Part 1 – Computer Based Test (CBT)

A multiple-choice online test designed to test theoretical knowledge about nursing and midwives standards in the UK. It can be completed anywhere in the world. There are plenty of free practice materials available online to help you prepare for the exam.

Part 2 – Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)

Examination commonly used in health sciences to see whether candidates understand the key factors behind the medical decision-making process. This part tests clinical skill performance and skills such as communication, medical procedures, interpretation of results. The goal of this part is also to determine whether potential nurses can be innovative and whether they know how to make decisions based on evidence.

When you are answering the questions, make sure you relate to the UK standards and practices rather than to the ones of your home country. One of the common reasons for people failing the test is not knowing the UK standards of nursing practice.

While the first part of the exam you can take in your home country, you will need to travel to the UK to take the OSCE.

How to prepare for the Test of Competence?

While there is no strategy that can 100% guarantee that you will pass the test, there are some tips that can increase your chances of success.

The most important thing when preparing for the exam is to read a lot. It is important that you familiarise yourself with the UK practice as it might be different to the system in your home country. Of course, you do not have to memorise everything but the more you read, the more information you automatically retain.

There are plenty of books and articles available online that can help you learn the most important things that every nurse should know. Nevertheless, many questions are situational. Hence, instead of just relying on book knowledge, you also have to think creatively and analyse what you would do if a certain situation happened in real life.

What you also should do is take many practice exams. You can easily find them online and while the actual test questions may differ, they give you an idea of what you might expect.

It is recommended that you spend at least 3 weeks preparing for the exam.

What are the passing rates?

You should not be stressed about taking the Test of Competence as the majority of candidates passes it. TrueProfile.io revealed that the pass rates for various nursing domains are as follows.

Nursing domain	Pass rate
Adult Nursing	68%
Mental Health Nursing	72%
Learning and Disability Nursing	71%
Midwifery	63%

What to expect on the day of the test?

When you arrive to take the OSCE, you will have to provide your passport as proof of identity. You have to use the same passport you used to register with NMC. You will also have your picture taken so you can use it as an ID on the site.

After you finish the OSCE, you can expect to receive the results within 5 working days. If you do not manage to pass it after the first trial, do not worry. You can retake the OSCE three times. Between each retake, you need to wait 10 days, however. If you pass some of the stations but failed others, you only have to retake the ones you did not pass.

How can Niccolo help?

Here at Niccolo, we understand that taking the Test of Competence can be overwhelming. That is why we want to help you prepare for it. If you get in touch with us, we can explain to you in more detail what you can expect from the test and we can answer all your questions. We will always be around to support you.

Get in touch today by calling +44 131 610 8868.