Innovation in Health and Nursing Education: FH St. Pölten Sets New Standards with SIMStation OSCE

St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences, internationally recognized for its practice-oriented and high-quality higher education, has faced an increasingly complex challenge in recent years. The number of students in the health and nursing programs has continuously grown, presenting the university not only with logistical challenges, such as the need for additional facilities and funding but also with the task of adapting its training approaches to current conditions through the optimization of practical examination processes.

A central concern of FH St. Pölten was to innovatively further develop health and nursing education at the third learning location. Traditional methods reached their limits, especially in sustainably conveying practical nursing skills in conjunction with theoretical knowledge. The beneficial combination of nursing and emergency medicine required new didactic approaches in practical training that went beyond mere repetitive skill training. Through peer-to-peer (P2P) and structured assessments, students are provided with a transparent and traceable development of their skills, along with an objectively structured evaluation of their practical competencies by examiners as part of the curriculum.

Not only the increasing number of students but also the number of required examination stations made it clear that a smart, intuitive solution was needed – not only to significantly reduce administrative workload but also to make a statement and fulfill the responsibility of innovative teaching. Against this backdrop, FH St. Pölten sought a partner who could provide not only technological expertise but also the flexibility to develop a customized solution that meets the specific requirements and high standards of the university and modern nursing education. This partner was found in SIMStation.

In an interplay between development and requirements, an OSCE system was collaboratively created to meet the specific needs of the university and the demands of the new curriculum. From the outset, it was clear that the solution needed to be smart, flexible, and objective. In close coordination with the team from the Nursing and Preclinical Care program, the examination processes were reimagined and digitized. Special emphasis was placed on user-friendliness to minimize administrative workload and provide students and examiners with a straightforward handling experience.

The development included not only the digitization of automated OSCE examinations but also the integration of peer-to-peer assessments, allowing students to learn and evaluate their practical skills independently along a digitized action checklist, in addition to structured guidance from nursing experts at the third learning location. Through continuous communication, SIMStation was able to develop a system that not only met the university's requirements but also set new standards for digital examination processes in health and nursing education. The development progressed rapidly: the dynamic collaboration began in summer 2023, and by June 2024, the first fully digitized OSCE examinations with the new system took place.

"The close and highly focused collaboration with SIMStation was characterized from the very beginning by a high level of professionalism and a deep understanding of our specific needs. This partnership approach has been crucial in allowing us to establish our OSCE examination in such a short time while aligning it perfectly with our vision."

FH-Prof.ⁱⁿ Mag. ᵃ Gabriella Szelesi, RN
Subject Matter Expert for the Third Learning Location & Simulation
Department of Health, FH St. Pölten

With the introduction of the customized SIMStation OSCE system, the examination process at FH St. Pölten has undergone a lasting transformation. Since the summer semester of 2024, the new system enables a fully digital, paperless execution of examinations, making them more transparent and traceable. Students can review their exams and receive clear and detailed feedback on their performance through integrated feedback mechanisms.

The efficient and user-friendly design of the system ensures that OSCE examinations can be planned, conducted, and evaluated without extensive training and without disrupting daily operations. This enables FH St. Pölten to conduct OSCE examinations up to eight times a year without interrupting the regular study schedule.

The innovative SIMStation solution has not only optimized the practical OSCE examination process at FH St. Pölten but has also enhanced the outcomes of practical training. The transparent alignment between skill acquisition and assessment fosters greater motivation among students and supports the continuous improvement of their practical skills. Overall, the SIMStation assessment and OSCE system represents a significant advancement in health and nursing education and sets new standards for the future.