Abstract
The objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is effective for the evaluation of clinical competence. Studies examining the use of OSCEs in undergraduate mental health nursing education in the United States are limited. A pilot study and a follow-up study were conducted to establish the reliability and validity of a mental health OSCE to evaluate the clinical competence of prelicensure nursing students. International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning Standards of Best Practice were used to guide the design and implementation. Results from both studies provide evidence for the use of OSCE in undergraduate mental health nursing education.