Smoke-free home and youth vaping counselling — communication OSCE

Objectives

1. Take a non-judgemental history of tobacco and nicotine exposure at home and in the car. [1] [11]
2. Explain why second-hand smoke worsens childhood asthma control without shaming the caregiver. [4]
3. Negotiate a concrete smoke-free and vape-free home and car plan with teach-back. [1]
4. Screen for adolescent sibling or self vaping and dual use when appropriate. [6]

Candidate brief

12-minute station. Parent of a 6-year-old with frequent asthma flares is present. A 15-year-old sibling waits outside. You may request confidential time with the adolescent if the station allows. [1]

Expected actions

• Open with partnership: you want fewer asthma attacks and cleaner air for the child. [4]
• Ask who smokes or vapes, where (rooms, doorway, car), and whether products are used indoors. [11]
• Explain second-hand and third-hand exposure in plain language; “only outside” is incomplete protection. [1]
• Agree tonight’s plan: no smoking or vaping in home or car; adult cessation referral or quitline. [1]
• Optimise asthma action plan and note smoke as a trigger. [4]
• If adolescent available: confidential screen for e-cigarette use, nicotine strength, dual use, dependence. [6]
• Teach-back: parent restates smoke-free spaces and the cessation contact. [1]

Marking

Pass: non-judgemental exposure history, smoke-free home and car plan, asthma link explained, cessation offer, teach-back; adolescent dual-use screen if opportunity arises. [1] [4]
Fail: shaming; accepting outdoor-only smoking as zero risk; ignoring the car; no cessation pathway; dismissing e-cigarettes as harmless. [1] [6]