Sun protection counselling — communication OSCE

Objectives

1. Elicit real outdoor and tanning behaviours without shaming. [3]
2. Teach layered protection with a concrete beach-week plan. [1] [4]
3. Clearly advise against indoor tanning for minors. [3] [9]
4. Separate vitamin D optimisation from intentional UV exposure. [1]
5. Use teach-back and address cost/practical barriers. [13]

Candidate brief

12-minute station. Parent of a freckled 9-year-old is present; adolescent sibling’s tanning-bed use may be disclosed. No acute illness. [3]

Marking anchors

• Opens with outdoor-activity-positive framing. [1]
• Covers shade, timing, clothing/hat, eyes, sunscreen amount/reapplication. [1] [4]
• Rejects indoor tanning with evidence-level plain language. [3] [9]
• Avoids recommending intentional midday unprotected sun for vitamin D. [1]
• Checks understanding with teach-back and documents plan. [3] [13]

Sample lines

"We want your child outside and active. Let's build a plan so they don't burn: shade tent, rash vest, hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen put on thickly and reapplied after swimming." [1] [4]

"Tanning beds are not a safe shortcut — they are linked with higher melanoma risk and are not recommended for young people." [9] [3]