OFFICIAL OET PREPARATION MATERIALS

Practice Book Set 1

Nursing

WRITING
ISBN: 978-0-9807653-4-2 © Copyright Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment.

This work is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may
be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from Cambridge Boxhill Language
Assessment.
For information in regards to OET visit the OET website: www.occupationalenglishtest.org
First published March 2010
2nd edition May 2015
Contents
An overview of OET (Occupational English Test) 1

History of the test 3

Description of OET 4

How the test is scored 6

Section 1: What is the Writing sub-test? 7

Section 2: Test taker’s guide to the Writing sub-test 8

Section 3: How can I further prepare for the Writing sub-test? 9

Section 4: Practice Test 1 11

Practice Test 1: Sample Response 14

Section 5: Practice Test 2 15

Practice Test 2: Sample Response 18

Section 6: Practice Test 3 19

Practice Test 3: Sample Response 22

Section 7: Further practice 23

An overview of OET (Occupational English Test)
OET assesses the language proficiency of healthcare professionals When and where is OET available?
who wish to register and practise in an English-speaking
environment. It is designed to meet the specific English language OET is available up to twelve times a year, in 35 countries.
needs of the healthcare sector. What is in the test?
OET tests candidates from the following 12 health professions: OET is an in-depth and thorough assessment of all areas of language
Dentistry, Dietetics, Medicine, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, ability – with an emphasis on communication in medical and health
Optometry, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Podiatry, Radiography, professional settings.
Speech Pathology and Veterinary Science.
The test consists of four sub-tests:
The test is now owned by Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment
Pty Ltd (CBLA), a venture between Cambridge English Language • Listening
Assessment and Box Hill Institute in Australia. • Reading
• Writing
Who recognises OET? • Speaking
OET results are accepted as proof of English proficiency by
healthcare boards and councils in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, The Writing and Speaking sub-tests are specific to each
Namibia and Dubai for registration; by leading healthcare employers profession, while the Listening and Reading sub-tests are common
and educators for admission and recruitment; and Australian and to all professions.
New Zealand immigration.

For more information visit: www.occupationalenglishtest.org

Sub-test (duration) Content Shows candidates can:

Listening 2 tasks follow and understand a range of health-related spoken materials such as
(50 minutes) Common to all 12 professions patient consultations and lectures.

Reading 2 tasks read and understand different types of text on health-related subjects.
(60 minutes) Common to all 12 professions

Writing 1 task write a letter in a clear and accurate way which is relevant for the reader.
(45 minutes) Specific to each profession

Speaking 2 tasks effectively communicate in a real-life context through the use of role plays.
(20 minutes) Specific to each profession

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Results
OET Statements of Results include a separate grade for each sub-test,
ranging from A (highest) to E (lowest). There is no overall grade for
OET.
Registration procedures
For registration details visit: www.occupationalenglishtest.org
Here you’ll find all the information and instructions you need to apply
for OET online for the first time, including test fees, ID, payment and
photo guidelines.

High-quality, secure language assessment
CBLA is committed to the highest standards of quality, security and
integrity for OET – from test development, test delivery and results
processing, through to post-examination review and evaluation.
Fair and consistent delivery of OET is ensured by secure technology
and the continual training and monitoring of assessors, as well as test
centre management and facilities.
The Writing and Speaking sub-tests are developed in consultation
with practising healthcare professionals and educators to ensure test
materials simulate real-life clinical situations, such as explaining a
diagnosis and writing referral letters.
The Listening and Reading sub-tests are developed by the Language
Testing Research Centre (LTRC) at the University of Melbourne.
Assessment
Our ID procedures have DIBP approval, ensuring confidence in
candidate identity.
Special provision
Candidates with special needs may apply in advance for special
provision. CBLA makes all reasonable arrangements to accommodate
special visual or auditory needs, including enlargement of print texts
and special auditory equipment.
Preparation materials
Resources can be accessed from the OET website, including:
• sample papers
• suggested reading material
• a list of preparation training providers*

All sub-tests are assessed at the OET Centre by trained expert

assessors. Assessment procedures routinely include double marking * This list is for information only – we do not endorse any particular training program.
and statistical analysis to ensure that candidate results are accurate
and fair.

Each of the four sub-tests is assessed in a specific way. Read more

about OET assessment procedures at:
www.occupationalenglishtest.org

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History of the test
Occupational English Test was designed by Professor Tim McNamara communicative, contextualised test. OET has been frequently
of the University of Melbourne under contract to the Australian Federal reviewed and analysed in the literature since the 1980s. McNamara
Government. (1996)1 gives a full account of the development of the test and
associated validation research.
As part of the annual intake of refugees and immigrants, hundreds
of overseas-trained health practitioners were entering Australia by The initial development of the test specifications involved:
the mid to late 1980s. The majority were medical practitioners, but a
a. extensive consultation with expert informants, including
number of other health professional groups were also represented.
clinical educators, ESL teachers offering language support in
The process of registration to practise in most health professions clinical settings, and overseas-trained professionals who were
in Australia included three stages of assessment: English language completing or had completed a clinical bridging program.
proficiency, a multiple choice test of profession-specific clinical
b. literature search.
knowledge and a performance-based test of clinical competence.
c. direct observation of the workplace.
Dissatisfaction with the results of existing language tests led to
the development of thoroughly researched specifications for a

Stages of Test Development (presentation by Prof Tim McNamara, August 2007)2

1. McNamara, T. [1996] Measuring Second Language Performance. London: Longman.

2. McNamara, T. [2007] Stages of Test Development. OET Forum.

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Description of OET
Test format
OET assesses listening, reading, writing and speaking.

There is a separate sub-test for each skill area. The Listening and Reading sub-tests are designed to assess the ability to understand spoken
and written English in contexts related to general health and medicine. The sub-tests for Listening and Reading are common to all professions.

The Writing and Speaking sub-tests are specific to each profession and are designed to assess the ability to use English appropriately in a
relevant professional context.

Listening sub-test
The Listening sub-test consists of two parts: a recorded, simulated professional-patient
consultation with note-taking questions (Part A), and a recorded talk or lecture on a
health-related topic with short-answer/note-taking questions (Part B), each about
15 minutes of recorded speech. A set of questions is attached to each section and
candidates write their answers while listening. The original recording is edited with
pauses to allow candidates time to write their answers.

The format for Part A (the consultation) requires candidates to produce case notes
under relevant headings and to write as much relevant information as possible. Part B
(the lecture) requires candidates to complete a range of open-ended and fixed-choice
listening tasks.

Reading sub-test
The Reading sub-test consists of two parts:

Part A is a summary reading task. This requires candidates to skim and scan 3-4 short
texts (a total of about 650 words) related to a single topic and to complete a summary
paragraph by filling in the missing words. Candidates are required to write responses
for 25-35 gaps in total, within a strictly monitored time limit of 15 minutes.

Part A is designed to test the reader’s ability to source information from multiple texts,
to synthesise information in a meaningful way and to assess skimming and scanning
ability within a time limit.

In Part B candidates are required to read two passages (600-800 words each) on
general medical topics and answer 8-10 multiple-choice questions for each text (a total
of 16-20 questions) – within a time limit of 45 minutes.

Part B is designed to test the reader’s ability to read in greater detail general and
specific information for comprehension.

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Writing sub-test
The Writing sub-test usually consists of a scenario presented to the candidate,
which requires the production of a letter of referral to another professional. The letter
must record treatment offered to date and the issues to be addressed by the other
professional. The letter must take account of the stimulus material presented.

The body of the letter must consist of approximately 180-200 words and be set out
in an appropriate format. For certain professions, other professional writing tasks of
equivalent difficulty may also be set, e.g., responding in writing to a complaint, or
providing written information to a specified audience in the form of a letter.

Speaking sub-test
The production of contextualised professional language is achieved by requiring
the candidate to engage with an interlocutor who plays the role of a patient or a
patient’s carer. The candidate must respond as a professional consultant to two
different scenarios played out with the interlocutor. These exchanges are recorded for
subsequent assessment. The recording also includes a short ‘warm-up’ that is part of
the Speaking sub-test, though this material is not assessed.

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How the test is scored
You will receive a Statement of Results which shows your grade for
each of the four sub-tests, from A (highest) to E (lowest). Each of the
four sub-tests is assessed in a specific way.
Writing and Speaking
Your performances on the Writing and Speaking sub-tests are each
rated by at least two trained Assessors at the OET Centre. Audio
files and scripts are assigned to Assessors at random to avoid any
conflict of interest. Your test-day Interlocutor is not involved in the
assessment process.
Writing and Speaking Assessors are monitored for accuracy and
consistency, and the scores they award are adjusted to take into
account any leniency or severity. If two Assessors award different
scores to your performance, your script and/or audio file will be
referred to at least one other senior Assessor not previously involved
in your assessment.
For the Writing sub-test, each Assessor scores your performance
according to five criteria: Overall Task Fulfilment, Appropriateness of
Language, Comprehension of Stimulus, Linguistic Features (Grammar
and Cohesion), and Presentation Features (Spelling, Punctuation,
and Layout). The five criteria are equally weighted. Grade B for Writing
requires a high level of performance on all five criteria.
For the Speaking sub-test, each Assessor scores your performance
according to five criteria: Overall Communicative Effectiveness,
Intelligibility, Fluency, Appropriateness, and Resources of Grammar
and Expression. The five criteria are equally weighted. Grade B for
Speaking requires a high level of performance on all five criteria.
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Listening and Reading
Your answer booklets for the Listening sub-test and for Reading
Part A are marked by trained Assessors at the OET Centre. Answer
booklets are assigned at random to avoid any conflict of interest.
Your answer sheet for Reading Part B is computer scanned and
automatically scored.
Listening and Reading Assessors use a detailed marking guide
which sets out which answers receive marks and how the marks
are counted. Assessors use this guide to decide for each question
whether you have provided enough correct information to be given
the mark or marks available. Assessors are monitored for accuracy
and consistency, and the data entry of scores is also double-checked
for accuracy.
There is no set score-to-grade conversion for the Listening and
Reading sub-tests because there are inevitably minor differences
in the difficulty level across tests. The grade boundaries for each
version of the test are set so that all candidates’ results relate to
the same scale of achievement. Grade B for Listening and grade B
for Reading both require the use of a range of skills, including the
ability to understand main ideas, factual information, opinions and
attitudes, and to follow the development of ideas.
 WRITING SECTION 1

What is the Writing sub-test?

The Writing sub-test takes 45 minutes. It is profession specific. You With the task instructions, you receive stimulus material (case notes
take this part of OET using materials specifically for your profession and/or other related documentation), which includes information to
– a nurse does the task for nursing, a dentist does the task for use in your response.
dentistry, and so on. In each test, there is one task set for each
The first five minutes of the test is reading time. During this time,
profession based on a typical workplace situation and the demands
you may study the task and notes but may not write, underline or
of the profession.
make any notes.
The task is to write a letter, usually a letter of referral. Sometimes,
For the remaining 40 minutes you may write your response to the
and particularly for some professions, a different type of letter is
task. You receive a printed answer booklet in which you must write
required: e.g., a letter of transfer or discharge, or a letter to advise
your response. This also has space for rough work. You may write in
or inform a patient, carer, or group.
pen or pencil.

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 WRITING SECTION 2

Test taker’s guide to the Writing sub-test

Do General
• Take time to understand the task requirements • Have a spare pen and pencil ready, just in case
• Use your own words to paraphrase or summarise longer pieces • Fill in the cover pages for the task booklet and the answer
of information from the case notes booklet correctly
• Make sure you understand the situation described in the case • Fill in your personal information on the answer sheet correctly
notes
• Take a sample test under test conditions beforehand so you
• Think about how best to organise your letter before you start know what it feels like
writing
• Practise writing clearly if you have poor handwriting
• Use the space provided to plan your letter (though a draft is
not compulsory) • Write clearly and legibly
• Use the five minutes’ reading time effectively to understand
the task set Checking at the end
»» What is your role? • Make sure your letter communicates what you intend
»» Who is your audience (the intended reader)? • Make sure you meet the basic task requirements:
»» What is the current situation? »» length of the body of the text approximately 180-200
»» How urgent is the current situation? words

»» What is the main point you must communicate to »» full sentences, not note form
the reader? »» appropriate letter format
»» What supporting information is necessary to give to • Check for any simple grammar and spelling errors that you may
the reader? have made
»» What background information is useful to the reader? • If a page is messy, use clear marks (e.g., arrows, numbers)
»» What information is unnecessary for the reader? to show the sequence in which the parts of your text should
Why is it unnecessary? be read

• Explain the current situation at the start of the letter (e.g., • Cross out clearly anything you do not want the assessors to read
perhaps an emergency situation)
• Use the names and addresses given
• Set out the names, addresses, date and other information
to start the letter clearly
• As you write, indicate each new paragraph clearly, perhaps
by leaving a blank line

Don’t
• Include everything from the case notes – select information
relevant to the task
• Simply copy chunks of text from the case notes
• Write notes or numbered points

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 WRITING SECTION 3

How can I further prepare for the Writing sub-test?

Your letter is assessed against five criteria:
• Overall task fulfilment
including the overall impression of the performance and whether the response is of the required length
• Appropriateness of language
including the use of appropriate register and tone in the response, and whether it is organised appropriately
• Comprehension of stimulus
including whether the response shows you have understood the situation and provided relevant rather than unnecessary
information to your reader
• Control of linguistic features (grammar and cohesion)
how effectively you communicate using the grammatical structures and cohesive devices of English
• Control of presentation features (spelling, punctuation and layout)
how these areas affect the message you want to communicate

Overall task fulfilment
Write enough so the assessors have a sufficient sample of your
writing – the task requires approximately 180-200 words in the Avoid informal language, slang, colloquialisms and spoken idioms
body of the letter.
Don’t write too much – you may need to select content carefully
to keep to the required word count.
Use your own words as much as possible – don’t simply copy
sections from the case notes.
Avoid using a ‘formulaic’ response – if you include elements that
do not fit the task, it indicates a lack of flexibility in your writing.
Don’t include information that the intended reader clearly knows
already (e.g., if you are replying to a colleague who has referred a
patient to you).
Remember that all professional letters are written in a relatively
formal style.
unless you are sure this is appropriate (e.g., use ‘Thank you’ rather
than ‘Thanks a lot’).
Avoid SMS texting abbreviations in a formal letter (e.g., use ‘you’
not ‘u’).
Give the correct salutation: if you are told the recipient’s name and
title, use them.
Show awareness of your audience by choosing appropriate words
and phrases: if you are writing to another professional, you may
use technical terms and, possibly, abbreviations; if you are writing
to a parent or a group of lay people, use non-technical terms and
explain carefully.

Appropriateness of language
Comprehension of stimulus
Organise the information clearly – the sequence of information in
Demonstrate in your response that you have understood the case
the case notes may not be the most appropriate sequence of
notes fully.
information for your letter.
Be clear what the most relevant issues for the reader are.
Highlight the main purpose of your letter at the start – this provides
the context for the information you include. Don’t let the main issue become hidden by including too much
supporting detail.
Be clear about the level of urgency for the communication.
Show clearly the connections between information in the case notes
Always keep in mind the reason for writing – don’t just summarise
if these are made; however, do not add information that is not given in
the case notes provided.
the notes (e.g., a suggested diagnosis), particularly if the reason for
Focus on important information and minimise incidental detail. the letter is to get an expert opinion.
If it will help, be explicit about the organisation of your letter: Take relevant information from the case notes and transform it to fit
e.g., ‘First I will outline the problems the patient has, then I will the task set.
make some suggestions for his treatment’.
If the stimulus material includes questions that require an answer
Consider using dates and other time references (e.g., three in your response, be explicit about this – don’t ‘hide’ the relevant
months later, last week, a year ago) to give a clear sequence of information in a general summary of the notes provided.
events where necessary.
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Control of linguistic features (grammar and cohesion)
Show that you can use language accurately and flexibly in your
writing.
Make sure you demonstrate a range of language structures –
use complex sentences as well as simple ones.
Split a long sentence into two or three sentences if you feel you
are losing control of it.
Review areas of grammar to ensure you convey your intended
meaning accurately – particular areas to focus on might include*:
• articles – a/an, the (e.g., ‘She had an operation.’, ‘on the internet’)
• countable and uncountable nouns (e.g., some evidence, an
opinion, an asthma)
• verb forms used to indicate past time and the relationship
between events in the past and now (past simple, present
perfect, past perfect)
• adverbs that give time references (e.g., ‘two months previously’
is different from ‘two months ago’)
• prepositions following other words (e.g., ‘Thank you very much to
see for seeing ...’, ‘sensitivity of to pressure’, ‘my examination on
of the patient’, ‘diagnosed with cancer’)
• passive forms (e.g., ‘He involved in an accident.’ for ‘He was
involved in an accident.’)
Use connecting words and phrases (‘connectives’) to link ideas
together clearly (e.g., however, therefore, subsequently).
Create a mental checklist of problems that you have with grammar
and go through this when you review your response towards the end
of the test: particular areas to focus on might include:
• number agreement, e.g. ‘The test result shows that ...’, ‘There is
no evidence ...’, ‘He lives ...’, ‘one of the side effects’
• complete sentences, i.e., the main clause includes ‘subject
and verb’, e.g., ‘On examination showed that ...’ should be
‘Examination showed that ...’ or ‘On examination, it was found
that ...’
• gender agreement, e.g. ‘Mr Jones and her his daughter’
• tense agreement, e.g., ‘Examination on 15 May 2006 revealed
she is was overweight.’ [creating confusion over whether she is
still overweight at the time of writing]
* In the following list, a line through text indicates inaccurate grammar.
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Control of presentation features (spelling, punctuation and layout)
Take care with the placement of commas and full stops:
• Make sure there are enough – separating ideas into sentences.
• Make sure there are not too many – keeping elements of the text
meaningfully connected together.
Leave a blank line between paragraphs to show clearly the overall
structure of the letter.
Don’t write on every other line – this does not assist the reader
particularly.
Check for spelling mistakes and for spelling consistency through
your writing (e.g., with a patient’s name).
Remember that many of the words you write are also in the case
notes – check that the spelling you use is the same.
Be consistent in your spelling: alternative spelling conventions
(e.g., American or British English) are acceptable as long as your
use is consistent.
Don’t use symbols and abbreviations in formal letters.
Avoid creating any negative impact on your reader through the
presentation of the letter.
Use a clear layout to avoid any miscommunication.
Make sure poor handwriting does not confuse the reader over spelling
and meaning.
Write legibly so the assessor can grade your response fairly using
the set criteria.
Candidates are assessed on their ability to:
• Select, transform and organise information in the case notes
into a coherently structured letter
• Include relevant information to
»» explain the patient’s condition, history and reason
for referral,
»» explain a problematic situation, OR
»» outline drug information
• Use appropriate conventions of letter format (including
addressee’s details, date, opening and closing moves)
• Use register, tone and vocabulary appropriate to the
professional context
• Show adequate control of a range of grammatical structures
and cohesive devices
• Show adequate control of spelling and punctuation
 WRITING SECTION 4

Writing sub-test
Practice test 1

Please print in BLOCK LETTERS

Candidate number – –

Family name

Other name(s)

City

Date of test

Candidate’s signature

YOU MUST NOT REMOVE OET MATERIAL FROM THE TEST ROOM

The OET Centre

PO Box 16136 Telephone: +613 8656 4000
Collins St West Facsimile: +613 8656 4020
VIC 8007 Australia www.occupationalenglishtest.org

© Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment ABN 51 988 559 414

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Occupational English Test
WRITING SUB-TEST: NURSING
TIME ALLOWED: READING TIME: 5 MINUTES
WRITING TIME: 40 MINUTES
Read the case notes and complete the writing task which follows.

Notes:

Ms Osburn is an elderly patient at the Newport Community Health Centre. You are the attending nurse.

Patient details

Name: Monica Osburn

Age: 69 years

Marital status: Divorced

Family: One daughter (married)

First attended centre:

September 2003

Last attended centre:

January 2010

Diagnosis: Hypertension, depression

Social background:
Present: lives alone; rented house in Newport
Moving to rented one-bedroom unit in Woodville close to daughter (daughter’s request)
Income: aged pension
Long history excessive alcohol intake, á when anxious

Medical history: Hypertension (10 years)

Depression (2 years)
Periodic problems with self-administration of medication

Medications: Anti-hypertensives and anti-depressants

Nursing management and progress:

Regular monitoring by community nurse in Woodville to ascertain medication compliance
and alcohol intake

Discharge plan: Establish contact with medical practitioner after move

Monitor medication compliance, alcohol intake and diet
Encourage expansion of family and social activities — elderly citizens’ clubs, voluntary groups,
etc.

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Writing task:

Using the information in the case notes, write a referral letter to the Community Nurse, Community Health Centre,
Woodville, outlining relevant information and requesting continued care.

In your answer:
• Expand the relevant notes into complete sentences
• Do not use note form
• Use letter format
The body of the letter should be approximately 180 - 200 words.

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Occupational English Test
WRITING SUB-TEST: NURSING
SAMPLE RESPONSE: LETTER OF REFERRAL

Community Nurse
Community Health Centre
Woodville

21 March 2010

Dear Community Nurse

Re: Mrs Monica Osburn

This letter is to introduce Mrs Osburn, a 69-year-old woman, who has been a client of the
Newport Community Health Centre for the past six years.
Mrs Osburn has been treated for hypertension over the last ten years and for depression for
the past two years, for which she currently takes anti-hypertensives and anti-depressants.
She has agreed with her daughter’s suggestion that she move to Woodville, where they may
have more regular contact. Periodically, Mrs Osburn has experienced problems with self-
administration of medications and may require assistance with this aspect of her treatment.
She currently lives alone in a rental house.
Mrs Osburn has experienced periods where her alcohol consumption has been too high
and her anxiety sometimes causes her to drink even more. It is vitally important that this is
carefully monitored in addition to her medication intake and dietary habits. More contact with
her daughter and family may reduce the incidence of these depressive episodes and I believe
that she will appreciate your suggestions for possible expansion of her social contacts: elderly
citizens’ club, voluntary organisations etc. I would also recommend getting in touch with a GP
who is mindful of Mrs Osburn’s circumstances.
Thank you for agreeing to accept her management. If you require further information please do
not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely,

Nurse

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 WRITING SECTION 5

Writing sub-test
Practice test 2

Please print in BLOCK LETTERS

Candidate number – –

Family name

Other name(s)

City

Date of test

Candidate’s signature

YOU MUST NOT REMOVE OET MATERIAL FROM THE TEST ROOM

The OET Centre

PO Box 16136 Telephone: +613 8656 4000
Collins St West Facsimile: +613 8656 4020
VIC 8007 Australia www.occupationalenglishtest.org

© Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment ABN 51 988 559 414

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Occupational English Test
WRITING SUB-TEST: NURSING
TIME ALLOWED: READING TIME: 5 MINUTES
WRITING TIME: 40 MINUTES
Read the case notes and complete the writing task which follows.

Notes:

You are the Charge Nurse on duty at the Children’s Hospital. You have been caring for this patient, Ann, an infant.

Patient Details
Name: Ann Ballard

Age: 22 months

Next of Kin: Christine Ballard (mother)

Admission date: 16 March 2010

Discharge date: 22 March 2010

Diagnosis: 2nd degree burns to right trunk & arm following accidental scalding with hot water

Family: Lives with mother and 4yr old brother (Tom)

Background: Mother (28 yrs) separated from husband 4 mths ago

Financial difficulties following separation
Housing: 3 bedroomed house in new housing development
Family reliant on public transport
Socially isolated (Christine’s parents interstate, has few friends)
Christine ?depressed
Children spend alternate weekends with father

Medical history and medications:

Nil medications
Nil significant history
No known allergies

Management and progress during hospital stay:

2 x daily Silvazine dressings to affected area
IV fluids for 24 hrs post admission and then oral fluids
Medications: Prophylactic antibiotic cover & analgesia
Mother referred to hospital social worker

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Discharge plan: Daily Silvazine dressings
No discharge medications
Monitor mother’s mental state
Introduce to local supports (e.g., mothers’ group/activities, local childcare centre, etc.)
Appointment with local financial counsellor (for financial problems)

Writing task:

Using the information given in the case notes, as the Charge Nurse on duty, write a letter to the family’s local
maternal and child health nurse, outlining relevant information and requesting follow-up on discharge. Address the
letter to Greenville Maternal and Child Health Centre, Main Rd, Greenville.

In your answer:
• Expand the relevant notes into complete sentences
• Do not use note form
• Use letter format
The body of the letter should be approximately 180 - 200 words.

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Occupational English Test
WRITING SUB-TEST: NURSING
SAMPLE RESPONSE: LETTER OF REFERRAL

Maternal and Child Health Nurse

Greenville Maternal and Child Health Centre
Main Rd
Greenville
20 March, 2010

Dear Nurse,

Re: Ann Ballard

Ann Ballard was admitted to the Children’s Hospital on 16 March 2010 with 2nd degree
burns to her right arm and trunk after being accidentally scalded with hot water.
Her stay was uncomplicated, following the usual course of dressings, analgesia and
prophylactic antibiotic cover.
Ann will be discharged from hospital on 22 March 2010. She will require ongoing daily
Silvanzine dressings to the affected area. No other treatment is required.
Ann’s mother, Christine Ballard, has recently separated from her husband and appears
to be very isolated. She also has financial problems and would benefit from meeting with
a financial counsellor for assistance with these problems. The staff are concerned that
Christine may be suffering from depression.
Christine would also benefit from your support and monitoring. In particular, your
assistance with linking her into local support services and networks would, I believe,
assist in reducing her isolation.
Thank you for being involved with the family’s ongoing care. Please do not hesitate to
contact me if you require any further information.

Yours sincerely,

Charge Nurse

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 WRITING SECTION 6

Writing sub-test
Practice test 3

Please print in BLOCK LETTERS

Candidate number – –

Family name

Other name(s)

City

Date of test

Candidate’s signature

YOU MUST NOT REMOVE OET MATERIAL FROM THE TEST ROOM

The OET Centre

PO Box 16136 Telephone: +613 8656 4000
Collins St West Facsimile: +613 8656 4020
VIC 8007 Australia www.occupationalenglishtest.org

© Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment ABN 51 988 559 414

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Occupational English Test
WRITING SUB-TEST: NURSING
TIME ALLOWED: READING TIME: 5 MINUTES
WRITING TIME: 40 MINUTES
Read the case notes and complete the writing task which follows.

Notes:

You are the Charge Nurse at the North West Rehabilitation Hospital overseeing Mr O’Connor.

Patient Details
Name: Mr Andrew O’Connor

Age: 74 years

Date: 19 March 2010

Marital Status: Married

Religion: Catholic

Admission Date: 2 December 2009

Discharge Date: 22 March 2010

Diagnosis: L CVA (stroke) right side hemiplegia (paralysis)

Social/Family History:
Retired baker
71 yr old wife, Mary, has angina
2 married children, do not live nearby
Lives in 3-bedroomed family home in Lake Park
Prior to stroke recreational activities included fishing & golf

Medical History and Medications:

See Dr’s notes (to be forwarded)

Management and Progress during Hospital Stay:

Slow progress despite intensive physiotherapy and occupational therapy
Still requires assistance with dressing, toileting, getting in & out of bed
Mobilises slowly with frame. Can feed himself
Mood swings (angry / tearful / happy)
Family meeting held 09/03/10. Advised nursing home placement. Family refused
OT home assessment 11/03/10. Modifications carried out including hand rails in
bathroom & toilet & bed rails

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Discharge Plan: Attendance at day hospital 3 times / wk
District nurse to visit twice daily to:
a) Assist with transferring in & out of bed & grooming & hygiene needs
b) Monitor medications
c) Monitor how Pt coping at home; note also, wife’s health
d) Re-refer to hospital if necessary

Writing task:

You are the Charge Nurse on the hospital ward where Mr O’Connor has resided during his hospital stay. Using the
information given in the case notes, write a letter of referral to the District Nurse at the District Nursing Centre, Lake
Park, who will be attending to Mr O’Connor after his discharge.

In your answer:
• Expand the relevant notes into complete sentences
• Do not use note form
• Use letter format
The body of the letter should be approximately 180 - 200 words.

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Occupational English Test
WRITING SUB-TEST: NURSING
SAMPLE RESPONSE: LETTER OF REFERRAL

19 March 2010

District Nurse
District Nursing Centre
Lake Park

Dear District Nurse,

Re: Mr Andrew O’Connor

Mr O’Connor was admitted to the North West Rehabilitation Hospital on 02/12/09 following a
left-sided CVA, resulting in a right-sided hemiplegia.
His progress since admission has been slow, despite intensive rehabilitation. Although he
can mobilise with a frame and feed himself, he still requires assistance with getting in and
out of bed, dressing and toileting. His wife, Mary, suffers from angina and his two married
children do not live nearby. As a result, at a family meeting held on the 9th March, the families
were advised to seek nursing home placement for Mr O’Connor. However, this was refused
and he will be discharged on the 22nd March. Modifications to the home have already been
undertaken.
After discharge, Mr O’Connor will be attending the day hospital three times a week. We request
that you arrange visitations twice daily to assist Mr O’Connor with his hygiene needs and with
transferring him in and out of bed. His medications will also need to be monitored and his
doctor will forward his medication details to you. We also ask you to monitor how the family
manages with Mr O’Connor at home, especially in view of his wife’s health, and to refer him to
the hospital for reassessment if necessary.

Yours sincerely,

Charge Nurse

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 WRITING SECTION 7

Further Practice
OET Preparation Portal
The Preparation Portal contains many highly useful resources for OET candidates including:
- Where to buy more OET practice books;
- Attending a free OET Masterclass, containing helpful tips and information for the exam;
- Free sample materials for your profession;
- Top tips for each skill;
- Where to find a preparation course.
The portal can be accessed at: https://www.occupationalenglishtest.org/test-information/preparation-portal/

External websites
There are resources for English-language learners on the web which can help you develop the general writing skills involved (e.g., formal letter
writing, general grammar practice). Some possible sources are:
Online Writing Lab at Purdue University
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/     new homepage
Englishmed.com
http://www.englishmed.com/     English learning resources with a medical focus

Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment is not responsible for the content of external websites.

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The Occupational English Test (OET) is designed to meet the specific English language needs of the healthcare
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