Writing sub-test

Nursing
Sample Test

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

GPO Box 372 Telephone: +613 8656 4000
Melbourne VIC 3001 Facsimile: +613 8656 4020
Australia www.occupationalenglishtest.org

© Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment – Sample Test (2010) ABN 51 988 559 414
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:

Mr Gerald Baker is a 79-year-old patient on the ward of a hospital in which you are Charge Nurse.

Patient Details:

Marital Status: Widower (8 years)

Admission Date: 3 September 2010 (City Hospital)

Discharge Date: 7 September 2010

Diagnosis: Left Total Hip Replacement (THR)

Ongoing high blood pressure

Social Background: Lives at Greywalls Nursing Home (GNH) (4 years)

No children

Employed as a radio engineer until retirement aged 65

Now aged-pensioner

Hobbies: chess, ham radio operator

Sister, Dawn Mason (66), visits regularly; v supportive

– plays chess with Mr Baker on her visits

No signs of dementia observed

Medical Background: 2008 – Osteoarthritis requiring total hip replacement surgery

1989 – Hypertension (ongoing management)

1985 – Colles fracture, ORIF

TURN OVER 2
Medications: Aspirin 100mg mane (recommenced post-operatively)

Ramipril 5mg mane

Panadeine Forte (co-codamol) 2 qid prn

Nursing Management and Progress:

daily dressings surgery incision site

Range of motion, stretching and strengthening exercises

Occupational therapy

Staples to be removed in two wks (21/9)

Also, follow-up FBE and UEC tests at City Hospital Clinic

Assessment: Good mobility post-operation

Weight-bearing with use of wheelie-walker; walks length of ward without difficulty

Post-operative disoriention re time and place during recovery, possibly relating to

anaesthetic – continued observation recommended

Dropped Hb post-operatively (to 72) requiring transfusion of 3 units packed red

blood cells; Hb stable (112) on discharge – ongoing monitoring required for anaemia

Discharge Plan: Monitor medications (Panadeine Forte)

Preserve skin integrity

Continue exercise program

Equipment required: wheelie-walker, wedge pillow, toilet raiser. Hospital to provide

walker and pillow. Hospital social worker organised 2-wk hire of raiser from local
medical supplier.

Writing task:

Using the information in the case notes, write a letter to Ms Samantha Bruin, Senior Nurse at Greywalls Nursing Home,
27 Station Road, Greywalls, who will be responsible for Mr Baker’s continued care at the Nursing Home.

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.

3
Ms Samantha Bruin,
Greywalls Nursing Home,
27 Station Road,
Greywalls. Commented [se1]: You need a date

Re : Mr Geraldl Baker Commented [se2]: You need to refer to the patient here

Dear Ms Bruin, i'm Marianna, the charge nurse of City Hospital that follows Mr Baker's trial in this
hospital. Mr Baker has undergone a surgical procedure a week ago about THR.
His conditions are very well for a man of 79 year old. He takes his medications, that are Ramipril 5 mg
for his high blood pressure and Panadeine Forte. The incision site has undergone a careful daily
valutation, including signs of infections and formation of pression ulcers. He have a good mobility
now, and i recommend for his care at the Nursing home the frequent check of skin integrity with the
use of dressings, the riabilitation with the help of a physiotherapist, monitoring the Panadeine Forte
cause this can influence his high blood pressure. For him is also necessary the use of wheelie-walker,
wedge pillow and toilet raiser for his complete rehabilitation.
Regards
Charge nurse
Overall Task Fulfilment
You have failed to fulfil the task: the target reader would only be informed of some of the information
required for ongoing treatment. The effectiveness of the letter is limited by the fact that many areas
need to be expressed more clearly. The letter needs to be expanded as it is too short – 180-220
words required. See notes.
Commented [se3]: You don’t need to introduce yourself
here. I am writing to refer the above patient back into your
care after undergoing left total hip replacement (THR)
surgery.
Commented [se4]:
Commented [se5R4]: This is very informal – Mr Baker has
made good progress since the operation and is weight
bearing with the help of a wheelie walker. He can manage to
walk the length of the ward without difficulty. He was
disorientated after the operation and this may be due to
anaesthetic and he will need to be monitored. You need to
also mention the blood transfusion here. Plus need to add
strengthening and mobility exercises
Commented [se6]: Word form error - evaluation
Commented [se7]: This info can go in another paragraph
with addition of staples to be removed after two weeks and
follow up of FBE and UEC test at hospital.
Commented [se8]: Closing – If you require any further
information regarding the patient please do not hesitate to
contact me.

Appropriateness of Language
You have chosen lexis and register which are inappropriate is some parts of your letter and errors
predominate. This may cause difficulty for the reader.

Comprehension of Stimulus
You have not really demonstrated an understanding of the communicative task.

Control of Linguistic Features (Grammar and Cohesion)

This is an area you will have to focus on as many of the structures you have used are inaccurate. See
notes.

Control of Presentation Features (Spelling, Punctuation and Layout)

You need to have a date and to refer to the patient in your letterhead – see notes. In addition,you
need to separate the information into body paragraphs. Spelling and punctuation show a poor level of
accuracy which may cause difficulty for the reader.

Overall this letter would be rated a 1.

Please refer to the example task attached for your reference