OET Writing samples for Nurses – How to Practice OET Writing?

The OET exam contains a section on  OET writing which has been devised to assess your skill in effectively communicating through letters. It is based on actual scenarios that might arise in a healthcare setting, giving you exposure to the real-life work situation that you might experience in your job as a healthcare professional.

One of the various options for writing that you might encounter once you register yourself for the OET in the Nursing category involves writing a transfer or referral, or discharge letter. Along with the prompt for the letter, you will also be furnished with additional details such as case notes and other pertinent documentation. So, this article will provide you with tips and an OET writing sample to help you prepare for the OET exam and gain an understanding of how to approach the writing test.

Before we proceed to the writing sample, a few helpful tips have been provided below.

Format of the letter

OET does not stipulate any specific format or template for writing the letter. The only requirement is that the format used should be clear and follow a proper structure.

Guidelines for the letter writing task

Planning

Firstly, the letter-writing task has a time limit. The time given to you for completing this task will be 45 minutes. It is recommended that you spend the first five minutes of this time thinking and making the necessary preparations for the task and save the remaining forty minutes for accomplishing your writing. During the preparation time, here are the following advices to help you perform better:

• Pay attention when reading the prompt. Read it more than once if necessary. Glance through the case notes.
• Determine what aim the letter wants you to accomplish, i.e., whether it is a transfer or referral, or a discharge letter. This is usually apparent from the prompt itself or is otherwise inferred from the details provided alongside it.
• Note down the necessary information from the case notes, keeping in mind the purpose of the letter and the given prompt.
• Order the points selected and number them which will enable you to structure your letter.
• Use your discretion and carefully decide which points to include, bearing in mind the fact that not all the provided information will be required in your letter.
• Lastly, remember that you have to strictly maintain a word limit of 180 – 200 words, and this can only be possible if you include only the very relevant details.

Writing

Once you have spent the first few minutes adequately planning and structuring your letter, you can then proceed to actually draft the letter. We recommend the following:

• Start with a concise, lucid introduction that clearly delineates the purpose of the letter.
• Break your letter down into small paragraphs on the basis of the type and amount of information.
• Once you reach the ending, be sure to include a distinct conclusion, usually including a call to action, inviting the reader to respond.
• Although information may be provided to you in point format as case notes, you are required to write in complete sentences and paragraphs, following a clear structure.
• The use of any profession-specific vocabulary, including abbreviations, is permitted, bearing in mind the intended reader of the letter.

OET sample prompt and letter

Given below is a OET writing sample prompt and letter:

Case Notes

Vamuya Obeki was admitted through the Children’s Emergency Department for acute meningoencephalitis as a result of complications following mumps.

Patient History:

Address: 75 Walden Road, Broadchurch

Phone: (+44) 070 4477 2674

Date of Birth: 21 May 2017

Gender: Male

Discharged: 12/06/22

Country of birth: Sudan

Diagnosis: Acute meningoencephalitis

Social History:

Parents: Miri & Abdullah Obeki, refugees, arrived in the UK in 2019.

Employment: Abdullah: Golden Circle pineapple factory, shift worker

Miri: Housewife

Accommodation: Recently moved to rental accommodation.

GP: No family doctor

Sibling: 2 year old brother, Saeed

Languages: Dinka, Arabic

Interpreter needs: Abdullah understands spoken English but has limited written skills. Miri has limited understanding of English. Abdullah attends English classes.

Medical History:

Parents state that both children had some kind of vaccination at birth but records have been lost since then. Parents unaware of vaccines for mumps.

Discharge plan:

Appears to have fully recovered from mumps and acute meningoencephalitis.

Will need advice regarding recommended vaccines for both children.

Will need a neurological check-up.

 Prompt

Using the information in the case notes, write a letter to The Director, Community Child Health Service, 71 Victoria Road, Broadchurch, requesting follow-up of this family.

In your answer:

• Expand the relevant case notes into complete sentences.
• Do not use note form.
• The body of the letter should not exceed 200 words.
• Use the correct letter format.

Read the case notes below and complete the writing task which follows.

Time allowed: 45 minutes

Today’s Date

12/06/22

Sample Answer

The Director

Community Child Services

71 Victoria Road, Broadchurch

12 June 2022

Dear Sir or Madam,

RE: Vamuya Obeki, 5 years old

I am writing to refer young mister Obeki and his parents to your office. They need advice regarding vaccines along with a neurological check-up for Vamuya.

Vamuya was admitted to our institution on the 5th of this month due to mumps, followed by a complication of meningoencephalitis. He has since recovered, but the physician discovered problems with their vaccination as no history could be established.

The family emigrated from Sudan and arrived in the UK last year. The parents are Miri and Abdullah, and Vamuya has a younger 2-year-old brother named Saeed. Their vaccination records have been lost, and it is difficult to obtain further information due to language barriers as they can only speak Dinka and Arabic and because they do not have a family physician.

Moving forward, Vamuya needs follow-up neurological exams, and the children will need to get started on a proper vaccination program. The parents can be reached at (+44) 070 4477 2674 and live at 75 Walden Road, Broadchurch.

Please do not hesitate to contact us at 3834 484 567 local 143 for any queries or clarifications.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.

Yours sincerely,

Corazon De Joya

Charge Nurse

Children’s Emergency Department