Key Facts
| OET result turnaround (typical) | Within 6 days for the OET Test on Computer and OET@Home, and 12 days for the OET Test on Paper |
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An OET Writing sample for nurses is a letter of about 180 to 200 words, such as a referral or discharge letter, written from a set of case notes within a 45-minute sub-test. The task asks for a formal letter on a profession-specific matter, and the reader is another healthcare professional who needs the information to continue the patient's care. Below is an original model referral letter, followed by the criteria it is written to meet and a practice sequence for your own letters.
What is the OET Writing task for nurses?
The Writing task for nurses is a formal letter on a profession-specific matter, written from case notes. OET describes the task as producing the same kinds of document you would write in your role, such as a document of referral or advice, or a letter of transfer or discharge. The task sets a word range of 180 to 200 words, and the case notes usually hold more information than that range can carry, so much of the work lies in choosing what the reader needs.
How long does the OET Writing sub-test take?
The Writing sub-test lasts 45 minutes, made up of five minutes of reading time followed by 40 minutes of writing time. The reading time is an opportunity to read the case notes and plan which information the reader needs. Candidates have 40 minutes, which is designed to give enough time to write a response of the required length and to check it. A short plan at the start, then the letter, then a final check of spelling and punctuation fits that structure.
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Enquire about this tutorWhat criteria are OET Writing letters marked against?
Letters are marked against six published assessment criteria: Purpose, Content, Conciseness and Clarity, Genre and Style, Organisation and Layout, and Language. Purpose is scored from 0 to 3 and each of the other five from 0 to 7. Assessors compare a response against these descriptions instead of counting mistakes. Each descriptor is framed around the reader, so every decision in the letter can be checked against what that person needs.
- Purpose: whether the reason for writing is apparent from the start and developed throughout the letter
- Content: whether the required information is included and is accurate for the reader
- Conciseness and Clarity: whether the letter omits irrelevant information and is an effective summary for the reader
- Genre and Style: whether the register, tone and use of abbreviations are appropriate for the reader
- Organisation and Layout: whether the letter is organised and well laid out for the reader
- Language: whether the accuracy of grammar, vocabulary, spelling and punctuation communicates the necessary information
How do you select relevant case notes?
Select the information the reader needs to continue caring for the patient and leave out the rest. Ask what the reader already knows and what the reader needs in order to act; details that fail both tests usually go. Plan during the reading time so that the letter contains only information relevant to the reader, then combine details from several notes into a summary of the patient's current needs. In the model below, the case notes mention osteoarthritis, a hobby and vaccination status, none of which affects a dietetic referral, so the letter omits them.
How should an OET letter be laid out?
OET sets no particular format or layout, yet the letter must be clearly laid out and suit the task. Use the title and address details given in the task instructions, open with a sentence that states the purpose, and close in a formal way. In the body, order the information either chronologically or by theme, and place the most important points where the reader will notice them. A formal style means no contractions and facts in place of opinions.
Model answer: Referral letter to a community dietitian
Task: Time: 45 minutes (5 minutes reading time, 40 minutes writing time).
Setting: You are a registered nurse on Ward 6, Castle Hospital. Mr Arthur Quinn is being discharged home on 12 November.
Task: Using the case notes below, write a referral letter to Ms Helen Marsh, Community Dietitian, Riverside Health Centre, Leeds. Ask her to assess his nutritional needs. Write the body of the letter in 180 to 200 words, in full sentences. You do not need to include addresses or the date.
Case notes
Patient: Mr Arthur Quinn, 74, retired bus driver, widower, lives alone, 8 Cobden Street, Leeds
Admitted 3 November: community-acquired pneumonia
Treatment: intravenous antibiotics for 5 days, then oral antibiotics, course completed
Current status: chest clear, oxygen saturation 96 per cent on air
Weight: 71 kg on admission, 66 kg now, usual weight 72 kg
Appetite poor, eats about half of each meal, dentures fit loosely
Albumin low
Type 2 diabetes, metformin, blood glucose 7 to 12 mmol/L
Hypertension
Mild osteoarthritis, both knees
Hobby: pigeon racing
Vaccinations up to date
Likes tea and toast, dislikes milk
Wife died two years ago and used to do the cooking
Daughter, Sarah, visits on Sundays
Discharge: 12 November, district nurses to visit at home
Patient aware of referral and agrees
"I am writing to refer Mr Quinn, a 74-year-old widower who lives alone, for dietetic assessment following his discharge from Ward 6 on 12 November.
"Mr Quinn was admitted on 3 November with community-acquired pneumonia and completed a course of intravenous then oral antibiotics. His chest is now clear and his oxygen saturation is 96 per cent on air.
"During admission he lost 5 kg, falling from 71 kg to 66 kg, against a usual weight of 72 kg. His appetite remains poor and he eats about half of each meal, partly because his dentures fit loosely. His albumin is low.
"He has type 2 diabetes managed with metformin, and his blood glucose has ranged from 7 to 12 mmol/L. He also has hypertension.
"He prefers tea and toast and dislikes milk. His wife, who died two years ago, previously cooked for him, and his daughter visits on Sundays.
"He is aware of this referral and agrees to it. Please assess his nutritional needs and advise on a diet that supports weight regain alongside his diabetes. District nurses will visit him at home, and I would be grateful if you could contact them with your recommendations.
What this model answer does:
- Purpose: the first sentence names the reason for writing and the service requested, and the final paragraph repeats the request in specific terms.
- Conciseness and Clarity: osteoarthritis, the hobby and vaccination status are left out because they do not change what a dietitian needs to know.
- Content: the weight figures, appetite, dentures, albumin and diabetes details give the dietitian the facts needed to begin assessment.
- Organisation and Layout: paragraphs group the medical episode, the nutritional problem, the diabetes, the personal circumstances and the request, with the request placed last for clear follow-up.
- Genre and Style: the register is formal, contractions are absent, and the content is stated as fact.
What mistakes do candidates make in OET letters?
Common mistakes follow the six criteria closely, because each criterion describes something a letter can lack. A letter that copies the case notes tends to weaken Conciseness and Clarity, and one that buries the main request tends to weaken Organisation and Layout. Spelling errors are taken into account in the Language score, so a final check of names, medications and units is worth the time.
The usual patterns are listed below.
- No opening sentence that states why you are writing
- Every case note copied instead of a selected summary
- Contractions, abbreviated forms or opinions where facts belong
- Critical details placed beneath less significant ones
- Title and address details that differ from those in the task instructions
How should you practise using the criteria?
Practise in this order: select, plan, write, then check against the criteria. First take a set of case notes, underline only what the named reader needs, and state the purpose in one sentence. Next plan the order of the paragraphs and write within the 180 to 200 word range, keeping to five minutes of planning and 40 minutes of writing. Then mark your own letter criterion by criterion, asking each question in the published wording. Compare several letters afterwards, because the same omissions and excesses tend to repeat.
Related guides
- What is IELTS? Format, versions and scoring
- IELTS or the Duolingo English Test?
- OET or IELTS for healthcare staff
- PTE Academic explained
- TOEFL in the UK
- The Duolingo English Test
- OET explained
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Frequently asked questions
- Can candidates write the OET letter in capital letters?
- OET allows candidates who prefer to write in all capital letters to do so, provided they are consistent throughout the letter. Mixing capitals and lower case within the same response can make the letter harder to read, which affects how clearly it communicates to the reader. If you normally write in capitals, practise full letters that way so that the habit is steady under timed conditions.
- Are abbreviations allowed in an OET nursing letter?
- Abbreviations are judged under Genre and Style, which asks whether the use of abbreviations is appropriate for the reader. A familiar clinical abbreviation shared by both professions may suit the reader, whilst informal shortened forms and contractions do not suit a formal letter. When unsure whether the reader will recognise one, write the term in full.
- Is there a penalty for writing more or fewer than 200 words?
- OET applies no automatic penalty for writing over or under the word range for the task. A letter that runs significantly longer usually contains irrelevant material or is poorly organised, and those weaknesses are judged under Conciseness and Clarity and Organisation and Layout. Use the range as a check on your selection of case notes.
- Could the case notes be consulted while the letter is being written?
- You can consult the task and the case notes at any point during the 40 minutes of writing time. Returning to the notes is useful for checking names, dates, doses and measurements against your draft, because accuracy of information is part of Content and accurate spelling is part of Language.
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