Designed to test your ability to communicate by speech, in a professional context, the OET Speaking test is of importance as the test is highly profession-specific. In the OET speaking role play for nurses, there is an interlocutor who might be playing the role of a patient or any other client. And, you will have to act as a nurse who has come with a purpose. It is your responsibility to act the same throughout the session and depict yourselves so realistic in that scenario as it is happening in real.

From the time you receive your OET role play cards for nurses, you need to be prepared for the role to be played. While maintaining the role as a healthcare professional, its important to focus on the three stages namely the introduction, body, and conclusion.

A) Introduction – As we all know; the first impression is the best. So, from the moment of introduction itself, it is required to present yourselves in a pleasant manner as you are going to indulge in a professional conversation. The candidate should first introduce themselves politely but with confidence and start the conversation.

B) In the body – During the sessionsof the oet role play for nurses, as you are facing a scenario wherein the interlocutor plays the role of the patient, you need to be well prepared to tackle the conversation, so develop a skill to go with the flow that is happening in the conversation.

C) Conclusion – As you are about to conclude, the candidate must try to put a professional conclusive ending as an abrupt ending will be like spoiling the entire performance of the candidate during this role play

Now, let us have a look at some sample formats of role play for Nurses:

Here, we are looking at some role-play scenarios and the ways for health professionals to handle these scenarios.

Firstly, let’s start with a scenario where you are meeting the client/patient for the first time.

1) First meeting

When it is your first conversation with the patient, briefly introduce yourself and also ensure that how you say the patient’s name is appropriate as part of setting up a good rapport.

Eg: “Hello. My name is Meera. I’m one of the registered nurses on duty here today. Good to meet you. Can I call you Mr. Lincoln?”

Asking permission to call by name shows a polite way to create a good rapport at the beginning itself.

Next is a scenario, where you are meeting the patient not for the first time. In such situations, if it’s clear from the role card that you have met the patient before, then using one of the three options below will be favourable:

1. Use the interlocutor’s name which they tell you when you meet them in the Speaking test room.

2. During the preparation time before the role play, ask the interlocutor what would they prefer to be called.

3. Choose a name for the patient and use it at the start of the role play. The interlocutor will accept this and respond to it.

Example: “ Lincoln, now that I have completed the assessment, shall I proceed to discuss my findings? Is that fine with you?”

2) Emergencies

The urgency of the situation may determine how you introduce yourself, your speed, tone of voice and choice of phrasing. Notice the difference in how the candidate opens the conversation in these two different scenarios:

Example 1 (Nursing Role Play): Emergency setting. (You have not met the patient’s relative before.)

You are speaking to the parent of a 3-year-old girl admitted an hour ago with breathing difficulties. This situation is likely to have caused anxiety for the parents. In this scenario, you should speak more directly and quickly get to the point in your opening sentences. This demonstrates to the assessors that you are aware that long introductions would not be appropriate in this scenario.

“Hello Mr. Lincoln, my name’s Meera and I’ve come to give you an update about your daughter’s diagnosis.”

Example 2 (Nursing Role Play): Non-Emergency setting. (You have not met the patient before.)

You are speaking to a patient who has an appointment with you to have stitches on their hand removed.

“Hi, Mr. Lincoln, my name’s Meera. I’m the nurse taking care of you today. I understand you’ve recently had a surgery on your hand and the stitches are ready to be removed. Is that right?”

These are just a few situations that are quite possible in OET role play for nurses sessions. But, there are also chances of new and different kinds of scenarios that you might get to do in your OET role play cards for nurses. Hence, only the right guidance can help you create a good rapport with the client/patient played by the interlocutor for which joining the right academy will be highly effective. This blog, in total, was just a glance at the guidelines that will help in OET speaking role play for nurses. Join Neethu’s Academy, acquire the right guidance and take a significant step forward on your OET preparation journey.