Occupational English Test Preparation
  • NEW
    • Home >
      • SLC: Alexandra
      • SLC: Anju
      • SLC: Bernadette
      • FAQ
      • Books
      • Contact
  • Reading
    • Reading: Breast Cancer Mortality Statistics
    • Malaria
    • Australian Children Activity
    • Reading: HIV in Queensland >
      • Insomnia: Reading Comprehension
      • HIV Testing and Treatment
      • Dialogue: Generic and Brand Names
    • Reading: E-Cigarettes >
      • E-Cigarettes v Cigarettes (2/18)
    • Reading: Statins and Heart Disease >
      • Blood Pressure and Pulse
    • Reading: Insomnia >
      • Reading: Spray on Wound Care
      • Sleep Terms
    • Reading: Eczema Cases Soar >
      • Medical Terms: Eczema >
        • Dialogue: Bedwetting
    • Treating Animal Bites
  • Speaking
    • OET Speaking: Dentists
    • OET Speaking: Nurses >
      • Dialogue: Dialysis
      • Fractured Clavicle
      • Dog Bite >
        • Dialogue: Dog Bite
    • OET Speaking: Pharmacy >
      • Dialogue: Discussing Statins
      • Dialogue: Acne Treatment >
        • Medical Terms: Acne
  • Listening
    • What is the OET Listening test like?
    • Listening in the Workplace >
      • Listening:Handovers
    • Developing Listening Skills
    • Liver Terms
  • Writing
    • Medical English: Spelling >
      • Spelling Silent C
      • Spelling Silent gh
      • Spelling: Silent 'g'
      • Verbs Used in Patient Care >
        • Verbs used in patient care: Activities
        • Palliative Care
  • Medical Terms
    • Medical Terms: Dentistry >
      • Mouth
      • Medical Terms: Dental
    • Medical Terms: OT >
      • Medical Terms: Occupational Therapy >
        • Occupational Therapy: Activities
        • OT: Hand and Writing Terms >
          • Hand and Writing Terms: Activities
    • Medical Terms: Obstetrics and Gyne >
      • Hysterectomy
      • Obstetric Terms
    • Medical Terms: Diseases >
      • Blindness
      • Patient's Condition >
        • Vomiting Terms
      • Describing Disease >
        • Illnesses: Easy
      • Anaemia
      • Parasite Diseases
    • Prefixes and Suffixes >
      • Colour Prefixes
      • Medical Prefix: dys
    • Medical Terms: The Elderly >
      • Falls Prevention >
        • Falls Prevention: Activity
      • Dementia
      • Pressure Area Care
      • Headache Terms >
        • Headache Terms: Activities
      • Toileting Terms
    • Medical Terms: Parts of the Body >
      • Ear
      • Head, Brain & Hair >
        • Hair, Skin and Nails >
          • Skin Disorders
          • Skin Disorders 2
        • Medical Terms: Kidney Function >
          • Kidney Function: Activities
          • Prostatitis >
            • Prostatitis Terms
        • Respiratory Secretions
    • Medical Terms: Pharmacy >
      • Medication with the Prefix 'anti-'
      • Types of Medication >
        • Types of Medication: Activities
      • Day and Night >
        • Day and Night: Activities

OET Speaking Hints for All Professions

16/2/2017

2 Comments

 

I was talking to a nurse and OET candidate yesterday about some of the aspects of the role plays which cause a few difficulties. While we were talking, I had an 'aha' moment...one of those times, when you realise something which is only obvious, when you know it. 

Let me explain. For a lot time now, I have been teaching medical English expressions, which we (nurses in Australia and the UK - my experience) use, when talking about patient care. One of them is 'encourage independence'. You will hear this expression a lot, when talking about the elderly or less able patients. The idea is that we, as nurses, physios, doctors, OTs etc, want to ensure that we don't take away a person's ability to care for themselves. It may be that they need some help (you will hear expressions like:
* 'needs prompting to eat' - this means, that you will need to say something like 'Here's your lunch, Mrs Smith. Would you like to start with the sandwich?'

* 'supervise medication, shower, toileting etc' - this means that you may need to watch the elderly person to ensure that they take their medication or have a shower

* encourage mobilisation - you will need to encourage the elderly person to walk to the toilet, for example, rather than expect to be taken in a wheelchair

* encourage independence with ADLs - you will se this expression written in care plans and clinical pathways.

I had always assumed that this was standard nursing practice all over the world, but I realised yesterday, that I was making CULTURAL assumptions. I was told that in some countries, e.g. Singapore and China, almost the opposite is the the norm, Nurses do not encourage independence, if an elderly patient is in hospital, for fear that they might have a fall. To do otherwise is viewed as promoting unsafe practice.

The conversation started me thinking about how this might affect a candidate who is doing a role play for the OET. The candidate may not understand prompts which tell them to 'encourage independence'.

Another thing we talked about yesterday was home services and home aids. Before we practised a role play, where I played the part of the caregiver (daughter) of an elderly person returning home after a knee replacement. We talked about the sort of suggestions which the nurse could make regarding assistance at home. For example:
1. bathroom modification. It's not enough to say 'I'll arrange an Occupational Therapy visit to discuss home modifications.' You need to know their names and how to describe them. It's a good idea to go on a website which sells aids for the bathroom and other rooms. For instance, the Allianz website. 
* toilet seat raise  - 'This will make it easier to sit on the toilet.'
* grab rails -'You can hold onto the grab rails to keep you steady.'
* non-slip bath mats - 'These help prevent slips in the bathroom.'

Another topic you may discuss with patients is Meals on Wheels - the service which delivers food to client's homes. The service has changed in later years, so that frozen meals can be delivered as many or as few days a week as needed.

And so on. Do some research about what is available and write out some expressions you might use during the role play.

Dementia and role plays
Do some research about what is available in the community to help people with dementia and their carers. Alzheimers Australia is a very useful website. In New Zealand, it's the Alzheimers New Zealand Charitable Trust as well as websites, such as Dementia Auckland. Research local services and support groups you can recommend to patients or their carers. 

In summary, make sure that you can demonstrate an understanding of the cultural setting as well as the language needed. Be aware of the cultural expectations of a nurse, physio, OT etc - in other words, show that you are encouraging independence.
2 Comments
Sonia
26/2/2017 05:28:25

How can I tke OET classes

Reply
Virginia Allum link
26/2/2017 08:58:14

There are classes available in several cities in Australia. I am not sure about New Zealand, I'm afraid.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    I am a medical English author of books and online courses. I have a particular interest in  OET preparation and am an OET premium preparation provider with my colleagues at Specialist Language Courses. I am based in the UK.

    Archives

    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    May 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    December 2015
    July 2015
    September 2014
    July 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013

    Categories

    All
    Dentists
    Listening Skills
    Medical Terminology
    Occupational English Test
    Oet
    OET For Dentists
    OET Listening
    OET Writing Subtest
    Readiness For OET
    Reading Skills
    Signposting Words
    Skimming
    Speaking Skills
    The Free Dictionary
    Youtube

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly