OCCUPATIONAL ENGLISH TEST
WRITING SUB-TEST:                       NURSING
TIME ALLOWED:                           READING TIME:                5 MINUTES
                                        WRITING TIME:                40 MINUTES
Read the case notes below and complete the writing task which follows.
Notes:
You are a ward nurse in the cardiac unit of Greenville Public Hospital. Your patient, Ms Martin, is due to be
discharged tomorrow.
Patient:             Ms Margaret Helen Martin
Address:             23 Third Avenue, Greenville
Age:                 81 years old (DOB: 25 July 1935)
Admission date:      15 July 2017
Social/family background:
                   Never married, no children
                   Lives in own house in Greenville
                   Financially independent
                   Three siblings (all unwell) and five nieces/nephews living in greater Greenville area
                   Contact with family intermittent
                   No longer drives
                   Has ‘meals on wheels’ (meal delivery service for elderly) – Mon-Fri (lunch and dinner), orders frozen
                   meals for weekends
Diagnosis:           Coronary artery disease (CAD), angina
Treatment:           Angioplasty (repeat – first 2008)
Discharge date:      16 July 2017, pending cardiologist’s report
Medical information:
                   Coeliac disease
                   Angioplasty 2008
                   Anxious about health – tends to focus on health problems
                   Coronary artery disease  aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix)
                   Hypertension  metoprolol (Betaloc), ramipril (Tritace)
                   Hypercholesterolemia (8.3)  atorvastatin (Lipitor)
                   Overweight (BMI 29.5)
                   Sedentary (orders groceries over phone to be delivered, neighbour walks dog)
                   Family history of coronary heart disease (mother, 2 of 3 brothers)
                   Hearing loss – wears hearing aid
16112 www.occupationalenglishtest.org
      PRACTICE TEST 2
Nursing management and progress during hospital stay:
                     Routine post-operative recovery
                     Tolerating light diet and fluids
                     Bruising at catheter insertion site, no signs of infection/bleeding noted post-procedure
                     Pt anxious about return home, not sure whether she will cope
Discharge plan:      Dietary
                     Low-calorie, high-protein, low-cholesterol, gluten-free diet (supervised by dietitian, referred by Dr)
                     Frequent small meals or snacks
                     Drink plenty of fluids
                     Physiotherapy
                     Daily light exercise (e.g., 15-minute walk, exercise plan monitored by physiotherapist)
                     No heavy lifting for 12 weeks
                     Other
                     Monitor wound site for bruising or infection
                     Monitor adherence to medication regime
                     Arrange regular family visits to monitor progress
Anticipated needs of Pt:
                     Need home visits from community health/district nurse – monitor adherence to post-operative
                     medication, exercise, dietary regime
                     Regular monitoring by Dr, dietitian, physiotherapist
                     ? Danger of social isolation (infrequent family support)
Writing Task:
Using the information in the case notes, write a letter to the Nurse-in-Charge of the District Nursing Service outlining Ms
Martin’s situation and anticipated needs following her return home tomorrow. Address the letter to Nurse-in-Charge, District
Nursing Service, Greenville Community Health Care Centre, 88 Highton Road, Greenville.
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.
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                                                                                                    PRACTICE TEST 2 113