The candidate card
Setting
Aged care facility
Candidate
You are a registered nurse at a residential aged care facility. Mr Venkat Thampi, aged 91, has had three falls in the past month. Two were on the way to the dining room and one was in his bedroom early in the morning. He had a bruised hip and a skin tear on his forearm but no fractures. The physiotherapist has recommended he use a four-wheeled walking frame at all times when walking, but staff often see him leave it in his room. You have come to his room to talk with him about his falls.
Task (interlocutor: patient)
- Find out how Mr Thampi feels about his recent falls and why he does not use his walking frame
- Explain in simple terms why he is at risk of falling and what a serious fall could mean for his independence
- Respond to his objections to the frame while respecting his right to make his own decisions
- Discuss practical ways to make walking safer (e.g. physiotherapy review of the frame, footwear, standing up slowly, using the call bell)
- Agree a plan he is willing to follow
In the test you get 3 minutes to read the card and plan, then about 5 minutes to talk. This card is original, written for this site; the interlocutor's card is not shown.
How to approach this card
- Sit at his level and ask how the falls felt and what he remembers of each before mentioning the frame. Then ask why it stays in his room as a genuine question; the reason is not known and a guess may be wrong.
- Check how he is now, including the bruised hip and the forearm skin tear, before the longer talk. Then explain risk using his own three falls: two on the way to the dining room and one in his bedroom early in the morning.
- Explain what a serious fall could mean in plain terms, including loss of independence, without frightening him. Ask what matters to him rather than assuming. Answer his objections one by one, and accept that the decision is his.
- Offer the practical options as choices: a physiotherapy review of the frame, footwear, standing up slowly and using the call bell. Ask specifically about getting up early in the morning in his bedroom. Avoid ordering him to use the frame.
- Agree one or two steps he will really do rather than a long list, and ask him to repeat them. Say you will share his choices with the physiotherapist and document them. If time is short, prioritise listening, his objections and the plan.
Phrases to adapt
Use your own words; these show the register, not lines to memorise.
- Tell me about the last fall. What happened, and how have you felt since?
- You know your own body best. What gets in the way of using the frame?
- It is your decision. I would like to help find a way that feels right to you.
- Can you tell me what we agreed, so I know I explained it well?
Medical words in plain English
| Term | How you might say it to the patient |
|---|---|
| four-wheeled walking frame | A walker with four wheels that you push in front of you as you walk. |
| skin tear | A flap or break in fragile skin, often from a knock or bump. |
| physiotherapy review | The physiotherapist checks how the frame suits you and how safely you walk with it. |
How this card is marked
Two assessors mark the recording on nine criteria: intelligibility, fluency, appropriateness of language and resources of grammar and expression (each 0–6), then relationship building, understanding and incorporating the patient's perspective, providing structure, information gathering and information giving (each 0–3). Grade B usually means 5 on each language criterion and 2 on each clinical one. See the AI Speaking practice guide for what each criterion looks for.
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All sets: nurses, doctors, other professions. Your profession's guide: OET Nursing.
Questions about this role-play
He says he does not need the frame. How do I respond without arguing?
Acknowledge his view, then ask what happened in the three falls and what he thinks might have helped. Give the facts about risk once, clearly, and respect that the choice is his. Stay open to alternatives, such as a physiotherapy review.
What if he refuses the frame altogether?
Do not threaten or pressure him. Make sure he understands the risks, offer the other measures (footwear, standing up slowly, call bell, physiotherapy review), record his decision and tell the team. His refusal does not end your duty to keep supporting him.
How should I handle the early-morning fall in his bedroom?
Ask what he does when he first gets up, whether he knows how to use the call bell and whether he would use it. Do not assume a cause. Discuss standing up slowly and having footwear and the frame within reach, and share his answers with the team.
Sources
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