The candidate card
Setting
Day surgery unit
Candidate
You are a nurse in the day surgery unit. Ms Natalie Price, aged 38, is booked for a laparoscopic cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) at 9:30 am. On admission at 8:30 am she told you she had toast and a coffee with milk at 6:30 am. The anaesthetist has reviewed her and decided the operation cannot go ahead at 9:30; she has been moved to a later theatre slot at approximately 1:30 pm. She may have clear fluids until 11:30 am. She is upset.
Task (interlocutor: patient)
- Acknowledge Ms Price's frustration and find out what she understood about the fasting instructions
- Explain why her operation has been delayed (risk of stomach contents entering the lungs during anaesthesia)
- Explain the new plan (new time, clear fluids allowed until 11:30 am and what counts as a clear fluid)
- Find out about any other concerns and respond to them
- Check her understanding and explain what will happen next
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
- Lead with empathy before any explanation. A delay on the day can be upsetting, and information given too early may sound like blame. Then ask what she understood about the fasting instructions, in a neutral way, so you learn where the miscommunication occurred.
- Explain the reason simply: with food in the stomach, there is a risk of stomach contents entering the lungs during anaesthesia, and the anaesthetist has decided the earlier slot is not safe. Present this as protecting her, not as punishment.
- Give the new plan clearly and in one go: the new time of about 1:30 pm, clear fluids allowed until 11:30 am, then none after that unless told otherwise. Explain what a clear fluid is, noting milk makes her coffee not clear.
- Ask what the delay changes for her, as likely concerns include hunger, work, childcare and whoever is collecting her. Respond to each practically, and avoid promising the time will not change if theatre runs differently.
- Close with teach-back on the new time and the 11:30 cut-off, and say what happens next. If time is short, prioritise empathy, the reason, the cut-off time and checking understanding.
Phrases to adapt
Use your own words; these show the register, not lines to memorise.
- I understand this is frustrating, especially when you were prepared for this morning.
- What were you told about eating and drinking before the operation?
- The anaesthetist wants to keep you safe, so we need a longer gap since you ate.
- Can you tell me what time you can have drinks until, so I know I was clear?
Medical words in plain English
| Term | How you might say it to the patient |
|---|---|
| laparoscopic cholecystectomy | keyhole surgery to remove your gallbladder |
| fasting | not eating or drinking for a set time before an anaesthetic |
| clear fluids | drinks you can see through, with no milk or bits in them |
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.
More Nursing role-play cards
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- Emergency: mother frightened after her toddler's first febrile seizure Emergency department
- Ward: patient refusing anticoagulant injections after abdominal surgery Hospital ward (surgical)
All sets: nurses, doctors, other professions. Your profession's guide: OET Nursing.
Questions about this role-play
Should I explain that she ate toast and coffee with milk?
Mention it factually, as it is why the anaesthetist changed the plan, but ask what she understood first. Do not say she broke the rules. If the instructions were unclear, acknowledge that, and let her know you will feed it back.
What if she wants to leave and rebook another day?
Acknowledge that it is her choice and ask what is behind it. Explain the new time and the reason for the delay, and offer to speak to the anaesthetist or surgeon if she has questions. Do not pressure her.
How do I explain the aspiration risk without frightening her?
Use plain words: during anaesthesia, the body's protective reflexes are switched off, so stomach contents could pass into the lungs. Say that waiting reduces that risk and that this is why the team made the decision. Keep it brief and calm.
Sources
Last checked 22 Oct 2026. Rules and prices change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
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