The candidate card
Setting
Patient's home (child and family health nursing visit)
Candidate
You are a child and family health nurse. You are visiting Ms Chloe Bennett, aged 29, and her first baby, Leo, aged 7 weeks, for a routine check. Leo is gaining weight well. Ms Bennett completed a postnatal depression screening questionnaire (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale) at the start of the visit and scored 15, which suggests she may have depression. She has answered 'sometimes' to the question about thoughts of harming herself.
Task (interlocutor: patient)
- Find out how Ms Bennett has been feeling and coping since Leo's birth
- Ask sensitively about her answer on self-harm, including any thoughts of harming the baby
- Reassure her that postnatal depression is common and treatable and respond to her worries about asking for help
- Agree a plan for today (same-day assessment by a GP or perinatal mental health service, someone to be with her)
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
- Start with how she is and how she is coping, before the questionnaire, so the screening score is not what opens the conversation. Leo's good weight gain is worth saying early, because it may relieve guilt about her mothering.
- Raise the self-harm answer directly and gently, using her own words. Ask clearly whether she has had thoughts of harming herself and also whether she has had any thoughts of harming Leo. Plain, direct questions are safer than hints.
- Respond to what she says with calm acceptance. Explain that postnatal depression is common and treatable, and find out what worries her about asking for help, for example how she may be judged or what could happen with Leo.
- Move to the plan once you understand her answers: same-day assessment by a GP or perinatal mental health service, and someone to be with her. Do not leave this as advice to book something. Follow local escalation steps if she describes intent or a plan.
- Close by confirming who will stay, how she will get to the assessment and what happens next, and that you will follow up. Prioritise the safety questions and same-day plan over wider advice if time is short.
Phrases to adapt
Use your own words; these show the register, not lines to memorise.
- Thank you for answering so honestly. I would like to talk about how you are feeling.
- Some mothers have thoughts of harming themselves. Have you had any thoughts like that?
- Have you had any thoughts about harming Leo?
- You are not alone, and this is common and treatable. Let us get you support today.
Medical words in plain English
| Term | How you might say it to the patient |
|---|---|
| postnatal depression | low mood and loss of coping after having a baby that needs treatment and support |
| Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale | a short questionnaire about your feelings over the past week |
| perinatal mental health service | specialist mental health team for women during pregnancy and after birth |
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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All sets: nurses, doctors, other professions. Your profession's guide: OET Nursing.
Questions about this role-play
Is it safe to ask about harming the baby directly?
Yes. Asking clearly does not put the idea in her mind, and it tells you how urgent the situation is. Ask it calmly after you have built some trust, in plain words. Treat whatever she says seriously and without shock.
What if she asks me not to tell anyone?
Be honest that you cannot keep this to yourself because her safety and Leo's matter. Explain who you need to involve and why, and what she can expect. Offer her a role in it, such as choosing who stays with her.
What if she says she has no one who can be with her?
Explore who she could call, including partner, family or friends, and what she would be comfortable with. Do not leave her alone until the plan is arranged. If no one is available, escalate through your service's usual pathway rather than leaving it open.
Sources
Last checked 22 Oct 2026. Rules and prices change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
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