The candidate card
Setting
Dermatology nurse clinic
Candidate
You are a dermatology nurse seeing Mr Carlos Sumulong, aged 52, who reports difficulty applying his prescribed topical psoriasis treatment to his back. Today's consultation concerns practical support; no medicine regimen is supplied or needs to be explained, and questions about application instructions must be referred to the pharmacist or prescriber. You can offer a private assessment, request pharmacist advice about a suitable application aid and arrange a further nurse review; home nursing support would require assessment and cannot be guaranteed. This is original independent practice: all patient details and clinic arrangements are fictional, while general clinical information is drawn from the NHS psoriasis source.
Task (interlocutor: patient)
- Find out how Mr Sumulong manages treatment at home, which areas he cannot reach and what makes asking for help difficult.
- Explain briefly how treatment can help manage psoriasis symptoms and explore his understanding of whether another person could catch it.
- Reassure him without judgement and discuss practical options, including checking whether an application aid is suitable or involving a trusted person with his permission.
- Agree a support plan that respects his privacy, clarify consent before involving anyone else and check his understanding of the next steps.
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.
Prepare this card, then say it out loud.
Plan your opening and the tasks below. Keep these notes when you move to the AI role-play.
You are a dermatology nurse seeing Mr Carlos Sumulong, aged 52, who reports difficulty applying his prescribed topical psoriasis treatment to his back. Today's consultation concerns practical support; no medicine regimen is supplied or needs to be explained, and questions about application instructions must be referred to the pharmacist or prescriber. You can offer a private assessment, request pharmacist advice about a suitable application aid and arrange a further nurse review; home nursing support would require assessment and cannot be guaranteed. This is original independent practice: all patient details and clinic arrangements are fictional, while general clinical information is drawn from the NHS psoriasis source.
Getting your plan ready…
Preparation is free without an account. AI conversation and marking need sign-in; your first role-play is free. Notes are saved on this device when available. This checklist is your plan, not a score.
How to approach this card
- Begin with his account of an actual application attempt before suggesting help. Ask which parts of his back he cannot reach and what he has tried; this distinguishes the practical difficulty from assumptions about his willingness to use treatment.
- Explore what makes asking for help difficult before mentioning a trusted person. Privacy or concern about someone catching psoriasis may be likely worries, but ask openly what concerns him rather than assigning embarrassment, reluctance or a particular belief.
- Keep the explanation brief and connected to his concern: discuss symptom management and explore his understanding of whether psoriasis can pass between people. Avoid a lengthy disease explanation that leaves little time to address the application barrier.
- You may offer a private assessment with his consent, but discussing an application aid or support from another person does not depend on completing that assessment first. Present options as choices, with an aid's suitability checked through the pharmacist; the usual trap is treating available help as automatically acceptable to him.
- Close by establishing which option he wants explored, who will take the next step and whether he consents to anyone else's involvement. If time runs short, prioritise a workable next step and arrange further nurse review.
Model route: what a strong candidate might say
Example lines in a workable order for about 5 minutes: opening, key questions, the patient's concern, explaining, then the close. Use them to plan, not to memorise: the patient's replies are not scripted here, and your next line should follow what they actually say.
1. Opening
- “Hello Mr Sumulong, I'm the dermatology nurse. We can talk privately, and I can arrange a private assessment if you'd like one.”
- “I understand that applying your treatment to your back has been difficult. Could you tell me how it's going at home?”
2. Key questions
- “Which areas can you not reach, and how do you manage them at the moment?”
- “What makes it hard for you to ask someone for help?”
- “What do you understand about psoriasis, and do you worry that someone could catch it from you?”
- “Is there someone you trust who might help, if you were happy for them to be asked?”
3. Handling the patient's concern
Likely concern: He may feel embarrassed about needing help, or worry that psoriasis could spread to other people.
- “It's understandable to find this awkward, and nothing about it is your fault. I'm glad you've told me.”
- “I won't ask you to do anything you're uncomfortable with. Let's look at some practical options together, and you can decide what suits you.”
4. Explaining
- “Treatment can help manage psoriasis symptoms, so it's worth finding a way to reach your back. Psoriasis isn't contagious, so other people can't catch it from you.”
- “I can't go through how to apply your treatment today, so I'll ask the pharmacist about an application aid that might suit you. Application questions go to the pharmacist or prescriber. Does that make sense?”
5. Closing
- “So I'll ask the pharmacist about an aid, and we'll arrange a further nurse review. Home nursing support would need assessment, so I can't guarantee it.”
- “I won't involve anyone else without your permission. Are you happy with that plan, and what questions do you have?”
Phrases to adapt
Use your own words; these show the register, not lines to memorise.
- We can discuss this privately, at your pace.
- You do not need to justify finding this difficult.
- Which part of our discussion would you like me to explain differently?
- Does this feel like a manageable starting point?
Medical words in plain English
| Term | How you might say it to the patient |
|---|---|
| topical treatment | Medicine applied directly to your skin. |
| application aid | A device to help you put treatment on areas you have difficulty reaching. |
| prescriber | The healthcare professional who prescribed your treatment. |
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). See the AI Speaking practice guide for what each criterion looks for.
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Questions about this role-play
What if he asks how much treatment to apply or how often?
Explain that his application instructions need checking with the pharmacist or prescriber because the card supplies no regimen. Offer to request clarification, and identify the question he wants answered. Do not improvise quantities, frequency, application technique or changes to his prescription.
How should I respond if he asks for a nurse to apply treatment at home?
Acknowledge the request and explain that home nursing support requires assessment, so you cannot promise it will be provided. Establish what assistance he is requesting and discuss assessment as a possible next step without presenting it as an approved service.
What can I say if he asks whether a helper could catch psoriasis?
State plainly that psoriasis cannot be caught from another person. Check whether that answers his particular concern, without assuming it explains his difficulty asking for help. Keep any decision about involving a helper separate from this reassurance. NHS information
What if he asks how much or how often to apply the treatment?
Explain that you can't advise on application instructions today and that those questions go to the pharmacist or prescriber. Offer to pass his question on and make sure he knows who to contact. Don't guess or answer from memory.
What if he refuses to involve anyone else?
Respect his decision, because his consent is needed before anyone is involved. Focus on options he can manage himself, such as asking the pharmacist about an aid, and offer the nurse review. He can change his mind later if he wishes.
Sources
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