The candidate card
Setting
Stoma outpatient clinic
Candidate
You are a stoma nurse seeing Ms Samina Janjua, aged 59, who had a colostomy three months ago and is considering returning to her office job; she is worried that colleagues will smell her pouch. In this fictional case, her surgical team has agreed that she can resume desk work when she feels ready, and you can offer an appliance assessment today and arrange follow-up. General clinical information: a well-fitting pouch normally contains odour, although changing it can release a smell; persistent odour while wearing it can indicate leakage or a filter problem, and leakage or sore skin needs stoma nurse advice. You can assess the seal, filter and surrounding skin with her permission, discuss alternative appliances if appropriate, and help her request practical workplace arrangements without pressuring her to disclose personal details to colleagues.
Task (interlocutor: patient)
- Find out what worries Ms Janjua about returning to work and how her pouch is currently working, including any odour while wearing it, leakage or skin soreness
- Explain how the pouch controls odour and how an appliance assessment could address any problems
- Reassure her without promising that odour can never occur, and explore her preferences about sharing information at work
- Agree practical support for returning to work, including an appliance check, access to a toilet, spare supplies and follow-up
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 stoma nurse seeing Ms Samina Janjua, aged 59, who had a colostomy three months ago and is considering returning to her office job; she is worried that colleagues will smell her pouch. In this fictional case, her surgical team has agreed that she can resume desk work when she feels ready, and you can offer an appliance assessment today and arrange follow-up. General clinical information: a well-fitting pouch normally contains odour, although changing it can release a smell; persistent odour while wearing it can indicate leakage or a filter problem, and leakage or sore skin needs stoma nurse advice. You can assess the seal, filter and surrounding skin with her permission, discuss alternative appliances if appropriate, and help her request practical workplace arrangements without pressuring her to disclose personal details to colleagues.
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 what returning to the office would mean for her, then ask which situations feel most worrying. Likely concerns include embarrassment or unwanted attention, but explore these possibilities rather than assuming colleagues have noticed anything.
- Separate odour noticed during a change from odour while wearing the pouch before offering reassurance. Ask about leakage and soreness alongside her account; otherwise, a discussion about confidence could overlook a problem that needs stoma nurse advice.
- Explain that a well-fitting pouch normally contains odour, while changing it can release a smell. Persistent odour during wear can indicate leakage or a filter problem; offer to check the seal, filter and surrounding skin with permission.
- Discuss workplace arrangements after identifying her practical concerns, keeping disclosure her choice. Link toilet access and spare supplies to situations she identifies, rather than presenting personal disclosure to colleagues as a requirement for returning to work.
- Close by agreeing whether she wants the appliance assessment today and arranging follow-up. If time is short, prioritise her current pouch concerns and a workable return arrangement; avoid letting general encouragement replace an agreed next step.
Phrases to adapt
Use your own words; these show the register, not lines to memorise.
- It sounds as though being comfortable around colleagues matters to you.
- Would you prefer to discuss the practical arrangements first?
- Would it help to pause before we discuss the assessment?
- What would make this conversation most useful today?
Medical words in plain English
| Term | How you might say it to the patient |
|---|---|
| colostomy | An opening in the abdomen through which bowel waste passes into a pouch. |
| appliance | The pouch system worn over your stoma. |
| seal | The part that fits against your skin to help prevent leaks. |
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
How should I use the surgical team's clearance without sounding pushy?
Treat clearance as permission, not a deadline. The team has agreed that she can resume desk work when she feels ready. Avoid implying that three months means she should already be back, or that agreement from the team removes her concerns.
Should I recommend a different pouch immediately?
Do not equate her fear of odour with an unsuitable appliance. A change is an option if the assessment suggests it is appropriate. Avoid naming a product or promising that switching will solve the problem before you have assessed her current system.
What if she asks whether colleagues can definitely smell it?
Acknowledge that you cannot establish what someone else has noticed from this conversation. Ask whether her concern comes from something she has observed or something she fears might happen. Avoid either confirming colleagues' reactions or dismissing her experience without evidence.
Sources
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