The candidate card
Setting
Orthopaedic hospital ward
Candidate
You are an occupational therapist. Mr Jasper Kershaw, aged 78, had a total hip replacement four days ago and is expected to go home in two days. He lives with his wife in a single-storey house with a shower over the bath and a standard-height toilet. You have recommended a bath transfer bench (a shower seat that sits across the bath) and a raised toilet seat for his recovery, but he has told the nurses he is 'not an invalid' and will manage without them.
Task (interlocutor: patient)
- Find out how Mr Kershaw has been managing the bathroom on the ward, how he plans to manage showering and using the toilet at home, and his reasons for not wanting the equipment
- Explain in simple terms why the equipment is recommended during his recovery (making sitting, standing and bathing safer while the hip heals, reducing the risk of a fall)
- Reassure him about his concerns (e.g. the equipment is usually temporary, it supports his independence)
- Agree a plan (e.g. staying safe in the bathroom on the ward now, trying the equipment, washing and toileting at home, involving his wife, 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.
How to approach this card
- Begin with how he has managed washing and toileting on the ward, in neutral terms. His account gives you real evidence, and he is more likely to talk about pride or fear once he is not being told what to do.
- Ask how he pictures showering and toileting at home, then ask directly what he dislikes about the equipment. His remark about not being an invalid suggests he may fear being seen as frail, but find out his actual reasons.
- Only after listening, explain that the equipment makes sitting, standing and bathing safer while the hip heals and lowers the chance of a fall. Keep it short and tie it to his bath and standard-height toilet.
- Avoid lecturing or implying he cannot cope. Frame the equipment as a tool for his independence, say it is usually temporary, and do not promise how long he will need it. Respond to each concern he raised.
- With discharge in two days, agree the ward bathroom safety first, then a trial of the equipment, how he will wash and use the toilet at home, and involving his wife. Finish with follow-up and a summary.
Phrases to adapt
Use your own words; these show the register, not lines to memorise.
- You've worked hard to get moving again, and I want to protect that progress.
- What worries you most about using a seat in the bath?
- Would you be willing to try it here first, so you can judge for yourself?
- Could we talk with your wife about how she can help at home?
Medical words in plain English
| Term | How you might say it to the patient |
|---|---|
| bath transfer bench | A seat across the bath, so you sit to get in and wash. |
| raised toilet seat | A seat that makes the toilet higher, so sitting down and standing up is easier. |
| total hip replacement | An operation that replaced your hip joint, which is still healing. |
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 Occupational Therapy role-play cards
- Child will not wear her hand splint after a burn Hand therapy outpatient clinic
- Making the kitchen safe for a mother with dementia Home visit
- Wanting to drive home after a stroke Inpatient rehabilitation ward
All sets: nurses, doctors, other professions. Your profession's guide: OET Occupational Therapy.
Questions about this role-play
What if he still refuses the equipment at the end?
Do not force it. Make sure he understands the reason and the risk of a fall, check what part of the equipment he objects to, and agree a smaller step, such as trying it on the ward. Document his decision and involve his wife and team.
Should I raise his wife early in the conversation?
Ask about her after you have explored his own routine and views, so he does not feel he is being managed through her. Then suggest involving her as support for his plan, and ask what he is comfortable with her helping.
How do I deal with the 'not an invalid' comment?
Take it seriously and do not argue. Acknowledge his wish to stay independent, ask what being independent means to him, and show how the equipment can serve that goal. Avoid words like frail, old or at risk in front of him.
Sources
Last checked 22 Oct 2026. Rules and prices change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
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