The candidate card
Setting
Hospital orthopaedic ward
Candidate
You are a physiotherapist on an orthopaedic ward. Mr Bo Tse's 84-year-old mother fractured her hip in a fall at home and yesterday had internal fixation with metalwork. The surgical team has cleared her for weight bearing as tolerated. This morning you stood her up and she took a few steps with a frame, but she found it painful and became tearful. Her son has just arrived, has heard about the session, and has asked to speak to you.
Task (interlocutor: relative)
- Acknowledge Mr Tse's anger and find out what is worrying him about his mother walking so soon (what he was told, what he saw, any other changes)
- Explain in lay terms why it is safe for her to stand and walk on the repaired hip
- Explain why getting up early is important for her recovery (risks of staying in bed, getting home)
- Reassure him about how her pain and safety will be managed during sessions
- Agree how he can support her physiotherapy while she is on the ward
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
- Let him speak first and name the anger calmly. Then ask what he has been told and by whom, what he thinks happened this morning, and any other changes he has noticed. He heard about the session, so do not assume he saw it.
- Explain in lay terms: the surgeons fixed the broken bone with metalwork, and the surgical team has cleared her to put weight on that leg as comfort allows. Avoid the phrase weight bearing as tolerated; say it plainly.
- Explain the benefit of early movement: staying in bed carries its own risks, and getting up early helps her recovery and her chances of going home. Match the detail to his questions rather than reciting a list.
- Be honest that standing was painful and she became tearful. Describe what actually happens on your ward for pain relief and monitoring during sessions, and say you will stop or adjust if she cannot manage. Do not promise it will be painless.
- Invite him to help with encouragement, and with being there for sessions if she agrees. Check what his mother is comfortable with you sharing. Typical error: defending the session before he feels heard.
Phrases to adapt
Use your own words; these show the register, not lines to memorise.
- I can hear how upset you are, and I'd like to hear what you've been told.
- What are you most concerned about when you think of her walking?
- Seeing her in pain would be hard, and we take her comfort seriously.
- Would you like to be there for her next session?
Medical words in plain English
| Term | How you might say it to the patient |
|---|---|
| internal fixation | surgery that holds the broken bone together with metal plates, screws or rods inside the leg |
| weight bearing as tolerated | she can put as much weight on the leg as feels comfortable |
| mobilise | get her up out of bed, standing and walking with help |
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 Physiotherapy role-play cards
- Knee pain in a young footballer Physiotherapy clinic
- Back pain - the patient wants a scan and bed rest Physiotherapy clinic
- Physiotherapist: breathing exercises and getting out of bed after open bowel surgery Surgical ward
All sets: nurses, doctors, other professions. Your profession's guide: OET Physiotherapy.
Questions about this role-play
What if he says the walking should have waited?
Don't defend yourself first. Ask what he thinks should have happened, then explain that the surgical team cleared her to walk and the metalwork is designed for that. Offer to arrange a conversation with the surgical team if he still wants it.
What if his mother has not agreed to share information?
Before giving details, check what she is happy for him to be told, and ask her if needed. You can still listen to his concerns and explain general principles of early mobilisation without sharing more than she has agreed.
What if he asks for her to stop walking for now?
Take the request seriously without agreeing straight away. Explore what is behind it, explain why early movement matters for her, and offer what you can adjust, such as pain relief timing or his presence at sessions, and say you will review how she is coping.
Sources
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