OET Writing: Selecting Relevant Case Notes 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A referral to a community nurse for wound care is being written. Which note is most relevant?
- The patient's marital status from 10 years ago
- Wound site, dressing type, and frequency of changes (Correct answer)
- The brand of the patient's car
- A normal cholesterol result from last year
Correct answer: Wound site, dressing type, and frequency of changes
Wound details directly inform the nurse's ongoing care.
Question 2: Which question best helps you decide if a case note is relevant?
- Is it interesting?
- Does the reader need it to provide safe, effective care? (Correct answer)
- Is it the longest note?
- Was it written most recently?
Correct answer: Does the reader need it to provide safe, effective care?
Relevance is tied to the reader's need to deliver appropriate care.
Question 3: A note records that the patient is allergic to penicillin. In a letter requesting antibiotic management, this note is:
- Irrelevant background
- Highly relevant and must be included (Correct answer)
- Only relevant if the patient asks
- Relevant only for surgical letters
Correct answer: Highly relevant and must be included
Allergies critical to safe prescribing must always be communicated.
Question 4: When the case notes are extensive, the writer should:
- Transcribe them in full
- Prioritise and group information by relevance to the purpose (Correct answer)
- Use only the first page
- Pick notes at random to save time
Correct answer: Prioritise and group information by relevance to the purpose
Prioritising and grouping ensures the letter stays focused and useful.
Question 5: A social history note says the patient 'lives alone with no family nearby.' In a discharge letter, this is relevant because it affects:
- The patient's insurance premium
- Discharge planning and support needs at home (Correct answer)
- The hospital's catering budget
- The doctor's shift schedule
Correct answer: Discharge planning and support needs at home
Living situation influences post-discharge support and safety planning.
Question 6: Including too many irrelevant details in an OET letter typically results in:
- A higher score for thoroughness
- Reduced clarity and a lower appropriateness score (Correct answer)
- Faster reading for the recipient
- Bonus marks for length
Correct answer: Reduced clarity and a lower appropriateness score
Excess irrelevant content dilutes the message and is penalised.
Question 7: A vital sign recorded as normal three days before a stable discharge is usually:
- Essential to include in full
- Often unnecessary unless it shows a trend or concern (Correct answer)
- The most important note
- Required in every letter
Correct answer: Often unnecessary unless it shows a trend or concern
A single normal value with no clinical significance can typically be omitted.
OET Writing: Selecting Relevant Case Notes 3
A referral to a community nurse for wound care is being written.
Which note is most relevant?