OET Writing: Transfer and Discharge Letters 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In an OET discharge letter, which phrase is most appropriate when introducing the reason for the patient's admission?
- The patient came in because they felt very bad.
- Mr. Johnson was admitted on [date] with a diagnosis of... (Correct answer)
- We had to keep this patient due to serious problems.
- The above-named patient showed up at our facility.
Correct answer: Mr. Johnson was admitted on [date] with a diagnosis of...
Formal, precise language identifying the patient and admission details is the standard professional opening for an OET discharge letter.
Question 2: A patient is being transferred from a medical ward to a rehabilitation facility. Which piece of information is MOST critical to include?
- The patient's dietary preferences
- The name of the admitting nurse
- The patient's current functional status and rehabilitation goals (Correct answer)
- The hospital's visiting hours policy
Correct answer: The patient's current functional status and rehabilitation goals
For a rehabilitation transfer, the patient's functional status and goals are essential for the receiving facility to plan appropriate individualized care.
Question 3: Which of the following represents IRRELEVANT information in an OET discharge letter for a patient admitted for appendicitis?
- Post-operative wound care instructions
- The patient's childhood history of chicken pox (Correct answer)
- Prescribed antibiotics and duration
- Follow-up appointment with the surgeon
Correct answer: The patient's childhood history of chicken pox
A remote, unrelated childhood illness is not pertinent to the patient's current episode of care for appendicitis and should be excluded.
Question 4: When mentioning test results in a discharge or transfer letter, you should:
- Include all results regardless of relevance
- Report only clinically significant results with their importance noted (Correct answer)
- Copy all results as raw numbers without any interpretation
- Omit all laboratory results to keep the letter brief
Correct answer: Report only clinically significant results with their importance noted
Including only clinically significant results with their relevance prevents information overload and highlights what the next provider must act upon.
Question 5: Which of these is the best way to close an OET discharge or transfer letter?
- Thank you for taking this patient off our hands.
- Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require further information. We look forward to your continued care of this patient. (Correct answer)
- That is all we have to say about this case.
- Goodbye and good luck with this patient.
Correct answer: Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require further information. We look forward to your continued care of this patient.
A professional closing that offers further communication and expresses collaborative intent is standard practice in clinical correspondence.
Question 6: In an OET transfer letter written by a nurse, what is the most important wound care information to include?
- The name of the nurse who performed dressing changes
- The brand name and cost of the dressing materials used
- Current wound status, dressing type, and required frequency of change (Correct answer)
- The number of dressing changes performed during the admission
Correct answer: Current wound status, dressing type, and required frequency of change
Clinical wound care details including current status, dressing type, and change frequency enable the receiving facility to continue wound management safely.
Question 7: Which of the following BEST describes the skill of 'selecting relevant case notes' in the OET Writing task?
- Copying every piece of information from the case notes into the letter
- Choosing the most clinically significant information appropriate to the letter's purpose and recipient (Correct answer)
- Using only the first three items listed in the case notes
- Including as much information as possible to make the letter longer
Correct answer: Choosing the most clinically significant information appropriate to the letter's purpose and recipient
The OET assesses candidates' ability to identify and prioritize clinically relevant information from the full set of case notes for a specific communication purpose.
OET Writing: Transfer and Discharge Letters 2
In an OET discharge letter, which phrase is most appropriate when introducing the reason for the patient's admission?