OET Insights​ by Bose Learning

 
1 
OCCUPATIONAL ENGLISH TEST

WRITING SUB-TEST: MEDICINE

TIME ALLOWED: READING TIME: 5 MINUTES

WRITING TIME: 40 MINUTES

Read the case notes and complete the writing task which follows.

Notes​:

Miss Eleanor Holmes, an 8-year-old, is a patient on your general medical ward in Spain. She
was admitted after near drowning.

Hospital: Southwick Park Hospital, 70 Sparrow Street, Mitchelstown, SPAIN

Patient details

Name: Eleanor Holmes

Age: DOB: 11/01/2011 (8 years old)
Next of kin: Philippa Holmes (mother)
Admission date: 24 August 2019
Discharge date: 26 September 2019
Diagnosis: Near drowning, potential hypoxia (hypoxic brain injury)
Family: Lives with mother and father (James)

Medical history and medications:

Fractured tibia (4yo)

Rotovirus (suspected) (January 2018)
Mild eczema

Social background: Primary school student (year 4)

Enjoys sport and dancing (ballet, street dance, netball, football)

Background: Fell into freshwater lake while on holiday in Barcelona with father and
their dogs.
Found 15-20 minutes later face down.
Paramedics arrived 10 minutes later, basic life support started
On admission to ED: cyanotic,
pulseless,
apnoeic,
fixed & dilated pupils,
tympanic temp 27.7​°​C

 
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2 

Management and Progress:

24/08/19: CPR performed

Ventilator & endotracheal tubing inserted
Heated humidifier, radiant warmer, preheated blankets applied
Paediatric ventilator used
Initial ABG (Arterial Blood Gas) = 7.04 / 84 / 36/ 19 / 78%
Spontaneous circulation achieved

28/08/19: ABG = 7.44 / 34 / 94 / 23 / 97%

BP 98/64
Tympanic temp 34.8​°​C
Patient stable – transferred from ICU to general ward

30/08/19: Temperature normal

Unresponsive to command
Shifting around within the bed
No longer hyperventilated for ICP protection
Mechanical ventilation weaning off begun

05/09/19: Responsive to commands

Basic communication - possible dysarthria

Speech therapy commenced

Difficulty concentrating
Paracetamol 3x daily for headaches
Coughing up pink sputum
Mechanical ventilation stopped

Transfer plan: Transfer to Paediatrics Ward, East Hospital, UK

Continue with Speech therapy
Organise neurological exams (neuropsychological, visual-spatial, IQ_ -
check for delayed problems as precaution
Discuss with parents possible sequela due to hypoxia
Monitor cough, headaches, dysarthria

 
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3 

Using the information provided in the case notes, write a letter of transfer to Dr Patrica
Jones, Ward Doctor, Paediatrics, East Hospital, UK

In your answer:

• Expand the relevant notes into complete sentences

• Do ​not​ use note form
• Use letter format

The body of the letter should be approximately 180-200 words.