OET Writing Checklist for Nurses | Anglotec AI Academy

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0 checked of 40 items

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Pre-Writing Checklist

Before you start writing — understand the task and prepare your approach (10 items)

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Read the task instructions carefully

💡 Identify the purpose, recipient, and type of letter required (referral, discharge, transfer, etc.)

Identify the recipient of the letter

💡 Note their name, title, and role. This determines the level of formality and what context to include

Underline key information in the case notes

💡 Mark relevant dates, medications, vital signs, and medical history that support the purpose of the letter

Determine what information to include vs. exclude

💡 Only include information relevant to the recipient's role. Exclude irrelevant social history or details the recipient already knows

Identify the main purpose of the letter

💡 Is it to request action? Provide information? Transfer care? This shapes your opening and closing paragraphs

Note the patient's current status and key concerns

💡 Summarise current condition, recent changes, and what the recipient needs to know or do

Plan the structure before writing

💡 Sketch a brief outline: opening (purpose), body (key details), closing (requested action + contact)

Check the required word count

💡 OET letters are typically 180-200 words. Plan your content to fit within this range

Note any specific requests or actions needed

💡 Has the patient/family requested something? Is a follow-up appointment needed? Include these explicitly

Verify dates and medication names are correct

💡 Double-check all dates, drug names, dosages, and medical terms from the case notes before writing

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Writing Checklist

While writing — structure, language, and content quality (18 items)

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Use an appropriate opening greeting

💡 "Dear Dr. Smith," or "Dear Nurse Williams," — use title + surname, comma after

State the purpose of the letter clearly in the opening paragraph

💡 "I am writing to refer/update/discharge/transfer..." — be specific and direct

Include the patient's full name and date of birth

💡 "Mr. John Smith (DOB: 15/03/1985)" — essential identifiers, usually in the opening

Organise information in logical paragraphs

💡 One main idea per paragraph. Typical order: purpose → admission/presentation → management → current status → request

Use formal, professional language throughout

💡 Avoid contractions (don't → do not), slang, and abbreviations the recipient may not understand

Write in complete sentences

💡 Every sentence must have a subject and verb. Avoid sentence fragments

Use appropriate connectors and transitions

💡 "However," "Therefore," "In addition," "Following this," — these improve coherence and flow

Use medical terminology correctly and consistently

💡 Show your professional knowledge but ensure terms are used in the correct context

Include all relevant clinical details

💡 Vital signs, medications, test results, diagnoses — anything the recipient needs for continuity of care

Maintain chronological order where appropriate

💡 Present events in the order they occurred to help the recipient follow the patient's journey

Specify any requested action clearly

💡 "I would be grateful if you could..." "Please arrange..." "It would be appreciated if..."

Use passive voice appropriately for objectivity

💡 "The wound was dressed" rather than "I dressed the wound" — focuses on the patient, not the writer

Ensure tense consistency (past for completed actions)

💡 Use past tense for what happened during admission/treatment. Use present for current status

Include your contact information for follow-up

💡 "Please do not hesitate to contact me on [phone] or [email] should you require further information"

Use an appropriate closing formula

💡 "Yours sincerely," if you know the name; "Yours faithfully," if "Dear Sir/Madam" — followed by your name and title

Stay within the word count (180-200 words)

💡 Going significantly under or over affects your score. Practice writing to this limit

Transform case notes into connected prose

💡 Do not copy case notes directly. Rewrite them as complete, flowing sentences with proper grammar

Maintain a professional, respectful tone

💡 Show respect for the recipient's expertise. Be assertive about the patient's needs without being demanding

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Post-Writing Checklist

After writing — proofread and polish before submission (12 items)

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Check spelling of all names, medications, and medical terms

💡 Spelling errors in proper nouns or medications are penalised heavily. Cross-check with case notes

Verify all dates and numbers are accurate

💡 Dates of birth, admission dates, medication dosages, vital signs — any error affects patient safety score

Count the words — is it within 180-200?

💡 Significantly under or over the word count will negatively impact your score

Read for grammatical errors (subject-verb agreement, articles)

💡 Common errors: missing articles (a/an/the), incorrect verb forms, plural/singular mismatches

Check punctuation (commas, full stops, apostrophes)

💡 Ensure every sentence ends with a full stop. Check comma usage in lists and clauses

Ensure paragraph breaks are in logical places

💡 Each paragraph should contain one main topic. Check transitions between paragraphs are smooth

Verify the recipient would have all information needed

💡 Put yourself in the recipient's shoes. Can they take the required action without needing to ask for more info?

Check no irrelevant information was included

💡 Remove any social history, unrelated conditions, or duplicate information that does not serve the letter's purpose

Confirm the requested action is clear and specific

💡 The recipient should know exactly what you want them to do after reading the letter

Read the letter aloud to check flow and coherence

💡 Reading aloud helps catch awkward phrasing, missing words, and sentences that do not flow well

Check formatting (date, address block, signature)

💡 Ensure date at top, recipient address block, proper greeting, closing, and your signature block with title

Do a final check for any omitted case note details

💡 Scan the case notes one more time to ensure no critical information was accidentally left out

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