Linguistic criteria (each out of 6)
- Intelligibility
- Fluency
- Appropriateness of Language
- Resources of Grammar and Expression
OET Nursing Speaking
OET Speaking Role-Play Cards for Nurses (With Model Answers)
These OET Speaking role-play cards for nurses give you two realistic practice cards, a model role-play with notes on what earns marks, useful phrases for each stage and the mistakes that cost nurses a B. Prepare for 3 minutes, speak for 5, then compare.
20 minApproximate length of the Speaking sub-test
3 minPreparation time for each role-play card
2Profession-specific role-plays, about 5 minutes each
How does OET Speaking work for nurses?
The Speaking sub-test is the same format for every profession, but the role-plays are written for your profession. As a nurse you play yourself, talking to a patient, relative or carer in a realistic nursing situation.
Timing: about 20 minutes
The Speaking sub-test takes about 20 minutes in total. It opens with a short warm-up conversation, which is not assessed.
Two role-plays
You complete two profession-specific role-plays. For each one you get 3 minutes to prepare from your card, and the role-play itself lasts about 5 minutes.
The interlocutor
The interlocutor plays the patient, a relative or a carer from their own card. They may be anxious, reluctant or upset, so you have to respond to them, not recite a script.
Two assessors
Your performance is recorded and assessed by two assessors against four linguistic criteria and five clinical communication criteria.
How is OET Speaking marked?
Two sets of criteria are used. The linguistic criteria look at how you speak; the clinical communication criteria look at how you manage the conversation with the patient.
Clinical communication criteria (each out of 3)
- Relationship-building
- Understanding and incorporating the patient's perspective
- Providing structure
- Information-gathering
- Information-giving
What Grade B looks like
OET states that Grade B means predominantly scores of 5 out of 6 on each linguistic criterion and 2 out of 3 on the clinical communication criteria. Source: OET Speaking guide.
Two OET Nursing role-play cards to practise
Each card has two halves: the candidate card you would see in the test and the interlocutor card the examiner uses. Read only the candidate card first, prepare for 3 minutes and ask a partner to play the patient.
Card 1: Anxious patient going home after surgery
Candidate card
Setting: Surgical ward, general hospital
Nurse. You are talking to a 58-year-old patient, Mrs Grace Owen, who had keyhole surgery to remove her gallbladder two days ago and is due to go home tomorrow. She seems anxious about leaving hospital.
Task:
- Find out what is worrying the patient about going home.
- Explain the pain relief plan and why the tablets should be taken regularly at first.
- Explain how to look after the small wounds and when she can shower.
- Describe the warning signs that mean she should seek medical advice.
- Reassure her about the support available after discharge.
Interlocutor card
Setting: Surgical ward, general hospital
Patient. You had keyhole gallbladder surgery two days ago and are going home tomorrow. Your husband works long hours, so you will be alone during the day. You are worried the pain will get worse at home.
Task:
- When asked, explain that you are nervous about the pain and about being alone.
- Say that you do not like taking tablets and would rather take them only when you need them.
- Ask what you should do if something goes wrong when you are on your own.
- Agree to the plan if the nurse explains it clearly and kindly.
Card 2: Parent worried about a child's asthma inhaler
Candidate card
Setting: Children's clinic, community health centre
Practice nurse. You are seeing the parent of 7-year-old Leo, who was diagnosed with asthma last month. He has a blue reliever inhaler and a preventer inhaler, both used with a spacer. His parent says the inhalers "don't seem to work".
Task:
- Find out how and when Leo is using each inhaler.
- Explain the difference between the reliever and the preventer, and why the preventer is used every day.
- Talk the parent through using the inhaler with a spacer.
- Respond to the parent's concern about steroids.
- Explain when to seek urgent help.
Interlocutor card
Setting: Children's clinic, community health centre
Parent. Your son Leo, aged 7, was diagnosed with asthma last month. He uses the blue inhaler when he coughs but you stopped the other inhaler because you read it contains steroids. He finds the spacer awkward, so he often uses the inhaler without it.
Task:
- Say that the inhalers do not seem to be working.
- When asked, admit that you stopped the preventer because you are worried about steroids.
- Ask whether the steroids will affect his growth.
- Agree to restart the preventer if the nurse reassures you and explains why it matters.
Practice material written by OET with Dr Hesham. It is not an official OET test card.
Model role-play: anxious patient going home after surgery
This is a condensed model performance for Card 1. Notice how the nurse finds out the concern first, organises the information and checks understanding before closing.
Nurse: Good morning, Mrs Owen. My name is Sam and I'm one of the nurses on the ward today. Is it all right if we have a chat about going home tomorrow?
Patient: Yes, I suppose so. To be honest, I'm a bit nervous about it.
Nurse: That's completely understandable; a lot of people feel that way after an operation. What's worrying you most?
Patient: The pain, mainly. It's fine here because you bring the tablets, but what if it gets worse at home? And my husband works long hours, so I'll be on my own.
Nurse: So it's the pain, and being on your own during the day. Before I explain the plan, how is the pain at the moment, on a scale of nought to ten?
Patient: About three, I'd say. Worse when I get up.
Nurse: That's a good sign, and it's what we'd expect two days after keyhole surgery. I'd like to go through three things: your painkillers, looking after the wounds, and who to contact if you're worried. Is that OK?
Patient: Yes, please.
Nurse: The doctor has prescribed paracetamol for you to take regularly, four times a day, for the first few days, rather than waiting for the pain to build up. That keeps the pain at a steady, low level. How do you feel about that?
Patient: I don't really like taking tablets. I'd rather only take them when I need them.
Nurse: I can see why you'd prefer that. The thing is, pain is much easier to keep under control than to bring down once it's strong, and being comfortable helps you move around, which helps you recover. Most people only need them regularly for a few days. Would you be willing to try that?
Patient: Well, if it's only for a few days, I can try.
Nurse: Thank you. Now, the small wounds on your tummy: you can shower from tomorrow, pat them dry and keep the dressings clean. The practice nurse at your surgery will check them in about a week.
Patient: And what if something goes wrong when I'm on my own?
Nurse: That's an important question. Please contact your GP or the ward straight away if you develop a fever, if the pain gets much worse rather than better, if a wound becomes red, swollen or starts leaking, or if your skin or eyes turn yellow. I'll write the ward number down for you.
Patient: That makes me feel better, actually.
Nurse: I'm glad. Is there anyone who could pop in during the day for the first few days, for company and to help with lifting things?
Patient: My sister lives nearby. I could ask her.
Nurse: That would be ideal, because you should avoid heavy lifting for a couple of weeks. Just so I know I've explained things clearly, could you tell me how you'll take your painkillers when you get home?
Patient: Paracetamol four times a day for the first few days, even if the pain is low.
Nurse: Exactly right. So, to sum up: regular painkillers, gentle movement, keep the wounds clean, and call us if you notice any of those warning signs. Do you have any other questions?
Patient: No, I think that covers it. Thank you.
Nurse: You're welcome, Mrs Owen. I'll bring you the written information and the phone number shortly.
Practice material written by OET with Dr Hesham. It is not an official OET test card. Each tag shows the clinical communication criterion a move supports.
Useful phrases for OET Nursing role-plays
Learn these as building blocks, not as a script. Adapt the wording to the patient in front of you.
Opening and rapport
- Hello, my name is … and I'm … . How would you like me to call you?
- Is it all right if we talk about … today?
- Before we start, is there anything you'd particularly like to cover?
Gathering information
- Could you tell me a bit more about …?
- What do you already know about …?
- How has this been affecting your day-to-day life?
Explaining in lay language
- In simple terms, this means …
- Let me explain what that involves.
- The main thing to remember is …
Responding to concerns
- That's completely understandable.
- It sounds as though you're worried about … . Is that right?
- I can see why you'd feel that way. Let's look at what we can do.
Checking understanding
- Just so I know I've explained it clearly, could you tell me how you'll …?
- Does that make sense so far?
- Is there anything you'd like me to go over again?
Closing
- So, to sum up: …
- Do you have any other questions?
- If you notice …, please contact … straight away.
Common mistakes nurses make in OET Speaking
These are the habits that most often pull a role-play below Grade B.
- Giving information before finding out what the patient already knows or is worried about.
- Using clinical terms such as "laparoscopic", "analgesia" or "bronchodilator" without explaining them.
- Ignoring an emotional cue such as "I'm nervous" and carrying on with the task list.
- Working through the card bullet by bullet instead of following the patient's concerns.
- Talking for most of the 5 minutes, so the patient has little chance to respond.
- Arguing with a reluctant patient instead of exploring the reason and negotiating.
- Closing without checking understanding or summarising the plan.
How should you practise with these cards?
Use Card 1 to study the model and Card 2 to test yourself. The aim is to build a structure you can adapt, not a script you repeat.
- Set a timer for 3 minutes and plan Card 2 before you read any model answer: decide how you will open, which questions you will ask and how you will close.
- Ask a friend or colleague to read the interlocutor card and react naturally, including the emotional cue.
- Record yourself for 5 minutes, then listen back against the two sets of criteria. Mark where you checked understanding and where you responded to a concern.
- Repeat the same card a day later with a different reaction from your partner, so you practise responding rather than memorising.
OET Nursing Speaking FAQ
More exam questions are answered on the full OET FAQ page.
How long is each OET Speaking role-play for nurses?
Each role-play lasts about 5 minutes after 3 minutes of preparation. The whole Speaking sub-test takes about 20 minutes, including a short warm-up that is not assessed.
Are these official OET Nursing role-play cards?
No. They are practice cards written by OET with Dr Hesham in the style of the test. Official sample tests are available from OET.
Should I memorise model answers for OET Speaking?
No. The patient's reactions change in every role-play, so memorised scripts break down. Learn the structure and the phrases, then adapt them to the patient in front of you.
What Speaking score do nurses need?
It depends on the regulator. The NMC asks for B (350) in Speaking, and Ahpra asks for 360 for tests taken from 23 April 2026. Check the OET score requirements guide for your regulator.
Next step
Practise your nursing role-plays with live feedback
A private 1:1 Speaking session covers different OET cards and ends with detailed feedback on what to change before the real test.