OET Practice Materials-Pharmacy Writing

7/24/2019 OET Practice Materials-Pharmacy Writing

1/23

b ; . . ~ - . J : . OCCUP TION L

:ec ENGLISH

;;;,

TEST

n

overview

of

the

Occupational

English

Test

purpose of the Occupational English Test

OET)

is to evaluate the English

language

competence of

people

who have trained

as medical

health practitioners in

one

country

and

wish to

gain

provisional registration to practise their profession in

an

English-speaking context.

most

cases,

applicants are subsequently required by their professional

board

or council

to

sit a test

of

professional knowledge.

for the OET are from 12 health professions: dentistry,

speech

pathology,

veterinary science. Nursing, dentistry and medicine currently

the largest numbers of

candidates.

test is administered by the OET Centre, a business unit of the

for Adult

Education CAE] in

Melbourne, Australia, which

responsibility for the test in 2004.

four language skills are tested -lis tening, reading, writing and

with

an

emphasis

on

contextualised communication

The Speaking

and

Writing sub-tests are

each

profession, while the Listening and Reading sub-tests

common to all candidates.

test is currently used

by

the governing bodies of the professions

state

and

national level

in Australia and New

Zealand

and

25 points by the Australian Department of Immigration

Citizenship

OIAC). Each

board or council determines the

of the

OET

result necessary for candidates to meet language

demands ofthe professional workplace.

OET

uses

a secure test

bank from

which materials are selected

OET Statements of Results include ascaled band score grade) for

each

of the four sub-tests. Scores

are

considered valid for two

years

by most professional regulatory bodies.

The

OET

Centre does

not currently set a limit

on

the number of

times a candidate may present for testing. Many candidates

may

re-s

it the sub-tests for which they do not obtain a satisfactory grade

without re-sitting those for which the grade is satisfactory.

Some

professional regulatory authorities,

however,

require candidates to

obtain satisfactory grades on all four sub-tests at one administration

ofthetest.

Frequency and location

The

OET

is currently administered 10 times a year in up to 40

locations around the world. The largest testing centres are in Australia.

Security

Test

materials are sent to test venues by secure

courier. All

staff

involved in administering the test

sign

a confidentiality agreement.

All test materials are returned to the OET Centre in Melbourne

by

secure courier and

accounted

for.

each

administration. The only past test materials available are Administrators

by the OET Centre. Listening and reading test materials The OET

is

administered at each

venue

under the direction of a trained

developed for the OET Centre by staff at the Language Testing Venue Co-ordinator. Detailed instructions explaining the required

Centre

LTRC)

of the University of Melbourne.

LTRC

staff also administration procedures

are

included with the test materials

and

oft st data. From time to time specialist test Co-ordinators check that all standards required by the

OET

Centre are

are engaged to devise further test materials in line with

met.

Interviewers

have

native

or

native-like competence in

English.

same

technical processes.

and

Speaking

materials for the test

are

written in consultation

or with experienced

www.occupationalenglishtest.org 1


2/23

Assessment

Assessors must have a tertiary qualification or equivalent and a

TESOL

qualification. A post-graduate qualification

in language

testing

is

desirable. Assessors undergo specific training

in

OET assessment

methodology.

Assessment is conducted at the

OET

Centre in

Melbourne

and

preceded

by training and standardisation for assessors to achieve

optimum consistency of standards.

Assessment

of

he Listening sub-test

The Listening sub-test is assessed against a detailed marking guide

prepared

by

the test designers. Problematic scripts are dealt with

as

a group by

an

experienced assessor and all critical borderline scripts

are double-marked.

Assessment

of he Reading sub test

art

A

Part A s a Summary reading task. This requires test-takers to skim

and scan

3-4 short texts

a

total of about 650 words) related to a

single topic and to complete a summary paragraph by filling in the

missing words.

Part A s marked by a small group of

experienced

assessors in

Melbourne.

Test-takers write short-answer (

1 3

word] responses

which

are

marked according to a detailed marking

key

prepared by

the test designers.

Assessment

of

the Reading sub-test - Part B

Part 8 is a computer marked multiple-choice

MCO)

test. It is initially

analysed by the University of New South

Wales

and then further by

the University of Melbourne for performance of individual items.

Assessment

of

the Writing

and

Speaking sub-tests

Writing scripts and Speaking interviews are rated twice, with

aberrant

and

unusual cases marked a third time. Assessors use a

set of criteria to rate candidates performance. Analysis of assessor

consistency

and

severity is conducted using multi-faceted

RASCH

analysis.

2 www.occupationalenglishtest.org

Registration procedures

All

test applications are submitted online through the

OETwebsite.

Candidate photos

are uploaded

to the website

and

payment is taken

online by credit

card. When

applying, candidates must

also

give the

exact details of the identity document they will provide when sitting

the test. The

OET

Centre only accepts passports

as

proof of identity

but makes an exception for candidates with a national identity

card, provided they are sitting the test in the country that issued it.

Candidates undergo a rigorous

1

check

upon

initial registration

on

the test

day

and before each sub-test. The

1

check procedures have

DIAC

approval.

Communication with candidates is

by

email and

via

the website.

Candidates can access sample materials. Specific details for

particular venues and timetables for the individual sub-tests

are provided two weeks prior to the day of the test. Candidate

information, including photo and identity document number, is sent

to the venues for identity verification

on

the test

day.

Special provision

Candidates

with special needs are provided for. Specifications for test

venues are given in detailed instructions to

Venue

Co-ordinators.

All

test venues must comply with

local

requirements for meeting the

needs of people with disabilities.

The

OET

Centre makes all reasonable arrangements to accommodate

special

visual or auditory

needs,

including enlargement of print texts

and special auditory equipment.


3/23

istory

of

the

t st

Occupational English Test

was

designed by Professor Tim

ofthe University of Melbourne under contract to the

Federal

Government.

part of the annual intake of refugees

and

immigrants, hundreds

were

entering Australia

by

mid to late 1980s. The majority were medical practitioners but a

groups were

also

represented.

process

o

registration to practise

in

most health professions

stages of assessment: English language

cy, a multiple

choice

test of profession-specific clinical

and

a performance-based test of clinical competence.

ction with the results of existing

language

tests led to

researched

specifications for a

icative, contextualised test. The OET

has been

frequently

reviewed and analysed in the literature over the past 25 years.

McNamara

( 1996)*

1

gives a full account ofthe development of the

test

and

associated validation research.

The

initial development

o

he test specifications involved:

a.

extensive consultation with expert informants, including clinical

educators, ESL teachers offering

language

support

in

clinical

settings, and overseas-trained professionals

who were

completing

or had

completed a clinical bridging program.

b.

literature search.

c. direct observation of the workplace.

tages of Test Development, presentation

by

ProfTim McNamara August 2007

2

* :McNamara, T [1996] Measuring Second Language Performance.

London:

Longman.

*

2

:

McNamara T [2007]

Stages

ofTest Development. OET Forum.


4/23

escription

of the

O T

Test format

The

OET assesses listening, reading, writing and speaking.

There is a separate sub-test for each skill area. The Listening and

Reading

sub-tests are designed to assess the ability to understand spoken

and written English

in

contexts related to

general

health

and

medicine.

The

sub-tests for Listening and

Reading

are not specific to any single

profession but

are

based on topics and tasks common to all professions.

The Writing and Speaking sub-tests are specific to

each

profession and are designed to assess the ability to use English appropriately in a

relevant professional context.

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Listening Sub-test

The Listening sub-test consists of two parts: a recorded, simulated professional-patient

consultation with note-taking questions Part A],

and

a

recorded

talk or lecture

on

a

health-related topic with short-answer/note-taking questions Part B), each about

15 minutes of recorded

speech.

A set of questions

is

attached to

each

section and

candidates write their answers while listening. The original recording is edited with

pauses

to allow candidates time to write their answers.

The format for

Part

A the consultation) requires candidates to produce case notes

under relevant headings

and

to write

as

much relevant information

as

possible.

Most questions in

Part

B the lecture) indude indications

on

the number of points

a candidate is expected to indude.

Reading Sub-test

The

Reading sub-test consists of two parts:

Part

A

s

a summary reading task.

This

requires candidates to skim

and scan

3-4 short

texts

(a

total of about

650

words) related to a single topic and to complete a summary

paragraph

by

filling in the missing words. Candidates

are

required to write responses

for

25-35

gaps

in

total, within a strictly monitored time limit of 15 minutes.

Part A

s

designed to test the reader s ability to source information from multiple texts,

to synthesise information in a meaningful way and to assess skimming and scanning

ability under a time limit.

In

Part B candidates are required to

read

two passages 600-800 words

each)

on

general

medical topics and answer

8-10

multiple choice questions for

each

text

(a

total

of 16-20 questions) within a time limit of

45

minutes.

Part

B

s

designed to test the

reader s

ability to

read

in

greater detail general

and

specific information for comprehension.

5/23

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6/23

coring

the

t st

OET

grades

are reported on an official report form, the Statement of

Results. Aband score is reported for each of the sub-tests.

These

band

scores range from A (highest) toE (lowest].

They

are derived

differently for the sub-tests for the productive skills (Writing

and

Speaking] and receptive skills (Listening and Reading).

Writing and

Speaking

The Writing and Speaking sub-tests are marked by trained,

experienced

assessors

based

in

Melbourne. Each

candidate s

performance is marked by two assessors, who mark independently

of

each

other and without knowledge of a candidate s performance

on the

other sub-tests.

The

Writing

and Speaking

sub-tests

are each

graded against five criteria; each criterion has six grade levels,

1-6,

with level 6 representing a

very

strong response.

The criteria for each sub-test are:

Writing

Overall Task

Fulfilment, Appropriateness

of

Language,

Comprehension of Stimulus, Linguistic Features (Grammar

Cohesion),

Presentation Features (Spelling, Punctuation

Layout)

The data are analysed using multi-faceted RASCH analysis McNamara

1996*

1

] with

FACETS

software (Linacre 19B9*

2

;

candidate and

assessor

are

facets in the analysis.

All

candidates who are found to

have

unexpected responses in the

data

analysis

are

third

marked. To

compensate for

any

differences in

assessor severity,

band

scores

are

derived from the single fair score

generated

by

FACETS,

rather than from

averaged

raw scores.

These

fair scores are then converted to

bands as

follows:

Conversion to band scores range 1-6)

Band A: 5.6

and above

Band

B: 4.B 5.5

Band C: 4.2 4.7

Band 0: 3.4 4.1

Band E: 3.3 and below

Speaking

Overall

Communicative Effectiveness, Intelligibility,

Fluency, Appropriateness of

Language,

Resources of

Grammar

and

Expression


Reading and Listening

The Reading sub-test consists of a short answer reponse (summary

completion] test (Part A] and a multiple-choice questions

MCO)

test

(Part B). Candidate answer sheets for Part Aare marked

by

trained

assessors and

score

sheets for Part Bare computer scanned. The

item-level data are analysed using a

RASCH

analysis programme,

OUEST, for overall internal consistency and item quality.

Any

items

found to

be

performing unacceptably i.e., with fit of above 1.3

or

with discrimination levels of less than .25)

are

removed from the

subsequent analysis.

The

Listening sub-test is marked by a small group of experienced

assessors

in Melbourne.

The test consists of short-answer questions

and

is marked according to detailed marking guidelines prepared by

the test designers.

In

order to ensure consistency of marking, prior to

the marking session at each administration assessors are trained in

how to interpret and apply these guidelines. As for the Reading sub

test, the item-level data are analysed using OUEST for overall internal

consistency and item quality. Again, any items found to be performing

unacceptably (i.e., with fit of above 1.3 or with discrimination levels of

less than .25) are removed

from

the subsequent analysis.

Band cut-scores i.e., the boundaries between the band scores) are

re-set for the Listening and Reading sub-tests at every administration

regardless

of

whether they are new tests, re-constituted tests using

two texts/parts which have not previously been used in combination,

or previously-used tests.

This

is

because

for

every

administration, reliability of measurement

is maximised

by

removing from the analysis those items which are

found to

be

performing unacceptably for that cohort.

This means

that,

for the same test version or individual text/part, the number of items

may vary from administration to administration, although experience

has found that

no more

than one item is usually removed.

Cut-scores

for

each band

level

on

the Listening

and

Reading sub-tests

are

set on the basis ofthe percentage distribution of candidates into

band levels using the

average

of the Writing and Speaking sub-tests.

This

assumes that normally these criterion-referenced sub-tests

should be equivalent

in

difficulty

and

that distribution into grades

across the sub-tests should therefore be similar for the whole cohort.

It does not assume that individuals will get the

same

grade

on

each

sub-test. The proportion of candidates falling into in

each

grade is

generally very similar for the Writing

and

Speaking sub-tests.)

1

: McNamara, T [19961 Measuring Second Language Performance. London: Longman.

*

2

:

Linacre,

J [1989] FACETS: a

computer

program for

many-faceted

Rasch

measurement. Chicago: MESA Press.


7/23

What

is

the

Writing

sub test?

The

Writing sub-test takes 45 minutes. It is profession specific. You take this part of the

O T

using materials specifically for your profession- a

nurse does the task for nursing, a dentist

does

the task for dentistry, and so

on.

In each test, there is

one

task set for each profession based on

a typical workplace situation and the demands of the profession.

The task is to write a letter, usually a letter of referral. Sometimes, and particularly for some professions, a different type of letter

is

required:

e.g.

a letter of transfer or discharge, or a letter to advise or inform a patient, carer or

group.

With the task instructions, you receive stimulus material case notes and/or other related documentation) which includes information to use

in

your response.

The first five minutes of the test is reading time. During this time,

you

may study the task and notes but may not write, underline or

make

any notes.

For

the remaining 40 minutes you

may

write your response to the task.

You

receive a printed answer booklet

in

which

you

must write your

response. This

also has space

for

rough

work.

You

may write in

pen or pencil.

www.occupationalenglishtest.org


8/23

Test

taker s

guide

to

the

Writing

sub-test

Do

Take time to understand the task requirements

Use your own

words

to paraphrase or summarise longer

pieces

of information from the case notes

Make

sure you understand the situation described in the

case

notes

Think about

how

best to organise your letter before you start

writing

Use

the space provided to plan your letter (though a draft is not

compulsory)

Use the five minutes reading time effectively to understand the

task set

What is your role?

Who is your audience (the intended reader)?

What

is

the current situation?

How

urgent is the current situation?

What is the main point you must communicate to the

reader?

What supporting information

is

necessary to give to the

reader?

What background information is useful to the reader?

What information is unnecessary for the reader?

Why

is it unnecessary?

Explain

the current situation at the start of the letter (perhaps in

an emergency situation)

Use the names and addresses given

Set out the names, addresses, date and other information to

start the letter clearly

As you write, indicate each new paragraph clearly, perhaps by

leaving a blank line

Don t

Include everything from the case notes select information

relevant to the task

Simply copy chunks of text from the case notes

Write notes

or

numbered points


General

Have a spare

pen and pencil ready

just in

case

Fill

in

the cover

pages

for the task booklet

and

the answer

booklet correctly

Fill

in

your personal information

on

the answer sheet correctly

Take a sample test under test conditions beforehand

so

you

know what it feels like

Practise

writing clearly

if you

have poor handwriting

Write

clearly

and

legibly

Checking at the

end

Make sure your letter communicates what

you

intend

Make sure you meet the basic task requirements:

length of the body of the text approximately 180 200

words

full sentences, not note form

appropriate letter format

Check for any simple grammarand spelling errors that you

may

have made

If a page is messy, use clear marks e.g., arrows, numbers)

to show the sequence in which the parts of your text should

be read

E

oss Otlt clearly anything you

do

not want the assessors to read


9/23

ow

can

I further

prepare

for

the

Writing

sub test?

Your

letter

is assessed against five criteria:

Overall task fulfilment

includ ing whether the response is

of

the required length

Appropriateness of language

includ ing the use of appropriate vocabulary and tone in the response, and whether it is organised appropriately

Comprehension

of

stimulus

including whether the response shows you have understood the situation and provided relevant rather than unnecessary informat ion to

your reader

Control

of

inguistic features

[grammar

and cohesion)

how effectively you communicate using the grammatical struc tures and cohesive devices

of

English

Control

of

presentation features [spelling, punctuation and layout)

how these areas affect the message you want to communicate

Overall task

fulfilment

Write enough so

the

assessors have a sufficient sample o your

writing

the task requires approXimately 180 200 words in the body

of the letter.

Don t wr ite too much you may need to select content carefully to

keep

to

the required word count.

Use

your own words

as

much

as possible

don t simply copy sections

from the case notes.

Avoid

using a formulaic

response

if you include elements that

do

not

fit

the task,

it

indicates a lack

of

flexibility in your writing.

Don t include information that

the intended reader clearly knows

already (e.g., if you are replying to a colleague who has referred a

patient to you).

Appropriateness

of

anguage

Organise

the

information

clearly

the sequence

of

nformation in the

case notes may

not

be

the

most appropriate sequence

of

nformation

for your letter.

Highlight the main purpose of your etter at the start this provides

the context for the information y u include.

Be

clear about the level

of

urgency

for

the communication.

Always keep in mind the reason for writing don t

just

summarise the

case notes provided.

Focus on impor tant in formation and

minimise

incidental detail.

If t will help, be explicit about the organisation

of

your letter: e.g.

First I will ou tline the problems the patient has, then I will make some

suggestions for his treatment .

Consider using dates and other time references (e.g., three months

later, last week, a year ago) to give a clear sequence

of

events where

necessary.

Remember that all professional letters are written in a relatively

formal style.

Avoid informal language, slang, colloquialisms and spoken idiom

unless you are sure this is appropriate (e.g., use Thank you rather

than Thanks a lot ).

Avoid

SMS

texting

abbreviations in a formal le tter (e.g., use you not

u ]

Give the correct salutation: if you are told the recipient s name and

title , use them.

Show awareness

of

your audience by choosing appropriate words

and phrases: if you are writing to another professional, you may use

technical terms and, possibly, abbreviations; if you are writ ing to a

parent or a group of lay people, use non-technical terms and explain

carefully.

Comprehension

of stimulus

Demonstrate in your response that you have understood

the

case

notes fully.

Be

clear what

the

most relevant issues for the reader are.

Don t let the main issue become hidden by including too much

supporting detail.

Show clearly

the

connections between information in the case notes

if hese are made; however, do not add information that is not given in

the notes (e.g., a suggested diagnosis). part icularly

if

he reason for

the letter is to

get an expert opinion.

Take

relevant information from the case notes and transform it to fit

the task set.

If he

stimulus material includes questions tha t require an answer

in your response, be explicit about this don t hide the relevant

information-in a general summary of

the

notes provided.


10/23

Control

of

inguistic features (grammar and cohesion)

Show

that

you can use

language accurately

and

flexibly

in

your

writing.

Make

sure you demonstrate a range of

anguage

structures

use complex

sentences

as well as

simple ones.

Split a long sentence into two or three sentences if

you

feel

you are

losing control of t.

Review areas of grammar to ensure

you

convey your intended

meaning accurately- particular areas to focus on might include:

articles

a/an, the (e.g., She

had

an operation. ,

on

the internet )

countable and uncountable nouns

(e.g., some evidence,

an

opinion,

f t

asthma]

verb forms

used

to indicate past time and the relationship

between events

in

the past and now [past simple, present

perfect, past perfect]

adverbs that

give

time references (e.g., two months previously

is different from two months ago ]

prepositions following other

words (e.g., Thank

you very

much te

see for seeing

..

, sensitivity

ef

to pressure , my examination

ft

ofthe patient , diagnosed with cancer )

passive forms (e.g., The J3atieAt s h e ~ ~

lei

aelviseel te

rela>< ,

He-

iA t eiveel iA aAaeeieleAt. for He was involved

in

an accident. )

Use

connecting

words

and phrases ( connectives ] to link ideas

together clearly [e.g.,

however,

therefore, subsequently].

Create

a

~ n t a l

checklist of

problems

that you

have

with grammar

and go through this

when

you review your response towards the

end

of the test: particular areas to focus

on

might include:

number agreement, e.g.

The

test result shows that .. ,

There

is

no evidence ... , He lives ..

,

one of the side effects

complete sentences, i.e., the main clause includes subject

and verb ,

e.g.,

OA eMaFAiAatieA she,.,.eef tl tat ... should be

Examination

showed

that

..

or On examination it

was

found that

gender

agreement,

e.g.

Mr Jones and h r daughter

tense agreement,

e.g.,

Examination

on

15

May

2006

revealed

s h ~ overweight. [creating confusion

over

whether she is still

overweight at the time of writing]

10


Control of presentation features (spelling, punctuation and layout)

Take

care

with the placement of commas

and

full stops.

Make

sure there are enough- separating ideas into sentences.

Make

sure there are not too many keeping elements of the text

meaningfully connected together.

Leave a blank line between paragraphs to

show

clearly the overall

structure of the letter.

Don t write

on

every other l ine this does not assist the reader

particularly.

Check for spelling mistakes and for spelling consistency through your

writing

(e.g.,

with a patient s name).

Remember that many of the words you write are also in the case

notes

check that the spelling you use is the

same.

Be consistent in your spelling: alternative spelling conventions (e.g.,

American or British English) are acceptable as long as your use is

consistent.

Don t

use symbols as abbreviations in formal letters.

Avoid creating any negative impact on your reader through the

presentation of the letter.

Use a clear layout to avoid any miscommunication.

Make

sure poor handwriting

does

not confuse the

reader

over spelling

and meaning.

Write legibly so the assessor can grade your response fairly using the

set criteria.

Candidates are assessed on their abil ity to;

Select, transform and organize information in the case notes into

a coherently structured letter

Include relevant information to

explain the patient s condition, history

and

reason for

referral,

explain a problematic situation,

OR

outline drug information

Use

appropriate conventions of letter format [including

addressee s details,

date,

opening

and

closing moves)

Use

register, tone and vocabulary appropriate to the professional

context

Show adequate control of a range of grammatical structures and

cohesive devices

Show adequate control of spelling and punctuation


11/23

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY

ASSESSOR NO I I


Writing sub test

Practice test

1

Please

print

in BLOCK LETTERS

Candidate number

Family name

Other name(s)

City

Date

o

test

Candidate s signature

The

OET

Centre

GPO Box

372

Melbourne VIC 3001

Australia

OETCentre

I I I

1 1

I I

1 1

I I I

YOU

MUST

NOT

REMOVE OET MATERIAL

FROM

THE TEST ROOM

Telephone: +613 9652 0800

Facsimile: +613 9654 5329


ABN 84 434

201

642



12/23


WRITING SUB-

TEST

PHARMACY

TIME ALLOWED: READING TIME: 5 MINUTES

WRITING TIME: 40 MINUTES

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

UMi

You are a pharmacist in a rural community pharmacy. A teacher at the local primary school approaches you about an

outbreak of head lice at the school. She asks you to write a letter to parents educating them about head lice. The teacher

explains that parents are either not detecting the head lice or not telling the school when their child has head lice.

Therapeutic guidelines from a reference ook

Head lice Pediculus humanus var. capitis):

Presentation:

Diagnosis

of

active lice

infestation:

Method:

Treatment:

12


Head lice common in school-age children, essentially harmless.

Crawling insects approx size of a sesame seed; live on scalp, lay eggs on hair.

Infestation

not

indicator

of

poor hygiene.

Acquired by direct head-to-head contact.

Specific human pathogen; most cases asymptomatic.

Eggs (nits) noticed attached to the hair

or

problem itching of the scalp and nape

of

the neck.

Possibly excoriations and papules around the occiput and nape, and

lymphadenopathy with or without secondary bacterial infection.

Observation of live moving louse on scalp.

Apply generous amount hair conditioner to dry hair; stuns lice for approx 20 mins.

Wet comb hair with fine-toothed

comb

{'nit combs' available pharmacies).

Detangle hair, divide into 3-4cm sections, comb each.

Wipe

comb

on paper towel, check for lice and nits. Repeat twice for diagnosis.

Approx 40 success rate from wet combing every day for 10 to

14

days until no

lice found.

Topical insecticides. Currently recommended products:

1

Maldison

(Malathion)

OR

Permethrin

OR

3

Pyrethrins

0.5 or 1 topically, leave for

8

hours

(not to be used in children

1 Scm from the scalp

=

previous, not active, infestation.

A

1

Repeat treatment using another insecticide (see above)

R

Wet combing method

(see above)

Combing

easier with shorter hair styles,

but

shaving head

not

necessary

If this fails,

use

B

Trimethoprim + sulfamethoxazole (child:

2+

1

Omglkg up

to)

80+400mg

orally, 12-hourly

for 3 days. Repeat after 10 days.

NB: effectiveness

of

trimethoprim+sulfamethoxazole thought to be

due

to

the

destruction of symbiotic bacteria

in

the

gut of the

lice.

Using the information provided, prepare a letter

for

parents

at the

local school, Riverside Primary School, educating them

about head lice and ways

of

treating them. Start

the

letter

Dear

Parent .

In your answer:

Expand the relevant notes into complete sentences

Do not use note form

Use letter

fonnat

The body of the letter should e approximately 180 2 words.

www occupationalenglishtest org

13


14/23


WRITING

SUB TEST:

SAMPLE REPSONSE:

Parents

Riverside Primary School

10.03.10

Dear Parent

PH RM CY

LETTER

Head lice have been found on a number of children at school. These small insects are common and do not indicate poor

hygiene. They live on the human scalp and lay eggs nits) on the hair close to the scalp. People can catch head lice by

direct head-to-head contact.

A common symptom

is

itching and the easiest way to confirm head lice is to see a moving louse on the scalp. To treat

initially, apply a large amount of any conditioner to dry hair then section and comb the hair thoroughly with a fine-tooth

comb. omb each section of hair twice, wiping the comb onto a paper towel and checking each time. The conditioner

stuns the lice allowing them

to be

combed out. This process should be repeated at regular intervals.

Sometimes repeated wet combing will eradicate head lice, but often it is necessary to treat with chemicals, such as

maldison

or

permethrin. Suitable products are available at the pharmacy. It is important that the school and other contacts

are notified.

It

is important

to

wash pillowcases, brushes and combs in hot soapy water and not

to

blow-dry hair.

All treatments must be repeated after 7 to 10 days. Wet combing should be performed the day after each treatment,

and weekly for several weeks. If there are still lice after this, you can repeat treatments or see the pharmacist for another

product.

Regards

Pharmacist

14



15/23

FOR OFFI E

USE ONLY

ASSESSOR

NO

Occupational

English

Test

Writing sub test

Practice test

2

Please print in BLOCK LETTERS

Candidate number

Family name

Other name(s)

City

Date of test


The OET Centre

GPO Box 372

Melbourne VIC 3001

Australia

OETCentre

I I I

1 1

I I

1 1

I I I

YOU

MUST

NOT REMOVE OET MATERIAL

ROM

THE TEST ROOM.

Telephone:

613

9652 0800

Facsimile:

613

9654 5329


ABN 84 434 201 642



16/23


WRITING SUB-TEST PHARMACY


WRITING TIME: 40 MINUTES


I ~ M J

Today, 1 March 2010, Mrs Daniels, a 78-year-old customer, has come to your community pharmacy asking for something

to treat an itchy rash which has been troubling her for the past few days. The rash is quite evident, consisting

of

large,

raised areas which are not red, except where Mrs Daniels has recently scratched them. The rash is mainly on her trunk

with some involvement of the upper arms and legs. Mrs Daniels mentions that she has not been gardening, is not prone

to rashes, and has no idea about the cause

of

the rash. When questioned, she says that she has not changed her diet or

used different washing powders, soaps, deodorants

or

perfumes in the last few months.

You note that Mrs Daniels started taking a recently released ACE inhibitor, 'Drug X', about

two

weeks ago after suffering

side effects with verapamil, which she was taking for hypertension.

Medication history for Mrs Daniels:

17/02/10

11/02/10

26/01/10

09/01/10

'Drug

X'

lndapamide

Verapamil

Nitrazepam

5mg

2.5mg

80mg

5mg

1bd

d

1bd

1n

I

Piloouc:r

iNFoRNiA iiN FoFi

;oiluci'x;

Description: 'Drug X' is a highly specific competitive inhibitor of angiotensin I converting enzyme, the enzyme responsiblel

Pharmacology:

Indications:

Warnings

Precautions

Adverse Reactions

Presentation

The mechanism of action of 'Drug X' has not yet been fully elucidated; however, it appears to

lower blood pressure through suppression of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. This

results in a decrease in angiotensin II, subsequent to ACE inhibition,

and

an increase in plasma

renin activity.

Hypertension

Cardiac failure

Cough - a persistent, non-productive cough reported in some patients.

Hypotension may occur occasionally within first three days

of

therapy.

Hypersensitivity reaction

-

rashes,

often associated with pruritis

and

occasionally

fever,

may occur.

Impaired renal

function

- increases

in

BUN and

serum

creatinine have

occured during

treatment.

More common reactions:

Hypotension.

Dermatological - Rash occurred

in

10 of patients. Usualypruiti and macro-papular, but

rarely

urticarial.

Generally

occurs during the first fourweeks of treatment

Usually

self-limited and

reversible

and

may

respond to

antihistamine therapy

Gastrointestinal - A small number

of

patients reported loss oftaste sensation.

Gastrointestinal

-

Nausea,

vomiting,

pain

and constipation

may

occur.

Other - Paraesthesia of the

hands.

5mg 1Omg

oral tablets



17/23

You suspect an ADR adverse drug reaction)

to

the ACE inhibitor and decide

on th

following course of action:

Writing

task

Advise Mrs Daniels to visit her doctor as

soon as possible.

Notify

Mrs

Daniels doctor, Dr J Sotto, of Newtown.

Provide

immediate treatment

with half

percent hydrocortisone

cream.

Report

the suspected

DR

to the relevant authority: the Adverse

Drug Reactions Data

Bank,

P

Box 112,

Centreville.

Write a letter

to

th

Registrar of the Adverse Drug Reactions Data Bank, reporting the suspected ADR and

all

relevant

information.

In your answer:

Expand the relevant notes into complete sentences


Use letter format

The body

of th

letter should be approximately

18

- 200 words.

www.occupationalenglishtest.org 1i


18/23


WRITING SUB TEST:

SAMPLE RESPONSE:

1 March 2010

The Registrar

PHARMACY

LETTER

Adverse Drug Reactions Data Bank

PO ox 112

Centreville

Dear Sir/Madam

I am a pharmacist in

community practice. I am writing to report what appears

to

be an adverse drug reaction to the ACE

inhibitor, Drug X .

Earlier today, a customer of mine, Mrs Daniels, sought treatment for a troublesome rash. The rash had been apparent for

two or three days and

is

severely pruritic; it is macro-papular in appearance. It

is

mainly located on her trunk, with some

patches on the upper limbs.

I noted that Mrs Daniels had commenced therapy on Drug X on 17 February 2010. She is taking the Smg tablets twice

daily.

Mrs Daniels could offer no explanation for her rash and mentioned that she had not been in contact with anything she

believed could have caused it. She has not changed her diet in any way nor used any new personal products, such as

washing powders, soaps, deodorants or perfumes. It is therefore possible that Mrs Daniels could be suffering an adverse

drug reaction to the tablets.

In

addition to advising your office, I have notified Mrs Daniels doctor and recommended that she visit her as soon as

possible. Her doctor is Dr Sotto of Newtown.

Yours faithfully

Pharmacist

18



19/23

FOR OFFI E

USE ONLY

ASSESSOR NO

Occupational English

Test

Writing sub test

Practice test

3

Please print in BLOCK LETTERS

Candidate number

Family name

Other name(s)

City

Date

of

test


The

OET

Centre

GPO

Box37

Melbourne

VIC 3001

Australia

OETCentre

I I I

1 1

I I

1 1

I I I

YOU

MUST

NOT REMOVE

O T

MATERIAL FROM TH TEST ROOM.

Telephone: +613 9652 0800

FacsnWe +613 9654 5329


ABN 84 434

201

642


9

20/23


WRITING SUB TEST PHARMACY


WRITING

TIME

40 MINUTES


You are a pharmacist

in

a community practice. Recently 3 February 201 0) you dispensed a prescription for 'Drug X' for

Mrs Ellen White.

Mrs White brought the medication back to the pharmacy shortly after it was dispensed because it was out of date. The

manufacturer's expiry date on the cardboard carton was 'December 2009'. You apologised, and immediately replaced it

with current sto k from your shelves. However, Mrs White said that she would complain to the Pharmacy Board about the

incident.

The Pharmacy Board is the authority which registers and administers affairs regarding pharmacists

in

the state in which

you live. Its role

is to

ensure safety and fairness for the public. Complaints against pharmacists are directed to

the

Board.

In your logbook you wrote these notes for 3/2/1 0.

oooooouooooooouoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooouoooooooooooooooooooooooooOoO ooooooooooooooooooooooooooouoooonoooonoouoouonouonoooooooooooonooooooooono

1 ;

: :

i NeW

sMp Si

: ; : l e : ; , : : ~ < r pM{ l

l

:

[ for3ot t check exp'riJ

d a te

on ttLblen dispensed t tL customer [

Must se:t up s ~ s t m tLStLP

t YrLtLke

sure this

doesn't

htLppen tLjtLin:

i

: : : : : : : ~ : ~ : : : : 6 : ~ : ~ : :

T i ~ f f f l

I

1 .1


21/23

You have received the following letter from the Pharmacy Board.

:onooooooounouoooooooooooooooooooooooooonoooooooooooooooooo oo o oooo oouonooooooooooooooouu onooo.ooooooooooooo ouo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooouooo:

Pharmacist

l

j

City Pharmacy l

6 Main Road

Newtown

: :

j

10 February 201 0 i

:

:

l

J Dear Pharmacist

II

The Board has received a complaint from Mrs E White regarding the supply

of

some out-of-date

I

j 'Drug X' tablets. j

She claims that, on 3 February 2010, you supplied

fifty

'Drug X' tablets

to

her from a prescription written by

Dr Williams of the Newtown Central Medical Clinic. She further claims that the tablets supplied had expired in

j

December 2009.

j

I You are requested to explain to the Board: J

j

whether you dispensed out-of-date medication

to

Mrs White.

the action you took when Mrs White returned

to

the pharmacy with the tablets.

the action you have taken to ensure that out-of-date stock is detected and not supplied

to

the public again.

Your response is required in writing

by

10 March 201

0

and will be considered

by

the Board at its next meeting.

Yours sincerely

MsASeabom

Director, Pharmacy Board

Writing task

Write a letter to the Board. Include a response to each item the Board has requested information about. Address your

letter

to

Ms Anne Seaborn, Director, Pharmacy Board, Newtown.

In your answer:

Expand

the

relevant notes into complete sentences


Use letter format

The body of the let ter should

be

approximately

18

200 words.


21


22/23


WRITING SUB TEST:

SAMPLE RESPONSE:

6 March 2010

Ms

Anne Seaborn

Director

Pharmacy Board

Newtown

Dear Ms Seaborn

PHARMACY

LETTER

I am writing in response to your letter of 1 February 2010 regarding the dispensing of some out-of-date Drug X tablets

to Mrs White.

I dispensed some Drug X tablets to Mrs E White on 3 February 2010. Unfortunately, the tablets expiry date was

December 2009.

Mrs White returned the tablets

to

the pharmacy soon after they were dispensed. I immediately replaced the tablets for her

and apologised. Mrs White said that she would complain to the Pharmacy Board. I admitted that I had made a mistake,

and rectified it as soon as I could.

I regret that the incident occurred. I did not check the expiry date before I dispensed the package of tablets. February

3 was a very busy

day

and, in addition, a

new

member of staff had started that day.

In

future, I will always check expiry

dates before dispensing medication.

We have implemented new procedures to ensure that this does not happen again. The stock in the dispensary is

now

checked each month. Red stickers are placed on short-dated items to alert the dispensing pharmacist.

Yours sincerely

Pharmacist



23/23

Further

Practice

There are resources for English-language learners

on

the Web which can help you develop the general writing skills involved e.g., formal letter

writing, general grammar practice). Some possible sources are:

Online Writing Lab

at

Purdue University

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ new homepage

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/esl/eslstudent.html older, but useful, writing resources

list

Englishmed com

http://www.englishmed.com/ English learning resources with a medical focus

The

OET Centre is not responsible for th content

of

external websites.

OET Practice Materials-Pharmacy Writing

Documents

Transcript of OET Practice Materials-Pharmacy Writing