Another frequent purpose for writing the letter in the OET Writing for Nurses exam is the letter of discharge. When a patient is leaving the hospital and needs care from other health workers like the community nurse, general practitioner, etc., then it becomes a letter of discharge.
Introduction of the letter is one of the most significant components of the letter as it immediately lets the reader know:
- Who the patient is.
- Why the letter is being written.
- Why the patient was admitted.
- What significant treatment or procedure was provided.
- Justification for additional care upon discharge.
A properly crafted introduction makes it easy for the reader to know what the patient’s condition is in just a few seconds. The introduction should be precise and not include any irrelevant details about the patient’s condition.
Objectives of a Discharge Introduction
A good discharge introduction should:
- Specify the purpose of the referral.
- State that the patient is being discharged from the hospital.
- List the main diagnosis of the patient.
- Say whether any major surgery has been performed on the patient.
- State the need for continuing care.
The reader needs to be informed immediately about what has taken place and what is expected once he or she is discharged.
For instance:
“I am writing to refer Mr. John Smith, who has just been discharged from the hospital after treatment for community-acquired pneumonia.”
This introduction contains everything the reader needs.
Important Verbs Used in Discharge Introductions
Different verbs describe different stages of the patient’s condition.
Following treatment for…
- Used when treatment has been completed.
Example:
- following treatment for cellulitis
- following treatment for pneumonia
- Following management of…
- Used when medical management rather than surgery was provided.
Example:
- following management of uncontrolled diabetes
- following management of hypertension
- Following surgery for…
- Used after an operation.
Example:
- following surgery for breast cancer
- following surgery for bowel obstruction
- Following successful…
- Used when recovery has been uncomplicated.
Example:
- following successful hip replacement
- following successful cataract surgery
- Following rehabilitation for…
- Used after physiotherapy or rehabilitation.
Example:
- following rehabilitation for stroke
- Following recovery from…
- Used when the patient has recovered from an illness.
Example:
following recovery from COVID-19
- Mentioning Surgery in the Introduction
- When surgery is the main reason for admission, include it.
Example:
“The purpose of my letter is to refer Ms. Sarah Lee, who will be discharged today after a total right hip replacement. She needs nursing care at home for wound dressing and mobility.”
If surgery is not important for future care, it may be omitted.
- Mentioning Medical Conditions
It will depend on the state of the patient.
- Recovering from surgery
- recovering from laparoscopic cholecystectomy
- recovering from coronary artery bypass graft surgery
- Recovering from illness
- recovering from pneumonia
- recovering from cellulitis
- Following treatment
- following treatment for heart failure
- following treatment for asthma exacerbation
Beware of Common Mistakes
Avoid writing long introductions.
Poor example: “This letter is written with regard to Mr. Smith, who reported to our hospital four days back with chest pain and breathlessness, and after investigations, he was found to be suffering from myocardial infarction and had undergone angioplasty, and he is now stable.”
Better: “I am writing to refer Mr Smith, who will be discharged today after management of an acute myocardial infarction. He needs rehabilitation and drug administration follow-up.”
The second version is brief and clear to read.
Tips for Band B
A high-scoring discharge introduction should:
- Focus only on relevant information.
- Avoid unnecessary investigation results.
- Use professional medical terminology.
- Clearly indicate the discharge purpose.
- Be grammatically accurate.
- Be concise.
Remember that the reader will obtain further details in the body paragraphs. The introduction should provide only a clear overview.
Ten Sample Discharge Introductions
Example 1: Pneumonia
“I am writing to refer Mr. David Brown, who requires ongoing respiratory assessment and medication management. He is being discharged today.”
Example 2: Stroke
“I am writing to refer Mrs. Helen Cart, who requires rehabilitation and support. He had an ischaemic stroke and is being discharged today.”
Example 3: Hip Replacement
“I am writing to refer Mrs. Mary Wilson, who is being discharged today following a left total hip replacement. She requires ongoing wound care and assistance.”
Example 4: Heart Failure
“I am writing to refer Mr. James Cooper, who requires evaluation and treatment for acute heart failure.”
Example 5: Breast Surgery
“I am writing to refer Ms. Naomi Moss, who is being discharged today following a left mastectomy with breast reconstruction.”
Example 6: Diabetes
“I am writing to refer Mrs. Linda Evans, who is being discharged today following management of uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. Continued diabetic education and blood glucose monitoring are recommended.”
Example 7: Cellulitis
“I am writing to refer Mr. Peter Green, who requires wound assessment and completion of his antibiotic. He is scheduled for discharge on 21 March 2025.”
“He will be discharged tomorrow.”
Example 8: Fracture
“I am writing to refer Mrs. Susan Hall, who is being discharged today following surgical fixation of a fractured right femur. She requires rehabilitation and ongoing pain management.”
The discharge introduction sets the tone for the entire OET letter. The introduction should start with an explanation for the reason behind the discharge of the patient from the hospital and the further care needed by him/her. With proper structuring, using suitable medical verbs, and including all relevant facts, candidates can easily prepare good introductions that can help them secure a good OET score.
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Frequently Asked Questions:
A: When a patient is leaving the hospital and needs care from other health workers such as a community nurse or general practitioner.
A: It immediately tells the reader who the patient is, why the letter is being written, why the patient was admitted, what significant treatment or procedure was provided, and why further care is needed.
A: The purpose of the referral, the fact that the patient is being discharged, the main diagnosis, any major surgery performed, and the need for continuing care.
A: "I am writing to refer Mr. John Smith, who has just been discharged from the hospital after treatment for community-acquired pneumonia."
A: "Following treatment for…" (treatment completed), "following management of…" (medical management rather than surgery), "following surgery for…" (after an operation), "following successful…" (uncomplicated recovery), "following rehabilitation for…" (after physiotherapy) and "following recovery from…" (recovered from an illness).
A: Include it when surgery is the main reason for admission. If it is not important for future care, it may be omitted.
