OET discharge and transfer letters for nurses: what changes from a referral
Discharge and transfer letters use the same layout and criteria as a referral, but the purpose changes: a discharge letter hands care back to a GP or community team when the patient leaves hospital, and a transfer letter goes with the patient to another facility. Lead with that purpose, then focus on what the receiving team must do from today: medications, care needs, risks and follow-up.
Same criteria, different purpose
All OET Nursing letters are marked on the same six criteria. What changes is who the reader is and what they must do next:
| Letter | Typical reader | The reader needs to know… |
|---|---|---|
| Referral | Community nurse, specialist nurse, allied health professional | Why you are referring, the relevant background, what you want them to do |
| Discharge | GP, community team | Why the patient was admitted, what was done, what has changed (especially medications), and what to monitor |
| Transfer | Nurse at another facility (e.g. aged care) | The patient's current care needs, routines, risks and how best to support them from day one |
Discharge letters: medication changes first
A GP reading a discharge letter most needs to know what has changed. Group new, stopped and changed medications together rather than listing every drug the patient takes, and say what needs monitoring (for example blood pressure or kidney function after starting a new medication).
Transfer letters: daily care, not history
The receiving nurse needs to care for the patient tonight. Mobility, continence, nutrition, skin integrity, behaviour and what helps (for example, a lamp and the radio on at night) matter more than the admission story.
Check yours
Discharge and transfer cases are in the practice bank. Check a letter free — the report shows which case notes the reader needed and which they didn't.