OET letter for a patient with epilepsy or seizures: what to tell a school nurse, carer or GP
In an OET Nursing letter about a patient with epilepsy or a recent seizure, open with the reason for the letter, then give what the reader must know to act: what happened and when, the current medicines exactly as written in the case notes, the seizure plan or emergency medicine if the notes include one, and any restrictions or follow-up. Leave out history and social details that do not change what the reader will do, and never add seizure advice the notes do not contain.
What an epilepsy or seizure letter needs to do
Case notes about epilepsy usually lead to one of a few letters: a discharge letter to a GP after a first or breakthrough seizure, a letter to a school nurse about a child returning to school, a transfer letter to a residential carer, or a referral to a specialist clinic. In each case the reader needs to know what happened, what has changed, and what they should do.
The Purpose of the letter should be clear in the first two sentences. For example: "I am writing to inform you that Leila, aged 9, is returning to school on 14 March following a seizure at home, and to ask you to share her updated seizure plan with her teachers." For more opening patterns, see OET letter opening sentences.
Accuracy note: this is a writing guide, not clinical guidance on epilepsy. In a real or practice letter, copy medicine names, doses, plans and restrictions exactly from the case notes. Do not add first-aid steps, warnings or advice the notes do not contain.
What to include and what to leave out
| Usually include | Usually leave out (unless it changes care) |
|---|---|
| Reason for the letter and main request | Detailed history of tests from years ago |
| Date and short description of the recent seizure | Every observation taken in hospital |
| Any change in medicines (name, dose, frequency as written) | Medicines unrelated to the letter's purpose |
| Seizure plan or emergency medicine, if in the notes | Your own explanation of how the medicine works |
| Known triggers the notes mention (e.g. missed sleep, missed doses) | Hobbies and family details with no bearing on care |
| Restrictions or supervision the notes state | Restrictions the notes do not mention |
| Follow-up appointments and who to contact | Staff names and ward routines |
Use the case-notes selection guide if you are unsure whether a detail is relevant.
Adjusting for the reader
The same case can lead to very different letters depending on who reads it.
| Reader | What they need most | Language |
|---|---|---|
| GP | What happened, medicine changes, follow-up, what to monitor | Clinical terms are fine |
| School nurse | Seizure plan, emergency medicine, supervision at school, who to call | Clinical terms are fine; be practical |
| Residential carer or support worker | What to watch for, the plan, contacts | Plain English where possible |
| Parent or teacher (non-clinical) | What to do and who to contact | Plain English; explain any term |
If the reader is not a health professional, see writing to a non-clinical reader.
Turning seizure notes into clear sentences
| Case notes style | Letter sentence |
|---|---|
| "Tonic-clonic sz at home 2/3, ~3 min, drowsy 1 hr after" | "On 2 March, she had a tonic-clonic seizure at home lasting about three minutes, after which she was drowsy for an hour." |
| "Missed 2 doses prior (camp)" | "She had missed two doses of her medicine while away on a school camp." |
| "Dose ↑ – see chart" | "Her medicine dose has been increased, as shown on the enclosed chart." |
| "Seizure plan updated, copy to school" | "Her seizure plan has been updated, and a copy is enclosed." |
| "No swimming unsupervised till r/v" | "She should not swim unsupervised until her neurology review." |
Each sentence keeps the facts from the notes and adds nothing new. See how to turn case notes into full sentences for the general method.
Worked example (invented case)
Notes (invented): Leila Haddad, 9. Epilepsy diagnosed age 6, usually well controlled. 2 Mar: tonic-clonic seizure at home, about 3 min, drowsy 1 hr after. Taken to ED, discharged same day. Had missed 2 evening doses on school camp 27–28 Feb. Neurologist increased evening dose (chart enclosed). Seizure plan updated incl. emergency medicine kept in school office (copy enclosed). Return to school 14 Mar. No swimming unsupervised until neurology review 20 Apr. Mother: Mrs Rania Haddad, contact via school. Likes drawing. Older brother, 12. Letter to school nurse, Mr Owen Price.
Letter body:
Dear Mr Price,
Re: Leila Haddad, aged 9
I am writing to inform you that Leila is returning to school on 14 March following a seizure, and to ask you to share her updated seizure plan with her teachers.
Leila has epilepsy, which has usually been well controlled. On 2 March, she had a tonic-clonic seizure at home lasting about three minutes, after which she was drowsy for an hour. She was assessed in the emergency department and discharged the same day. She had missed two evening doses of her medicine while on the school camp on 27 and 28 February.
Her neurologist has increased her evening dose, as shown on the enclosed chart. Her seizure plan has also been updated, and a copy is enclosed. Her emergency medicine will be kept in the school office.
Until her neurology review on 20 April, Leila should not swim unsupervised. I would be grateful if you could ensure that staff are aware of this, particularly before any further school trips.
Please contact her mother, Mrs Haddad, if you have any concerns.
Yours sincerely,
Charge Nurse
The letter leaves out her hobby and her brother. It keeps the missed doses on camp because they explain the seizure and the request about school trips. Every clinical detail comes from the invented notes.
Common mistakes
- Explaining epilepsy to a nurse. A school nurse does not need a definition. A teacher or parent might need a short plain one.
- Giving emergency instructions from memory. Only state what the plan or notes say; otherwise refer to the enclosed plan.
- Hiding the request. The reader should know in the first paragraph what you want them to do.
- Blaming language. Write "She had missed two doses" rather than "She forgot her medicine because of carelessness". See writing about non-adherence neutrally.
- Leaving out the restriction. If the notes include a restriction the reader must enforce, it is key content.
For letters about younger patients in general, see OET letter for a child patient.
Practise and check
Practise a timed letter at /writing/, or check a letter you have written to get an estimated grade, a mark for each of the six criteria and line-by-line corrections. medEmu is an independent practice tool for OET Writing for Nursing; its grades are estimates, and it is not affiliated with OET.
Sources
This guide is medEmu's writing advice, not official OET guidance and not clinical advice; all patients, medicines, plans and restrictions are invented for practice, and a real letter must follow the case notes and local guidance. The network used for this run could not reach oet.com, so no OET test facts are stated beyond the criterion names. For OET's official Writing information, see oet.com.