OET Nursing letter format: address block, date, Re: line and salutation (with a template)
A conventional OET Nursing letter starts with the recipient's name, role and workplace as given in the writing task, then the date, a 'Re:' line naming the patient (with date of birth or age if the notes give it), and a formal salutation such as 'Dear Ms Okafor'. If the task gives only a role, 'Dear Charge Nurse' or 'Dear Doctor' is a common choice, and 'Dear Sir/Madam' is used when you have neither a name nor a clear role. Keep the layout simple and consistent; the letter body, not the heading, carries most of the marks.
The parts of the letter heading
Most OET Nursing letters follow ordinary formal-letter convention. From the top:
| Part | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Recipient's name | As given in the writing task | Ms Adaeze Okafor |
| Role | Their job title | Community Nurse |
| Workplace and address | As given in the task | Riverside Community Health Centre, 14 Mill Road, Northfield |
| Date | A date consistent with the notes | 12 March 2026 |
| Re: line | Patient's full name + DOB or age | Re: Mr Tomas Lindqvist, DOB 04/02/1951 |
| Salutation | Dear + title + surname, or role | Dear Ms Okafor, |
Then the letter body (purpose first), the closing paragraph, the sign-off ("Yours sincerely"), and your name and role, for example "Registered Nurse, Ward 6B". If you want examples of the body itself, see opening sentences and closing paragraphs.
This is a description of common practice, not an official OET template. OET's own guidance on layout is on oet.com; check it before your test.
A template you can copy
Ms Adaeze Okafor Community Nurse Riverside Community Health Centre 14 Mill Road Northfield
12 March 2026
Re: Mr Tomas Lindqvist, DOB 04/02/1951
Dear Ms Okafor,
I am writing to request continuing wound care for Mr Lindqvist, who is being discharged home today following …
…
Yours sincerely,
Registered Nurse Ward 6B, Northfield General Hospital
Everything in this example is invented: the nurse, the patient and the addresses.
Choosing the salutation
The salutation depends on what the writing task tells you about the reader.
| What the task gives you | Salutation | Sign-off (British convention) |
|---|---|---|
| Name and title: "Dr Hamid Rahimi, GP" | Dear Dr Rahimi | Yours sincerely |
| Name, no title: "Grace Mbeki, Physiotherapist" | Dear Ms Mbeki | Yours sincerely |
| Role only: "the Charge Nurse, Ward 3" | Dear Charge Nurse | Yours sincerely or Yours faithfully, used consistently |
| Nothing specific: "the Admissions Officer" or no clear reader | Dear Sir/Madam | Yours faithfully |
A few details nurses often ask about:
- Ms, Mrs, Miss. If the task does not say, "Ms" is the safe choice for a woman.
- Doctor's first name. Write "Dear Dr Rahimi", not "Dear Dr Hamid" or "Dear Dr Hamid Rahimi".
- Comma after the salutation. "Dear Ms Okafor," with a comma is common; leaving it out is also seen in modern letters. Choose one style and keep it for the sign-off too.
Writing the Re: line
The Re: line tells the reader at a glance which patient the letter is about. Keep it short and factual.
Good:
- Re: Mrs Leilani Kahale, DOB 19/09/1946
- Re: Mr Arjun Pillai, aged 58
- Re: Baby Noor Haddad, DOB 02/01/2026
Avoid:
- Re: Referral of Mr Arjun Pillai for diabetes education after admission with hyperglycaemia — the reason belongs in your first sentence, not the heading.
- Re: Pt A. Pillai, 58yo — note form and abbreviations in a formal heading.
- Subject: Patient — tells the reader nothing.
If the notes give a hospital or patient number and the reader would need it, it can go after the date of birth, but it is not usually required.
Common layout mistakes
- Copying the task wording as the address. "Write to the community nurse at Riverside" is an instruction; turn it into the address block.
- Mismatched salutation and sign-off, for example "Dear Sir/Madam" with "Yours sincerely".
- Informal sign-offs such as "Regards", "Thanks" or "Best wishes" on their own.
- Headings inside the body ("History:", "Medications:"). A letter uses paragraphs, not section headings. See Organisation & Layout.
- Spending too long on the heading. It is a few lines; the marks are mostly in the body.
- Inventing details that aren't in the notes, such as a street address or a doctor's first name. Write only what the task gives you.
Does the heading count towards the word guide?
People often ask whether the address and Re: line count towards the letter's length. Many teachers advise judging length on the body, from the salutation to the sign-off. medEmu's practice test shows a live word count of every word and, as an aid, a separate body count from salutation to sign-off. For OET's current length guidance, check oet.com.
Practise the layout until it is automatic
The heading should take you under a minute so your time goes into the body. Practise with an original case from the medEmu practice case notes: write only the heading for three different readers (a GP, a named physiotherapist, an unnamed charge nurse), then a full letter. When you finish, check your letter. medEmu marks Organisation & Layout separately and marks each problem on your own sentences with the fix and the reason. Your first letter is graded free without an account, and you get 5 more when you sign up. Grades are estimates for practice, not official OET results, and medEmu is not affiliated with OET.
For the rest of the letter, see the OET referral letter guide and 12 common OET Writing mistakes.
Sources
This guide is medEmu's writing advice based on common formal-letter convention, not official OET guidance. All names, patients and addresses are invented. For OET's official layout guidance and sample materials, see oet.com. Organisation & Layout is one of OET's six Writing criteria, marked 0–7.