IELTS or OET for nurses – Which English test is better?

To pursue a nursing course abroad, you are required to take an English language test to improve your skills to communicate well with your staff and patients to provide medical care, especially when you are in an English-speaking country.

There are several tests available for you to choose from for your admission to universities in English-speaking countries, like the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and the Occupational English Test (OET). Before deciding on which test to take, it is recommended to take a closer look at what each test covers, as well as some of the differences between the two.

What is IELTS?

IELTS is recognised by 12,000 organisations globally and is the standardised test that assesses the English language proficiency of individuals who wish to study, work, or migrate to English-speaking countries. The test evaluates four key language skills: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. The test is available in two main formats: Academic, for those seeking higher education opportunities, and General Training, which focuses on practical language skills for work and migration purposes.

What is the OET Exam?

The OET is an English language test that assesses the language communication skills of healthcare professionals. It is designed to provide 12 professions in the healthcare industry, including nurses, dentists, optometrists, and physiotherapists. It was initially intended to be accepted only in New Zealand and Australia, however, in November 2017, the UK’s Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) started accepting OET test scores while evaluating prospective candidates.

Importance of English Proficiency for Nurses

The importance of English proficiency for nurses cannot be overstated, as it ensures effective communication and high-quality patient care. Here are several reasons why English proficiency is important for nurses:

• Patient Interaction: English proficiency enables nurses to communicate clearly and effectively with patients, ensuring that crucial information about their health is accurately conveyed. It also allows them to express empathy and provide emotional support, contributing to a positive patient experience.
• Collaboration with the Healthcare Team: In a healthcare setting, collaboration among medical professionals is essential. English proficiency facilitates seamless communication among nurses, doctors, and other healthcare staff, leading to better coordination in patient care.
• Understanding Medical Terminology: Proficiency in English is essential for understanding medical literature, documentation, and research, which are often conducted and presented in English. Nurses also need to comprehend and use complex medical terminology accurately, and a strong command of English is important for achieving this proficiency.
• Global Opportunities: English proficiency opens up opportunities for nurses to work in various healthcare settings around the world. It enhances their chances of securing positions in internationally recognised hospitals, research institutions, or educational establishments.
• Compliance with Regulatory Standards: Many countries require foreign-educated nurses to take licensing examinations, often administered in English. Proficiency in the language is indispensable for these exams.

What is the difference between IELTS and OET?

IELTS offers a comprehensive assessment of your English skills through diverse topics in its listening, reading, writing, and speaking sections. Unlike OET, which focuses solely on healthcare scenarios, IELTS exposes you to academic discourse, everyday situations, and various other subjects. This broader range not only equips you with English fluency in real-world settings but also prepares you for academic study or professional opportunities beyond the healthcare industry. While OET offers specialised expertise, IELTS opens doors to a wider world of communication possibilities.

Let’s look at the difference between these two in detail:

5 Things to Consider Before You Select IELTS or OET

1. IELTS is more renowned compared to the OET worldwide

As compared to the OET, the IELTS is more widely recognised and accepted in the world with over 1,100 test centres in more than 140 countries, including New Zealand, Canada, Australia, the USA, and the UK.

While the OET is recognised only by healthcare regulatory bodies and higher education healthcare educators, including the UK, Dubai, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia, with over 115 test centres in 40 countries.

2. Two versions of IELTS vs 12 versions of OET

There are two versions of the IELTS test, Academic and General Training, which are used by organisations to determine language skills for academic, vocational, or immigration purposes.

While the Listening and Speaking modules of the test are the same for both, whereas, the Reading and Writing components of the academic tests are more altered to higher education as compared to General Training.

On the other hand, the OET offers 12 versions of the test for the different healthcare professions. For these tests, the reading and listening sections are the same. However, the Speaking and Writing modules are geared towards specific scenarios in which each candidate has to communicate in English.

3. IELTS has a more convenient test format than the OET

While both the IELTS and OET examine the same four language skills, where the IELTS has a shorter test format than the OET.

Listening

In IELTS, for the listening part, you are asked to listen to four recordings and answer the questions based on them, while the OET has two parts that take a longer period to complete.

The first part includes taking notes on a patient consultation, followed by the second task, which includes answering the questions after listening to a healthcare session.

Reading

In the IELTS reading portion, you are required to give answers to the given questions and complete tasks based on three long text passages from newspapers or journals.

As for the OET, the reading part includes that in the first part, you are required to complete a summary of the topics discussed in four short texts, while in the second part, it requires you to answer multiple-choice questions based on two long texts.

Writing

For the IELTS writing section, you will be given two tasks – first, study and write about some data or graphs provided, after which you will be asked to write an essay based on a selected subject.

On the other hand, for the OET writing part, you will be required to read case notes and write a follow-up, discharge, or referral based on them.

Speaking

During the IELTS speaking section, you will be discussing general topics such as your hobbies and interests, and for the follow-up part, you will have to speak on a topic assigned to you on a task card.

For the OET speaking section, you will be interacting with the examiner based on medical scenarios on a selected topic, where you will have to assume the role of a nurse while the examiner will function as a patient.

4. IELTS fees are lower and have more test dates and centres

More places have IELTS centres in every state, which ensures more available test dates for students to select from. Hence, it becomes easier to book an IELTS exam date at your convenience. Apart from that, the IELTS is much cheaper than the OET, so it makes it easy for you to afford.

5. IELTS has a wider range of content

While it is good to be fluent in medical English but only for those who wish to pursue a medical course because it is also important to gain a better understanding of the English language as a whole to study overseas, which is what the IELTS can help you to achieve as it is not specifically based on any subject or field.

The IELTS covers a wider range of topics and content which includes education, environment, social trends, general knowledge, and cultural values. It helps international students and professionals to communicate and share their knowledge with them to interact better.

Some healthcare professionals opt for OET because it uses profession-specific content like understanding a patient in a consultation session and writing a discharge or referral letter.

Conclusion

English proficiency is a fundamental skill for nurses, influencing various aspects of their profession. It not only enhances patient care and collaboration within the healthcare team but also opens doors to diverse career opportunities on a global scale.

If you are considering taking the IELTS test to become a certified nurse, IDP brings decades of experience in assisting students in their IELTS test preparation.

IDP offers an abundance of resources to help you prepare for IELTS and achieve your desired band score.