English for Nurses

English for Nurses

The course is a highly practical ESP course designed for learners at B1 level who need to improve their English ability to work as a nurse. It is particularly suitable for trainee or practicing nurses who are studying to be licenced in an English-speaking country, or who interact with English-speaking patients or colleagues. Each lesson prepares learners to understand and communicate confidently in a typical nursing situation with patients, doctors, and other nurses. The course has a strong emphasis on building the knowledge and use of nursing-specific vocabulary. Learners can improve their oral skills through regular practice aimed at developing international intelligibility. Exposure to a wide variety of English accents (both native and non-native) helps users develop confidence when dealing with patients and colleagues from around the world, and record and playback activities provide valuable practice with appropriate language and responses in a variety of common scenarios.

Features

  • A topic-based syllabus which equips nurses and related healthcare professionals with the key vocabulary required to operate effectively in everyday healthcare contexts.

  • Each lesson is based on a typical situation that nurses will encounter when interacting with patients or colleagues

  • Industry-specific words and phrases that have been checked and validated by nurse educators

  • Extensive use of listening material that features a range of accents

  • Record and playback activities for learners to practise communicating with appropriate responses in a variety of typical nursing situations

  • End of lesson suggestions to review, personalise and explore the language further

Learning effect

Those who are willing to study 2-3 hours a week will see a significant improvement in their ability to communicate in typical nursing scenarios.

Target

For learners who need to improve their English ability to work as a nurse. It is particularly suitable for trainee or practicing nurses who are studying to be licenced in an English-speaking country, or who interact with English-speaking patients or colleagues. It could also be suitable for people working in other health-related roles.

English for Nurses

Lesson structure

Each lesson is structured around the following sections:
Section 1: Study (5 stages)

  • Introduction for lesson/section
  • Language presentation
  • Language practice activities to cover meaning, form, pronunciation(3 activities in each lesson)

Section 2: Practice (4 stages)

  • Introduction for section
  • 2-step listening or reading practice – the first step focussed on understanding the key point or purpose, the second step on listening or reading for detai

Section 3: Test (2 stages)

  • Introduction for section
  • Half the lessons have a roleplay of approximately 8 exchanges; half have a listening test of approximately 6 questions (see the lesson list at the end of this document).

End of lesson suggestions

These are available from the final feedback screen and encourage the user to review, personalise and explore the language learn

Lesson Topic Lesson Name Ends with Level
1 Patient admission and discharge Admitting a patient Roleplay B1
2 Injuries Accidents and injuries Roleplay B1
3 Infection control Infection control in hospitals Listening B1
4 Clinical investigations Taking a blood sample Roleplay B1
5 Measuring vital signs Taking blood pressure Roleplay B1
6 Pain management Asking about pain Roleplay B1
7 Medications Talking about side effects of drugs Listening B1
8 Disease and infections Covid-19 disease Listening B1
9 Fluid therapy Intravenous fluids Listening B1
10 Pressure area care Pressure ulcers in patients Listening B1
 11 Patient admission and discharge Introducing yourself to a patient Listening B1
12 Injuries Managing a fractured bone Listening B1
13 Infection control Protecting health workers and patients Listening B1
14 Clinical investigations Testing for a disease Roleplay B1
15 Measuring vital signs Taking a temperature Listening B1
16 Pain management Using a pain scale Roleplay B1
17 Medications Self-medicating Roleplay B1
18 Disease and infections Outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics Listening B1
19 Fluid therapy Checking IV fluids Roleplay B1
20 Pressure area care Changing a patient’s position Listening B1
21 Injuries Talking about sprains and strains Listening B1
22 Infection control Describing wound infections Listening B1
23 Clinical investigations Investigating chest pain Roleplay B1
24 Measuring vital signs Talking about a patient’s respiration rate Listening B1
25 Pain management Explaining the use of a PCA to a patient Roleplay B1
26 Medications Administering eye medication Roleplay B1
27 Disease and infections Explaining medication to a patient Listening B1
28 Fluid therapy Preparing an intravenous injection Roleplay B1
29 Pressure area care Pressure area care of wheelchair-bound patients Listening B1
30 Patient admission and discharge Discharging a patient Roleplay B1