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English for Healthcare Professionals.

Avatar - Clara

At B2, you can already work in English. This course helps you work well in English when it really matters: with unwell patients, worried relatives, fast colleagues, and time pressure. You will practise the communication that protects patient safety and builds trust, not just lists of medical words. Each lesson is built around one realistic clinical scenario with a clear goal, like confirming identity, taking a focused history, gaining consent, counselling medication, or escalating a concern. You will learn professional phrases and patient-friendly alternatives, then use them in short simulations that feel like mini OSCE tasks. You will also practise the hidden safety skills: checking details, clarifying uncertainty, translating technical terms into plain English, and documenting key information clearly. By the end, you should be faster, calmer and more structured in your English at work, with a practical phrase bank you can rely on during a real shift.

Course methodology:

Clara

You learn English through realistic healthcare situations that mirror real shifts: clinics, triage, wards, phone updates, pharmacy conversations and community visits. Each lesson centres on one clear communicative outcome, so you always know what you are trying to achieve and what good communication sounds like in that moment. You work with a short model interaction, notice high-value phrases and patient-friendly alternatives, and then build up from guided practice to a short simulation where you complete the task with calm, safe language. The focus stays on clarity, structure, rapport and patient safety, with quick, practical language tips that support the task.

Course objectives:

  1. Open consultations professionally, confirm identity, and explain the purpose and structure of the interaction so patients know what will happen next.
  2. Build rapport quickly with natural, culturally appropriate empathy and active listening signals, even when the patient is anxious or in pain.
  3. Take a focused history using a clear question pathway, moving from open questions to targeted checks without sounding interrogative.
  4. Clarify timelines, severity, triggers and associated symptoms accurately, and repair misunderstandings politely when information is vague or messy.
  5. Explore red flags and risk symptoms using calm, non-alarming language, and state concerns clearly when something feels unsafe.
  6. Ask sensitive questions (mental health, alcohol, drugs, sexual health, safeguarding) respectfully, with a clear reason for asking and neutral wording.
  7. Explain examinations and procedures step by step in patient-friendly language, checking comfort, consent and understanding throughout.
  8. Use teach-back and checking questions to confirm understanding of instructions, plans and medication advice, reducing risk of errors.
  9. Explain test results and clinical uncertainty in plain English, avoiding overpromising while still giving clear next steps.
  10. Discuss options, benefits and risks using balanced language that supports shared decision-making and respects patient autonomy.
  11. Give safe medication counselling (dose, timing, side effects, interactions, missed doses) and verify allergies and key safety details reliably.
  12. Deliver clear discharge instructions and safety-netting advice, including what to do, what to avoid, and when and how to seek urgent help.
  13. Give concise, structured handovers and escalations to colleagues (for example, SBAR), including clear recommendations and confirmation of the plan.
  14. Write brief, defensible clinical documentation (notes, SBAR summaries, incident-style factual accounts) using an appropriate level of certainty and clear conventions for dates, times and units.

What will you learn?

Table of contents
Lesson 1. Opening a patient consultation and confirming identity
You are starting a busy shift and a patient arrives for an assessment. In this lesson, you practise the first two minutes that set the tone for everything: greeting the patient, introducing your role, confirming identity safely, and explaining what you are going to do. You will learn how to sound calm and competent without sounding cold, and how to check key details (name, date of birth, address, wristband) in a natural, respectful way. The scenario includes small real-world complications: the patient is anxious, the waiting room is noisy, and the patient uses a different preferred name from their legal name. You will practise clear signposting so the patient knows what will happen next, and you will use short checks to confirm understanding. You also build a simple closing for this opening stage: what you need first, and what the patient should do if they feel unwell while waiting.
Lesson 2. Taking a focused history in a GP or clinic visit
In this lesson you are in an outpatient clinic (or GP-style appointment) and you need to get a focused history efficiently. The patient can talk a lot, and their story is not well organised. Your task is to guide the conversation so you get the key facts without sounding impatient. You will practise starting with an open question, then narrowing down using targeted checks: onset, duration, severity, triggers and impact on daily life. You will also build short, respectful interruptions for when the patient goes off-topic, and you will practise summarising back the key points so the patient can correct you. Throughout, the focus is patient safety and clarity: making sure the timeline is accurate, avoiding assumptions, and confirming important details before you move on. You finish by signposting what happens next, so the patient knows you have listened and you are taking action.
Lesson 3. Clarifying symptoms and red flags at ED triage
You are at an ED triage desk and you need to make quick, safe decisions based on the information you can get in a short interaction. The patient is uncomfortable and uses everyday language that could mean different things. Your goal is to clarify the symptoms, check for red flags, and document the most important details clearly. You will practise language that keeps you in control while still showing empathy: short questions, clear options, and calm reassurance. You will also work on safely checking numbers and timings (when it started, how long it lasts, how often it happens). A key focus is reducing risk without causing panic: asking about warning signs in a neutral way, and explaining why you need to ask. You end the lesson by summarising the triage outcome: what will happen next and what the patient should do immediately if their symptoms change while they wait.
Lesson 4. Explaining a procedure and gaining informed consent
In this lesson you are preparing a patient for a procedure (for example, imaging, an endoscopy, or a bedside test). The patient is nervous and has searched online, so they have questions and worries. Your task is to explain what will happen, what the patient might feel, and what the key risks and benefits are, using plain English. You will practise step-by-step instructions with polite, clear language, plus small reassurance phrases that sound genuine rather than automatic. You will also learn how to check understanding and consent naturally, including how to pause, invite questions, and confirm that the patient agrees before you continue. A key safety point is clarity around preparation: fasting, clothing, jewellery, positioning and breathing instructions. You finish by confirming the plan and what the patient should do if they feel unwell or want to stop during the procedure.
Lesson 5. Giving medication advice at discharge or the pharmacy
You are discharging a patient or supporting a medicines conversation at the pharmacy counter. The patient has several medicines and is worried about side effects. Your goal is to explain the key points clearly, check allergies and interactions, and make sure the patient can take the medication safely at home. You will practise the language of dose, timing, route and duration, plus common advice about missed doses and when to seek help. Because medication errors are often communication errors, you will also train safety checks: confirming the medicine name, making sure the patient understands the schedule, and using teach-back in a natural, respectful way. You will practise translating technical terms into plain English, especially for side effects and warning signs. You finish by giving a clear closing: what the patient should do next, who to contact, and how to store or take the medication correctly.
Lesson 6. Running a safe phone update and writing a brief SBAR
This is your mid-course checkpoint, combining two skills you need on real shifts: a clear phone update and a short, structured written summary. You are calling a colleague (for example, a senior nurse, registrar, or on-call service) about a patient, and you have to be concise because the other person is busy. You will practise how to open a clinical phone call, confirm who you are speaking to, and state the reason for the call early. You will then organise information into a simple SBAR-style structure, choosing what matters now versus what is background. After the call, you will write a short SBAR note that another professional could act on, including key times, observations and what you are asking for. The aim is to recycle core language from earlier lessons (identity checks, clarifying details, summarising, safety language) while increasing speed, structure and confidence.
Lesson 7. Escalating a concern to a senior colleague on the ward
You are on a busy ward and you are not happy with a patient’s condition. The challenge is not just the medical situation; it is the communication: you need to be assertive, clear and respectful, especially if the senior colleague is busy or initially dismissive. In this lesson you practise stating concern and urgency explicitly, giving the key facts in a structured way, and making a direct recommendation or request. You will work on language that avoids vague hints, such as clearly explaining what you have observed, what has changed, and why you think it matters now. You will also practise handling pushback professionally: repeating the concern, offering supporting details, and confirming what will happen next. You finish with a short follow-up message or note that records the escalation factually, including who was informed and what action was agreed.
Lesson 8. Calming an angry relative and handling a complaint
You are at the ward desk when a relative approaches, angry and upset about delays and communication. The patient safety risk here is emotional escalation: raised voices, accusations, and misunderstandings that lead to unsafe decisions. Your goal is to calm the situation, gather the facts, set boundaries, and agree practical next steps. You will practise language that acknowledges feelings without making unsafe promises, plus apology language that is appropriate and professional. You will learn how to keep your sentences short and clear, how to check what the person is really asking for, and how to move from emotion to action: who you can contact, what information you can share, and when you will update them. You will also practise protecting confidentiality politely. You finish by writing a short factual account of the interaction, using neutral language and clear time references.
Lesson 9. Explaining test results in plain English and next steps
You are in a follow-up appointment and the patient wants clear answers: what the results mean and what happens now. Some results are normal, some are borderline, and there is uncertainty. Your goal is to explain the results honestly in plain English, without overwhelming the patient or overpromising. You will practise translating technical terms into everyday language, and you will build phrases for cautious certainty: what is likely, what is less likely, and what you cannot rule out yet. You will also work on structuring your explanation with signposting, so the patient can follow: first the headline, then the detail, then the plan. You will practise handling common patient reactions such as “So do I have something serious?” and “I read online that…”. You finish by confirming the next steps, including safety advice and how the patient can get help if things change.
Lesson 10. Giving discharge safety-netting advice in urgent care
You are discharging a patient from urgent care or ED. The patient feels better now, but you need to make sure they understand what to do next, what warning signs to watch for, and when to seek urgent help. Your goal is a safe, calm discharge conversation that the patient can follow at home. You will practise structuring discharge advice into clear sections: what we found today, what you should do now, what to avoid, follow-up arrangements, and safety-netting. You will work on clear “if” language for changing symptoms, and you will learn how to avoid vague advice like “Come back if worse” by giving specific warning signs and timeframes. You will also practise checking understanding without sounding patronising, and you will finish by writing a short discharge-style message that is accurate and easy to read, with correct dates and times.
Lesson 11. Asking sensitive questions in a respectful home visit
You are on a community or home visit. The environment is less controlled, the patient may be embarrassed, and sensitive topics may be clinically important. Your goal is to ask difficult questions respectfully, explain why you are asking, and keep the conversation safe and non-judgemental. You will practise normalising language (so the patient does not feel singled out), neutral vocabulary, and gentle but clear question forms. You will also work on responding to hesitation or avoidance without pushing too hard: offering options, allowing pauses, and checking if the patient would prefer to speak privately. A key focus is boundaries and safeguarding awareness: how to explain confidentiality limits in plain language, and how to state what you need to do next if you are worried about risk. You finish with a short written summary of the relevant points, using careful, factual wording and appropriate certainty.
Lesson 12. Managing a full case handover from arrival to follow-up
This is your capstone scenario: you manage one patient journey from first contact to safe follow-up. You begin with a brief triage-style conversation, confirm identity, take a focused history, and check for red flags. You then explain the next step (a test or examination) in plain English, including what the patient should expect. After that, you deliver a structured handover to a colleague, and you finish by giving a short discharge-style plan with safety-netting. The aim is integration. You will reuse your core chunk bank across different moments and switch register smoothly: more clinical language with colleagues, clearer everyday language with the patient. You will also practise calm, confident delivery under pressure, including clarifying missing information and confirming numbers and timings. You end with a final review that re-activates your highest-value phrases and patterns, so you leave with a reliable set of language you can use on your next shift.
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