PLAB 2 Mock test feedback:: Angry Patient: Mislabelled Blood Sample on Telephone

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Mock Date: 11/08/2025
Case 1:
Topic: Angry Patient
Case Name: Mislabelled Blood Sample Over Telephone; CaseUID: AngryAfterDisclosing8
Action Items:
Practice and Review the case in the OSCE workbench:	Click Here
Watch the (Private) Mock Test Video Recording:	Click Here
Read the Case Blog:	Click Here
Additional Resources:	Click Here
Deep Dive into your (Private) performance below:
Scenario Summary:
You are an FY2 doctor in the orthopedic department at Manchester General Infirmary. Your patient, Mr. Jack Reacher, a 45-year-old man, is scheduled for knee replacement surgery and came for a pre-operative assessment. Due to a labeling error, his blood sample was not processed, and you need to convince him to return for another blood test. Mr. Reacher is upset about the inconvenience and has needle phobia.
My Performance:
🔍Let’s Deep Dive into your performance:
The Domain-wise evaluation shows areas where you did well and others where you have room to grow.
A "Yes" means you covered that point effectively
A "Partial" indicates that you did some of it well but missed some key details.
A "No" means there was an important opportunity that wasn’t addressed.
Don’t worry if you see several areas marked "No" or "Partial"—this is common and simply highlights where you can focus your learning.
By reflecting on these areas and practising, you’ll be able to improve and feel more confident in your consultations. Remember, every bit of feedback is an opportunity to grow, and you’re on the right path by taking these steps.
Timestamps are provided to show exactly when during the consultation you covered or missed key points. Reviewing these can help you see how well you're managing your time and where you might need to be more efficient in addressing important areas.

Domain	Point	Timestamp	Response	Remarks
Data Gathering	Confirm patient identity with full name, date of birth, and address.	0:24–0:43	Partial	You confirmed full name, age, and address but missed asking for date of birth. In PLAB stations, always include DOB as it is a key identifier. A quick way could have been: “Can I confirm your full name, date of birth, and address?” right at the start.
Data Gathering	Telephone etiquettes	0:04–0:14	Yes	You introduced yourself clearly, mentioned GMC number, and asked for permission to proceed. That was professional. Just be mindful not to sound too rehearsed; keep it natural.
Data Gathering	Confirm if it's a good time to talk: 'Is it a good time to talk?'	0:51–1:05	Yes	Nicely done, you asked if it was a good time. That shows respect for the patient’s situation.
Data Gathering	Clarify reason for pre-operative assessment and confirm upcoming surgery details.	1:09–1:24	Yes	You asked about surgery details and confirmed the timeline. That was well handled.
Data Gathering	Ask how the patient is feeling today.	1:28–1:32	Yes	You asked and acknowledged his response. Good empathy shown here.
Data Gathering	Explore patient’s experience during the previous blood test.	2:52–3:19	Yes	You explored and showed empathy for his needle phobia. You could have probed a little more into what specifically made it rushed.
Data Gathering	Ask about needle phobia—symptoms, severity, and previous coping strategies.	3:08–3:21	Partial	You acknowledged the phobia but didn’t ask about severity or how he copes. For example: “How bad is your needle phobia? Have you found anything that helps during blood tests?”
Data Gathering	Confirm any past or current medical conditions. Confirm current regular medications and any over-the-counter or herbal remedies. Check for allergies to medications, latex, or antiseptics used in blood draws.	2:14–2:31	Partial	You asked about conditions, meds, and drug allergies but missed OTC/herbal remedies and allergies to latex/antiseptics. This is important in blood-taking scenarios.
Data Gathering	Explore work and personal commitments that may make attending another appointment difficult.	5:12–5:22	Yes	You asked about work commitments, and the patient explained his difficulty with time off. Nicely picked up.
Management	Explain the issue: 'Mr. Reacher, the reason I’m calling is regarding your blood tests from yesterday. Unfortunately, there was a mistake on our end. The sample wasn’t labeled properly, and the lab couldn’t process it.'	3:30–3:58	Yes	You explained clearly and directly. Good that you didn’t hide the error.
Management	Apologize for the inconvenience: 'I deeply apologize…'	4:11–4:50	Yes	You apologized multiple times, which was good, but try not to repeat too much—it can sound rehearsed.
Management	Explain the necessity of the blood test	4:50–5:00	Yes	You explained why the test was needed before surgery. Well done.
Management	Offer flexible solutions: 'after work hours' etc.	6:00–6:06	Partial	You suggested fitting around his work but didn’t specifically explore after-hours or exact timings. Adding “What time do you usually finish work?” would make it patient-centred.
Management	Offer alternative locations: GP or home visit	6:42–6:44	Yes	You suggested GP as an alternative, which was good. Home visit wasn’t mentioned.
Management	Offer transportation assistance	—	No	You didn’t mention arranging transport. At 6:00–6:44 would have been a good time to bring this in.
Management	Use numbing agents for needle phobia	7:03–7:16	Partial	You reassured about making it comfortable but didn’t specifically mention numbing cream or distraction techniques.
Management	Reassure about future prevention	7:35–7:44	Yes	You reassured him it won’t happen again.
Management	Ensure correct labeling	7:39–7:44	Yes	You promised to personally ensure proper labeling. That was good.
Management	File incident report	—	No	You didn’t explicitly mention filing an incident report. You could have added: “We will file an incident report so the system can improve.”
Management	Coordinate next steps (call back, follow-up)	—	No	You didn’t offer to call back or confirm arrangements later. At the end, you could have said, “Shall I call you tomorrow to finalize the plan?”
Management	Safety net—provide contact details for questions, arrange follow-up call, PALS contact	6:25–6:36	Partial	You mentioned PALS but didn’t provide contact details or arrange follow-up.
Management	Follow-up: thank for cooperation	7:49	Yes	You thanked him. That was a good polite close.
Interpersonal Skills	Empathy and support	2:10–2:14, 4:11–4:44	Yes	You expressed empathy well. Just be careful not to overuse “I totally understand,” as it may sound rehearsed.
Interpersonal Skills	Acknowledge patient's feelings	4:11–5:12	Yes	You acknowledged frustration multiple times. Well done.
Interpersonal Skills	Use simple language	3:30–3:58	Yes	You avoided jargon and explained clearly.
Interpersonal Skills	Check understanding	—	No	You never asked if he understood or had any questions. A simple, “Does that make sense to you?” would have helped.
Interpersonal Skills	Patient-centered approach	6:00–6:44	Partial	You involved him in decision-making about timing/location, but it could have been more collaborative if you explored his exact availability.
Interpersonal Skills	Reassure: hope for smooth surgery	—	No	You didn’t offer reassurance about the surgery outcome after tests. At the end, you could have said: “With the test sorted, your surgery should go smoothly.”
Interpersonal Skills	Begin with a polite, calm greeting and maintain respectful tone	0:04–0:19	Yes	You kept a respectful tone throughout. Good professional demeanor.
Interpersonal Skills	Summarize agreed plan at the end and thank patient	—	No	You didn’t summarize the agreed plan. Before closing, you could have said: “So we’ve agreed you’ll likely attend GP for the blood test, and I’ll make sure it’s handled properly.”

	Feedback Statements:	Needs Improvement
Consultation	Disorganised / unstructured consultation. Includes illogical and disordered approach to questioning. You did not demonstrate sufficiently the ability to follow a logical structure in your consultation. For example, your history taking may have appeared disjointed, with your line of questioning erratic and not following reasoned thinking. You may have undertaken practical tasks or examination in an illogical order that suggested you did not have a full grasp of the reason for completing them or a plan for the consultation.
Diagnosis	Does not make the correct working diagnosis or identify an appropriate range of differential possibilities.
Examination	Does not undertake physical examination competently, or use instruments proficiently.
Findings	Does not identify abnormal findings or results or fails to recognise their implications. You did not identify or recognise significant findings in the history, examination or data interpretation.
Issues	Does not recognise the issues or priorities in the consultation (for example, the patient’s key problem or the immediate management of an acutely ill patient). You did not recognise the key element of importance in the station. For example, giving health and lifestyle advice to an acutely ill patient.	✔️
Management	Does not develop a management plan reflecting current best practice, including follow up and safety netting.	✔️
Rapport	Does not appear to develop rapport or show sensitivity for the patient’s feelings and concerns, including use of stock phrases. You did not demonstrate sufficiently the ability to conduct a patient centred consultation. Perhaps you did not show appropriate empathy or sympathy, or understanding of the patient’s concerns. You may have used stock phrases that show that you were not sensitive to the patient as an individual, or failed to seek agreement to your management plan.
Listening	Does not make adequate use of verbal & non-verbal cues. Poor active listening skills. You did not demonstrate sufficiently that you were paying full attention to the patient’s agenda, beliefs and preferences. For example, you may have asked a series of questions but not listened to the answers and acted on them.
Language	Does not use language or explanations that are relevant and understandable to the patient, including not checking understanding. The examiner may have felt, for example, that you used medical jargon, or spoke too quickly for the patient to take in what you were saying.
Time	Shows poor time management. You showed poor time management, probably taking too long over some elements of the encounter at the expense of other, perhaps more important areas.

Data_gathering	Management	IPS
3	2	3