Research on English for nursing has emphasized communicative competence in clinical settings, yet comparatively little attention has been paid to the lexical characteristics of this communication. This study addressed this gap through a frequency-based corpus analysis of nurse dialogue in scripted medical dramas. Using transcripts from nursing-focused television series, the study examined the overall lexical characteristics of nurse interaction and compared vocabulary use in patient-directed versus interprofessional (nurse-staff) communication. Results indicated that both interaction types are predominantly composed of high-frequency general English. Patient-facing dialogue achieved slightly higher coverage with higher frequency vocabulary, though differences between interaction types were incremental rather than categorical. Examples from the corpus are provided to illustrate how nurses reformulate technical terminology using accessible, high-frequency language. The findings align with needs analyses and observational research on real-world nursing communication and suggest pedagogical value in emphasizing high-frequency vocabulary and reformulation skills in medical English instruction.

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International exchange programs have become an important component of nursing English education, offering opportunities for linguistic development, intercultural learning, and professional identity formation. This reflective qualitative report examines the experience of one respondent, a Thai male nursing student in a short-term exchange program at a Japanese nursing college. The respondent’s comments in a reflective questionnaire and a follow-up interview provided data that were then examined through theory-informed analysis. Accordingly, this report explores how English learning, hospital observation, and peer interaction can contribute to psychological growth, intercultural empathy, and the development of professional identity. The report draws on experiential learning theory and professional identity formation frameworks and considers data from a male nursing perspective. The findings suggest that international exchange programs can function as a transformative educational space where language learning, gender, and professional values intersect. Consequently, the report highlights the pedagogical significance of integrating student voices and reflective analysis in nursing English education.

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Speaking tests are an important part of assessment in ESP programmes for nursing students. This paper presents two formats of speaking assessment undertaken by third-year students in a Japanese university: a memorized conversation performed in pairs in front of the class, and an unscripted role-play carried out in a private setting with the class instructor. A questionnaire administered at the end of the academic year investigated students’ attitudes toward these speaking tests. As well as highlighting the importance of receiving targeted feedback from students, this research revealed that although students found the more authentic, on-the-spot test format to be more difficult, they also found it more worthwhile and more aligned with their future needs. Additionally, students generally reported feeling less nervous in a one-to-one test setting than when performing in front of the whole class. These findings support the move to more meaningful assessment, while also offering some insight into causes of student anxiety.

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Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is broadly advocated as an effective method for enhancing English language proficiency. While CLT emphasizes meaningful interaction and communicative competence, its implementation in Japan may be constrained by teacher-centered traditions, exam-oriented curricula, and students’ limited experience with spontaneous communication. Research on CLT in Japanese contexts has yielded mixed outcomes: some studies report an increased willingness to speak English, while others highlight student anxiety and cultural mismatches. To address these challenges, a culturally sensitive approach (CSA) is proposed, which integrates communicative principles with locally adapted strategies. A CSA encourages teachers to analyze classroom contexts, scaffold activities, adapt materials, and gradually introduce interactive learning. For nursing students, this approach may foster confidence, practical communication skills, and professional readiness, illustrating the importance of flexible, context-aware pedagogy in EFL education.

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