I need advice!

[buckaroo]

I am currently in my first semester in nursing school. So far, everything is good. Workload is overwhelming, but i manage to keep up with them on time. We had done 2 test already, and i scored 86% on both. I am soo happy. My concern is, though i am making this good grades in the test, i am struggling. English is my second language, and i dont speak english fluently. If you ask me to explain things to you, i will likely not be able to explain it to you clearly. I know it in my head, but it is so hard for me to articulate it. Now, we have research assignment and i am having such a hard time putting infos in my own words. I have my english tutor, and she's been helpful. I've been in US for almost 6 years now and stilll practicing my grammar. Do you guys think i can make it through nursing? I am afraid i will fail as classes get harder each semester. Thank you for your reply.

[NurseCard, ADN]

I wish I could give you advice, but unfortunately I've never been in your situation.

I have worked with many nurses who spoke English as their second language.

Most of them were fairly easy to understand however.

Good luck to you. :)

[Agatha12]

Don't worry. Your English is good and clear. English is also my second language and I studied in my country of origin. So when I started my first job after I emigrated, I had to learn medical official language jargon, typical phrases and on top of that learning new procedures and policies that were sp different than in my country. You have an advantage of already studying in English so you have lots of time to learn how to speak with patients or how to pass an oral exam at university. Don't worry about the grammar as long as you make minor mistakes. Work on it but nothing to stress about. My former manager has been married to Italian for 30 years, she said she still corrects his English :)

[NewcallRN]

Hi,

English is also my second language. I had the very same fear as you when I was in nursing school. I utilized the writing center at my school a lot for all my research papers. When classes get harder, study harder. It's not going to be easy. You have GOT this. Good luck to you.

[abbycdps]

It sounds like this is going to be an added on obstacle for you in a field that is already so hard. Props to you for pursing such a difficult degree. I will tell you with 5+ years of experience as a CNA, my favorite nurse of all time was from China, and moved here in her early 20's. At times, patients or other staff (including myself) would have issues understanding her accent. She was always so patient, and thorough with the patients, making SURE they understood what she was trying to communicate. She was a stickler for detail and always a wealth of knowledge. Maybe the fear of not being able to communicate will push you to be more thorough with patients and overall make you a better nurse. You still have plenty of time to grow.