Do you make more money if..

[tremblelina]

I'm curious if anyone here is, or is aware of others being paid more for being bilingual ? I am a pre-nursing student, and am learning spanish because there is a large, and increasing hispanic population in my region. Before you respond (and I hope you do!), please let me be clear on two points:

1. I will be taking spanish throughout college regardless of whether it is financially benefical, because my true purpose for taking it, is to be able to communicate well with most of my future patients.

2. I personally have very conservative views on the illegal immigration issue, and I do advocate for those views in an appropriate fashion for dealing with politics. But when a human being is sick or in need of care is not the appropriate forum for dealing with political issues. And so regardless of my own feelings/beliefs, I hope to treat others with dignity, and in an appropriate manner for the situation.

I said both of those things in order to simply say that money is not my motivating factor, and also, please do not bring politics into this thread.

I have just heard from other students that people who are bilingual are not only hired over other applicants, but that they are paid more. I would like to know from all you fabulous, experienced nurses, if that is true? Thanks !

[lvnandmomx3]

I am not sure about the pay, I know the hosp I worked in prior to becoming a nurse did not pay my fellow co-workers for being bilingual. I live in an area where it is ncessary and have known ppl and I my self have been passed over for a job for not being billingual, someone less qualified was hired for the position. This is not done illigally since the job descriptions post bilingual preffered as opposed to manditory. I am in the same position as you I would like to go back to school to learn spanish but because I want to not because I'm being forced to.

[tremblelina]

Rock on tracylvn, you should go for it. Even if you just take a class here and there, i'm sure it would help. I've learned alot just in this first half of my spanish 1 course, though mostly i've learned it will take a great deal to be truly conversant hehe. I need to make some spanish speaking friends, but my husband is a pretty good practice partner. I make him practice with me everytime we drive somewhere. =^,^=

[JBudd, MSN]

Our hospital pays $40 month for being on the official translator list. Have to pass a class or exam or something. I translate a lot, but not officially because I'm just not that fluent.

[RNfaster]

Some hospitals will pay more for language interpreters who have proven via testing their ability to accurately translate medical information.

I speak Spanish. But I have not been certified in my ability to translate medical information and/or translate in general. I am interested in improving my Spanish to where I could become a certified translator as I think it would be an interesting challenge.

[mimi_pasko]

The nurses aren't offered any extra money, but the secretary gets an extra 50 cents an hour for being bilingual. And we're not even in an area that has a lot of Spanish speakers!

[RainDreamer, BSN, RN]

I learned a ton of spanish when I worked at the county hospital in Phx ..... you are pretty much forced to, as the majority of our patients were illegal immigrants from Mexico.

Where I work at now it's like what Arwen posted .... if you pass the hospital's spanish exam, then you will get paid extra. I'm not fluent in spanish, but I know enough to converse the basics with my patients.

We also have a ton of interpreters, that work for the hospital solely as interpreters.

[lvnandmomx3]

Thanks tremblelina. I was married to a hispanic for 8 yrs and with him much longer my kids are half hispanic so I understand quite a bit. I also worked in an Er as admitting rep and used a ton there, but Im no wear near conversational.

[MikeyJ, RN]

I live in an area of the country where we have an enormous hispanic speaking population. The hospitals here do not pay anything more for being bilingual (which I agree with). I speak a fair amount of Spanish and hopefully will become fluent over the next few years, but I wouldn't want to be paid extra.

I am doing my clinicals at the county hospital, where I hopefully will also work after graduation, and nearly 85% of our patients are spanish speaking only. You are able to call for an interpreter, but most nurses can speak some spanish in order to get by. And those nurses that are fluent in spanish rarely speak up and let people know because they know they will be asked to interpet for everyone.