ESL Nursing student

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Hello everyone and thank you for reading. I am currently on the second semester of a RN part-time program. I just started my clinicals at a nursing home, and even though I am excited and willing to learn, I am very stressed out because english is my second language and sometimes when it comes to medical terms or some unknown words I feel very frustrated. I got really good grades last semester, but now that I will deal with real patients I am concerned that I will sound unprofessional. Can you guys give me any advice because I really want to feel confident. Thank you for your comments.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

This issue is far more serious than sounding "unprofessional". Being multilingual is a real asset, but you need to be absolutely proficient in the language in which your patient's care is being managed. Poor language skills jeopardize patient safety. I have had several experiences with this in years past - twice with disastrous consequences. PLEASE talk to your school advisors about this. Be honest with them about your concerns and the specific areas in which you have problems. They will be able to provide you with the assistance you need or direct you to outside resources.

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Thank you for your response and I absolutely agree with you, patient safety is the most important matter. I will certainly talk to an advisor. Can you please share with me one of those experiences you had in the past. Thank you

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