ESL Students and Nursing

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I was wondering if this was just my program or if it was more widespread.

It seems to me that ESL students really struggle with the lecture materials and NCLEX questions. It saddens me because our program has lost some great people, who would have been great nurses, but had to drop due to low exam grades.

Do you notice an increased drop rate in ESL students?

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I am not surprised and I hope that the schools can do something to help with the communication barriers. I am currently attending a printer technician school in Spanish and registered for my first year at a Spanish nursing school. I thought my language skills were pretty good but have found that understanding and UNDERSTANDING are two completely different things. I understand a lot but when it comes time to explain it my mind draws a complete blank. When the native Spanish speakers are keeping up I am catching up :(

I hope that in a few months I can find a support group here or even start one for "Nursing students studying nursing in a different language" lol I know I will definitely need it!

As for helping ESL students.....if you get asked question after questions please be patient :) I have taken some pre-reqs already in Spanish and sometimes I feel as if people stop being helpful after a while. I feel bad to bother them with questions while they are taking notes. Another thing that could help would be offering your fantastic notes. I have a co-worker that is really sweet and will copy her notes for me.

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As for helping ESL students.....if you get asked question after questions please be patient :) I have taken some pre-reqs already in Spanish and sometimes I feel as if people stop being helpful after a while. I feel bad to bother them with questions while they are taking notes. Another thing that could help would be offering your fantastic notes. I have a co-worker that is really sweet and will copy her notes for me.

Oh I tutor for free but even with teaching them how to break down questions and pair down to two likely choices we still lost them.

As I said a few of them would have been amazing nurses. :(

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That's really great that you tutor! I am sure that they appreciate it, and I wish that there were people here in Costa Rica that did the same. I don't know what would help except maybe finding books in their native language that go along with the material? Do any of the students you tutor use or compare their books in the two different languages? I know that my sister was studying here in Costa Rica and even though her Spanish is excellent she had a hard time making the connection. My Mom gave her some books in English and it was easier for her to read in English and then go to class. Also, with Hewlett Packard my whole training class is taught in Spanish but all the material is in English. When we finish training we will work with English speaking customers. When I asked the trainer why he teaches in Spanish he said the classes have done better learning in Spanish and are able to then successfully work in English.

Now we are ending the close of the training and even though I thought I was yards behind, just having the material in English has made all the difference and I may only be about one yard behind :)

If the students have not tried reading the same info in Spanish maybe see if they would rent or buy a nursing study guide in Spanish. If they do it already maybe you could let me know how it works :) I am planning on trying the same thing when I start the program and I HOPE it works hehe

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Best wishes... good thread!

sandanRNstudent (NC, USA)

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