Foreign language nursing

Nurses General Nursing

Published

This happened awhile back. I was caring for a patient, had to use the translator phone because of the language barrier. After telling the patient all of the meds she would receive, asking about pain, and if she needed anything I could see that my patient was upset. I asked what was wrong and the translator replied, the patient said "what is wrong with you why don't you know Spanish?" I was upset, I felt dumb, I was like you *****.........needless to say I'm becoming best friends with my Rosetta stone CD's. I ain't getting cursed out in Spanish again, I'm gonna curse her out back and in her native tongue, mama ain't raise no fool.

Real story but just kidding about my response

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Hmmm cursing out your patients....nice.

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Specializes in perioperative.

That patient was out of line. You wouldn't curse a nurse in a spanish speaking country for not knowing english.

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I think I'm so used to hearing comments like this that it doesn't affect me anymore. My coworkers and I joked about how I was such an incompetent nurse because I don't speak polish, German, and Swahili.

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Some people are so rude! but I guess it comes with the job...

I always think: Never be rude to your nurse, waiter, parents, or even enemies.

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