Do you really want work with foreign nurses?

Nurses General Nursing

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rehab nurse

464 Posts

Specializes in rehab; med/surg; l&d; peds/home care.

Hello there....

i personally love working with foreign nurses. i have worked with nurses from Eukraine, Ireland, Africa, India, Philippines, Mexico, Jamaica, Thailand, Japan. Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my very clouded mind right now...LOL. Most of the foreign nurses were from India and the Philippines.

Sometimes the accent/english can be a bit difficult for me, but I get used to it. I have found the majority of them to be very good nurses, especially those who tend to be quick learners. They complaints from them are usually with learning the medications, since they are all different. Other than that I have found most of their skills to be transferrable. Some of them don't have all the technology we have here in the US and they are very good at assessing a patient without a lot of gadgets.

Do you know where you are going yet in the US? I mean what area of the country, or state? I live in the midwest, and I love learning from the other nurses about their own country and nursing from their perspective. I really haven't found them to ask more questions than any other new nurse, maybe I've been lucky, I don't know. Sometimes they have different names for objects, and that can be quite funny sometimes...

Anyway, I wish you a lot of luck when you move here and I hope you find a place you enjoy. And, your english isn't all that bad!! Give yourself some credit. I'll work with any nurse who works hard nowadays, I don't care where you're from!

ujumbe

2 Posts

My experience as a foreign nursing student has been below what I had expected as what the news media potrays. The media and reality on the ground can not be further apart.

I always get the attitude that I am an outsider and people jump to the conclusion I am an immigrant. Funny though, this is very incorrect. I am spending hard earned forex in the economic system, which I can't afford to through down the drain. However my classmates don't understand, and behave like how can this alien be coming tops in class.

Be ready for resentments different treatment from colleagues as compared to when they deal with so called 'natives'.

Not to say there aren't people who will be true friends and be helpful and not ask 'where are you from?' and close the conversation.

All in all, I do not though it will be any different from working or visisting any foreign country.

clee1

832 Posts

Specializes in Hospice, Med/Surg, ICU, ER.

If he/she speaks English well enough to be understood, and takes care of his/her patients, welcome aboard.

Specializes in Orthosurgery, Rehab, Homecare.

The only reservation I have about working with foreign nurses is the potential communication barrier. I worked with a nurse from Nigeria who had a large communication problem. I am usually good at understanding people from other countries and regions. She spoke very thickly accented poor english. I had a very difficult time understanding her. The patients had it worse, many being hard of hearing. She also had a very hard time understanding us sometimes. To make it worse, often she would just nod even though she didn't know what you had said. I guess my advise is this- work hard on your english communication skills, make sure the patients understand what you are saying, and if you don't understand something someone is telling you, ask for clarification.

You will be a great nurse. Good luck, we'd be happy to have you in SE Michigan.

Euskadi1946

401 Posts

Specializes in Medical/Surgical/Maternal and Child.

C'mon over Lucinka I think you will do just great. I've worked with nurses from India, Iran, Bosnia, Russia and South America and they were all wonderful to work with and had so much knowledge to share. When I floated to NICU one night a nurse from India who was educated in England was really nice to me showing me the ins and outs of the NICU and she was so gentle with those tiny little people.

nj1grlcrus

130 Posts

Come to the New York area, you will love it, and you might even have to translate for the nurses here, we have many patients that speak YOUR language.

AlisonBSN

41 Posts

I haven't read the whole thread, so I don't know if anyone has said this but:

There are so many foreign people in nursing already that nobody thinks anything of it. I work with several foreign nurses. Two nurses from Africa, several from the Phillippines, and from all over really. I love asking them annoying questions about where they're from.

EwaM

1 Post

Hello,

I am not a nurse but have been planning on going to a nursing school. I am Polish and was wondering what state you are in and if you have any contact information to the Polish girl you are describing??

Thanks a lot,

Ewa

cicada

40 Posts

I'm European, successfully working in US for 11 years and relocating to Canada soon. I think you'll be treated the same as you'll treat your patients and co-workers. Language will improve quickly in English speaking surroundings and you'll get a great experience in the US. Welcome!!!

AuntieRN

678 Posts

Specializes in Med/Surg.

3 of my most favorite nurses at work....actually one of them was my preceptor when I first graduated and started working at the hospital as an RN and one of them is actually an instructor for the program I graduated from (I never had her in school though) are all from the Phillipines...they are awesome...who cares where you are from as long as you can take care of your pts in the manner they should be taken care of...good luck to you!!!

lucinka

8 Posts

Many thanks to you for all your supportive words. I am looking forward to my new carreer more and more. I am glad you have no prejudices and I promise if I will met somebody from Czech republic I will not speak in the work in czech with him or her

lucinka

cicada

40 Posts

Lucinka,

I can be wrong but you can not speak language other than English in a healthcare facility. Unless you are asked to do so--to translate, to speak with the patient who does not understand English, etc. But no chatting in your own language! Nobody will like it + it's against many healthcare facilities policies. You'll be surprised how many rules you need to follow, but be wise and follow all of them. Good luck!

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