Giving report in a language other than English

[dudette10]

In the US, is it common and/or acceptable for two nurses who are gifted to speak two or more languages (English and one or two others) to give report in a shared language other than English?

[NightNurseRN]

The report doesnt bother me really but what does is being on break in the break room and people are having conversations in another language, just find it kind of rude.

[caliotter3]

"How did you handle it?" Two individuals, giving and receiving report in a language that they can express themselves better in or they feel more comfortable using, no problem there to handle. Only a problem when a third party needs the info and the info is not provided or is not provided in a convenient manner or is not provided without a negative attitude. Again, "how did you handle it?" For normal workplace situations, you really are kidding aren't you? Surely you remember what happened on the playground when you were little don't you? The outsider learns quickly to keep their mouth shut when they want to keep their job. That is survival in the workplace.

[nursel56]

To your question-- have I ever heard two nurses giving report in a language other than English? No. But most of my experience is not one that the nurses would be one on one completely out of earshot.

I do, however, love foreign languages, and I like listening to people speaking to each other if it is one I don't hear a lot. I think I annoy my two co-workers who both work with me, and not with each other. On the rare occasions they are together, I tell them, "please, go ahead and speak Russian, it's fine, really!" Had two who spoke Amharic (Ethiopia).

Most of the foreign nurses I know are actually more particular about speaking English when the talk pertains to the patient's status.

[mh356, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

The hospital I work at states that English should be used. However some of the foreign-born nurses (Filipinos) tend to give report and talk in their native language. Not a big deal until you start taking report over the phone and have to deal with thick accents and people mispronouncing words. Sometimes I could barely understand what people are saying. Now its a patient safety issue with things getting lost in report or misinformation being passed along. It does not help anyone of any background to encourage them to use another language when the standard language is English. We must all be proficient in this language to communicate effectively for our patients. (And I also come from a multicultural household and speak 2 languages.)

Excluding others is rude. We don't whisper so why would we use another language?

[HyperSaurus, RN, BSN]

Sorry, this is the USA. Our language is English. We have nurses from all over the world on All Nurses. I bet report, in their workplace, is given in the native language of the country. I feel it is rude and unprofessional for bilingual people to converse with each other at work in a foreign language, period. You know tractor trailer drivers must be able to speak and understand English to drive a truck in the USA, my ex works for the New York State Department of Transportation. He inspected trucks for many years. Canadian truckers who speak French in Canada, must be able to speak and understand English, or they must turn their truck around and go back.

This is the USA and we don't have a national language, per the constitution. I see no reason why not to give report in another language, considering that no one else is supposed to be listening anyways.

[Conqueror+, BSN, RN]

I have handled it by saying "Oh I'm sorry, you guys could have just asked me to leave" in my sweetest voice and exited the room. Never happened again. It IS rude and the same as whispering. Unprofessional.

[April, RN, BSN, RN]

It started out in English, then blended with English and the other language, then ended in the native language only. When it got blended, I thought I just wasn't hearing well due to how loud it can get with 6-10 nurses talking all at once. Once I realized that I wasn't hearing English, I just quietly left the room and picked another patient to work with that day. As a student, I didn't think it was my place to say anything. My instructor was very understanding of the situation.

Did these nurses know that you were there to listen to report on their patient? If they did, I feel it was inappropriate to start speaking in another language. In normal circumstances where two nurses are just giving report amongst themselves, I don't see an issue with it. I never hear anyone speaking anything other than English where I work when it comes to work-related conversations, though.

[HyperSaurus, RN, BSN]

I don't really see how it is rude, if it is in the report setting, and it isn't for everyone to hear. If they nurses are more fluent in another language, I think it would make sense for them to use that language.