Horrors Of Horrors

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

There is an article in the 'Nursing Standard' which states that the UK are introducing a tougher English Language test for entry onto the nursing register, it envisaged that it could mean up to 9000 fewer overseas nurses. Horror of horrors does that mean that that some of nurses from oversea's who dont speak english at the moment will actually have able to communicate with the patients and relatives, before they are allowed to work here. Now isn't that a novel idea, I wonder why that wasn't introduced years ago.

A friend of mine was interviewing for a position on CCU and the nurse she interviewed could only smile and say yes, wait for it she hadn't just arrived in this country she had done her adaptation and was going for a senior post.

Now before all my foriegn friends start jumping up and down and shouting I am only an advocate that anybody wanting to work here should speak English, and I welcome those nurses with open arms, oh yes it would be good if you could nurse too.

[Fiona59]

Being able to read and write a language is one thing, the ability to speak and comprehend is another.

I don't care how good your clinical skills are, if the patient or family can't understand you or are offended by how you say it, you aren't qualified to work.

I had one nurse from an Asian country who just didn't understand. I left thinking my father had kidney cancer and he was told "all of his girls back east called while yous was off bed". I'm his only daughter and live in town....

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

My hubby was admitted to ER and I couldnt understand a word the doctor was saying apart form he had a big mass in his stomach, which i took to be cancer. I tried to be brave but it was really difficult, until the surgeon came to see me to tell me that he had an appendecitis!!!

[Chad_KY_SRNA]

My computer was messing up this morning and I called the tech support number for Bellsouth and spoke to two people who spoke very rapidly with strong Indian accents, I only had to ask them to repeat themselves four or five times. It should be any public job where communication is important.

[Cassinia]

It should include mds as well. I worked with an md who was French and she made a comment one day all the nurses should learn French so we could understand her. Now, I'm a hearing impaired nurse who uses bilateral aids and make every attempt to make sure I have adaptive equipment, this rubbed me wrong. I looked at her straight in the eyes and replied, "Well, in that case, maybe you should learn my second language, sign, so you can understand me better. But be both know that ain't going to happen!" I got the typical exasperated response from her and she left the station.

[fergus51]

I wouldn't hold you breath for this working Kay. We already have english test requirements for the US and there are still many health care workers who have difficulty making themselves understood. It can be a real problem sometimes.

On the flip side, those nurses are often incredible assets when we have patients who don't speak English well. I tried to learn a new language as an adult (I was bilingual before but learned French as a child) and it gave me a lot of empathy for people learning English. It's tough.

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

I wouldn't hold you breath for this working Kay. We already have english test requirements for the US and there are still many health care workers who have difficulty making themselves understood. It can be a real problem sometimes.

I have taken report from Indian nurses that I could hardly understand on some units.

[fergus51]

I have taken report from Indian nurses that I could hardly understand on some units.

I'm pretty lucky in that I can decifer most accents pretty well (probably comes from living in Vancouver and Toronto :chuckle ), but my problem is that I start picking up their accents the longer I talk to them

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

I'm pretty lucky in that I can decifer most accents pretty well (probably comes from living in Vancouver and Toronto :chuckle ), but my problem is that I start picking up their accents the longer I talk to them

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

We had a french nurse who worked with us who had the most beautiful accent and spoke perfect English. She confided in me that she got a bit fed up with everybody speaking to her in broken english, the trouble was that everybody thought she enjoyed them speaking to her with a french accent.

Of course the next time I saw her what did I do ....................yep spoke to her in english with a french accent!!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't help myself I was so embarressed. :uhoh21: She must have thought I was an idiot

[fergus51]

LOL KAY!!! It has to be some ingrained thing in our brains to want to mimic the people we are talking to... My Filipino accent is almost flawless at this point, though it's still not as good as my Jamaican:D

[wensday, MSN, RN, APN, NP]

It's dangerous though isn't it? In a resus situation and they mumble something at you....