I feel isolated and left out

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I just started a new job, in my specialty that I LOVE, but the problem is I feel like an orphan because all my co-workers speak spanish to each other,and my spanish is not that great. I have worked in the miami area for years and this hasn't been a problem until this particular hospital. I do pretty good with my spanish patients but when I'm in a procedure where EVERYONE is speaking spanish (including the doctor/pt/techs etc.) I feel very left out and kinda sad. Is it because I'm new? I mean, I'm 55 years old, should I care that much about "fitting in?"

Of course, sometimes I wonder If I'm missing something important in regard to the patient, but I just can't stand there and say, "could you translate that into english" when they speak it constantly to each other.

My supervisor, on hiring me, knew I spoke only "medical" spanish. and he emphasized the importance of TEAM WORK but how can I be part of a team if I can't communicate fully?

Should I find another job that won't reject this gringa?

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Specializes in Cardiology, Oncology, Medsurge.

Woh, this sounds like a real challenge to me! No matter how many doughnuts you bring to work, no matter how many smiles you make, no matter what little you try to understand...the hill is too great to champion in my humble opinion. I'd get out quick!~

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Specializes in Peds.

Maybe you could inform coworkers of your feelings. You have to be open to an extent. Maybe you could have them teach you a few things hands on that would make you feel more of the team.

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I think that you should get out but make sure you request an exit inerview with human resources and explain how you have been shut out and prevented from doing your job due to language abuse(yes I made that up). I think that it is sad that in the U.S the staff would speak in their native languages and alienate others. It is one thing when it is for the patients benefit but if the whole procedure is in Spanish then they are being rude jerks. Not nice.

If I went to Cuba or Japan or the Middle East I can tell you that this would not be put up with. You learn the language of the Country you are in, then you learn as much of the language of the cultures you provide care to.

Before anyone starts yelling racist at me, I am not. I work in Southern Cali in a hospital with 95% hispanic patients and I have learned much Spanglish in my many years. I love these people! However, when the staff start up with that buisiness(not Spanish by the way, Farsi or Tagalog) I put my foot down and say "What was that? My ______is rusty!". I say it nicely and they laugh and say sorry, they didn't notice that they were doing it. Maybe.

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

I have to really commend you for making the effort you are making and for trying to do a great job in this type of environment. I'm not sure that I would be so quick to run... but you are at a distinct disadvantage by not being able to fully understand everything that is being said and therefore maybe not fully knowing what is going on with the patient... and possibly even putting the patient at a disadvantage. So...

Maybe if you really love working there... maybe you could go

somewhere else for a while, and while you are gone kinda "bone up" on your Spanish... and then go back?

Good luck!

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

I'm kinda confused... after reading the other posts...

You guys make it sound like the OP's coworkers are deliberately trying to shut her out because she mainly speaks English...

The OP works in Miami. Yes, Miami is still in a country where the primary language is English; however lets face it, the area is INFILTRATED with Spanish speaking folks. Sounds like the OP is working in a hospital in a very Spanish speaking area, and EVERYONE around her primarily speaks Spanish.

I can understand why the OP feels left out, but I honestly don't know why anyone would think she is being deliberately left out. I mean, if you have a room full of primarily English speakers from Alabama... and one ESL'er in the room... the conversation is always naturally going to be English centered.

Maybe I'm totally missing something...

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Specializes in Pediatrics Only.

I'm in Houston and we have a large speaking Spanish population

I speak very little Spanish, enough to say hello and see if the patient is having any pain.

Most of my aides/secretaries are spanish speaking. We had a meeting once where the director was not happy, and a new rule was implemented that you may only speak in English unless translating.

A little over the top? Maybe. But, apparently some nurses were complaining b/c a aide would say "Sarah is taking care of that patient today" - and then Sarah, who doesnt speak Spanish, has just heard her name in a conversation and has no clue why and feels as if people are talking about her.

Hense, the rule was implemented..

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Specializes in ICU, M/S,Nurse Supervisor, CNS.

I don't think the OP is being deliberately left out, but at the same time, I would think the best choice may be to move on. Your co-workers have probably been doing this for years without real thought or consideration to those who don't speak fluent Spanish, so you having a talk with them most likely will not change an old habit, not saying it is completely impossible though. Personally, I would feel uncomfortable in that environment. However, you could take this opportunity to better your Spanish skills seeing as you work in an area with a large Hispanic population.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, IM, OB/GYN, neuro, GI.

I use to work in a MD's office where all the employees and the MD spoke Spanish. I was hired knowing that I didn't speak any Spanish. They would do the same thing while in between patients or during a procedure. One girl in paricular did it because she didn't like me. So I just did what I had to do and everytime someone asked me why I didn't do what we were talking about in the breakroom or where ever I would tell them if you said it in English I would have but since I don't speak Spanish I have no idea when you're speaking to me. After this happened several times they started speaking English when around me so I would know what was going on.

I don't know how long you've been working there because you didn't say so maybe this will happen to you too once they realize that you aren't fluent in Spanish. Although you do live in an area where it's predominately hispanic, you shouldn't feel uncomfortable where you work. From what I've seen is that because it's their native language they speak it without thinking about it so they don't really see/know that they are oding it. Is there anyone that you've become close to that you could speak to about this. IMO if you go to management about it they could feel that you're just trying to start trouble. I would give it maybe a month and then if they still were isolating you like this I would put in my two weeks and state the reason for leaving as a language barrier between you and the staff due to them primarily speaking Spanish and not knowing if it was regarding the care/status of your patients and that you don't want your patients/license to be in jeopardy because of it.

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I have been working there for a month and while I don't think they are doing it to purposely exclude me- it does make it harder to be part of the team. In my specialty, interventional radiology, team work is really important. In my previous job, there might be some personal back and forth in spanish, or tagolog (sp?), but for the most part we all communicated in english.

Personally I enjoy the unique latin/cuban flavor that is miami and enjoy learning and speaking spanish, but I don't speak it well enough for this place. Part of the problem is that there are slow periods between cases, so I can't even "escape" into working. Also, it is a very SMALL department (one doctor, 2 nurses, 2 techs) surrounded by an almost 100% hispanic radiology department.

Ah, well, guess I have to start looking again:o Thanks for all your support.

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I don't think it's deliberate, either. I worked in a group (as a programmer) of Russian-born Americans who often defaulted to their native tongue because it's just easier and more natural for them. Unlike you, however, we were talking machines, not sick humans.

When that happens, you might try a gentle, "Excuse me, I don't understand what you guys are saying." I'm going to bet that they are doing this unconsciously ad a reminder will bring them back to English. It may take awhile, but I believe that it will improve.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

Personally, I think it happens without the others being aware of it...here you come into this already structured environment and they lapse into it probably without being aware....I speak some spanish, and lived in Mexico for a year so I can speak "caveman" spanish. Perhaps, since you are in Miami, a very heavily spanish area...could you take some spanish lessons in your free time, or talk to one of your coworkers about your feelings? Perhaps they don't do it as a way of shutting you out, but it's how they've always communicated.....

Personally, I work with a couple of Filipino nurses and a lab tech and they often switch between english and filipino....I don't let it bother me, but I try to pick up phrases here and there....why do I care if they're talking about me? As long as I'm doing what I'm supposed to, I'll be fine...

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