Increase in hr/$pay for Bilingual

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Hello,

I will be starting my first nursing job very soon, and HR will be contacting me to negotiate salary. I will be working in an area where Spanish is very prominent in the community. I am a native Spanish speaker, and was wanting to see if any other RN’s out there have negotiated a higher hourly rate based on being bilingual? If so, how did you negotiate it? Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

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14 minutes ago, HeyHeyRN said:

Hello,

I will be starting my first nursing job very soon, and HR will be contacting me to negotiate salary. I will be working in an area where Spanish is very prominent in the community. I am a native Spanish speaker, and was wanting to see if any other RN’s out there have negotiated a higher hourly rate based on being bilingual? If so, how did you negotiate it? Any help will be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks!

It's odd that HR would "negotiate salary" for any new graduate, and I've never heard of a higher pay rate for being bilingual, although it's certainly a positive when seeking employment.

If your area has a high Spanish-speaking population, there are probably a lot of other Spanish-speaking staff. Spanish speaking patients often have English speaking relatives, as well. And unless you have the proper certification, you'll be unacceptable as an interpreter in any sort of official capacity. We have official "blue phone" people for that.

I guess it doesn't hurt to ask, but I'd keep expectations low.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

You would likely need to take the medical interpretation competency exam before they would give you a differential. You should not be providing interpretation services to patients until you've shown yourself to be competent in medical interpretation. Being bilingual does not mean that you're competent in medical interpretation.

 

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I’m pretty sure, as a new grad, HR isn’t contracting you to negotiate salary. They are contacting you to tell you what it will be. Not trying to take the wind out of your sails just want you to be prepared for some disappointment. 

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8 minutes ago, Wuzzie said:

I’m pretty sure, as a new grad, HR isn’t contracting you to negotiate salary. They are contacting you to tell you what it will be. Not trying to take the wind out of your sails just want you to be prepared for some disappointment. 

Hey!

thanks for responding. I guess I should’ve been more specific when I said “negotiate salary”. They told us what the base pay would be, but they’re going to talk to us about any other experience or qualifications we may have that could add additional $ to the base pay before they finalize the contract.

26 minutes ago, Sour Lemon said:

It's odd that HR would "negotiate salary" for any new graduate, and I've never heard of a higher pay rate for being bilingual, although it's certainly a positive when seeking employment.

If your area has a high Spanish-speaking population, there are probably a lot of other Spanish-speaking staff. Spanish speaking patients often have English speaking relatives, as well. And unless you have the proper certification, you'll be unacceptable as an interpreter in any sort of official capacity. We have official "blue phone" people for that.

I guess it doesn't hurt to ask, but I'd keep expectations low.

Gotcha, thanks!

13 minutes ago, klone said:

You would likely need to take the medical interpretation competency exam before they would give you a differential. You should not be providing interpretation services to patients until you've shown yourself to be competent in medical interpretation. Being bilingual does not mean that you're competent in medical interpretation.

 

Got it, thanks for responding.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
On 1/17/2021 at 4:58 PM, klone said:

You would likely need to take the medical interpretation competency exam before they would give you a differential. You should not be providing interpretation services to patients until you've shown yourself to be competent in medical interpretation. Being bilingual does not mean that you're competent in medical interpretation.

This is the exact expectation at my facility. Bilingual does not equal proficient in medical terminology to translate, so the proficiency must be demonstrated via exam. There is a differential, but it can also be a bit of a headache- for those who are competent to interpret, they may find themselves pulled to interpret in other areas frequently. Probably not so much for Spanish, but when we have a patient speaking Russian come to the OR, the one interpreter in the hospital who speaks Russian gets called down to preop if they're working.

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Specializes in Travel, Home Health, Med-Surg.

One place I worked did pay an hourly differential for nurses capable of being translators, a test was necessary first but if it is your native language and you are a nurse than you probably would pass just fine. If not you could always study whatever is necessary and take it again later. I would however ask HR was it involved. Would it be only your unit etc. And also know that once your coworkers find out you speak Spanish they will be pulling you away from your pts to translate (unofficially) and maybe that it not such a good idea until you get settled in the job, just something to think about (esp if Spanish speaker are predominant in your area). 

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Specializes in retired LTC.

And just know, that when you'd get pulled off to translate, be aware that no one will likely be doing anything for your assignment while you're away. Your assignment sits in limbo just waiting for you to return.

Be ye informed!

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4 hours ago, klone said:

You would likely need to take the medical interpretation competency exam before they would give you a differential. You should not be providing interpretation services to patients until you've shown yourself to be competent in medical interpretation. Being bilingual does not mean that you're competent in medical interpretation.

 

This.  And Spanish is too common for there to be much of a demand for interpreting outside of bonafide medical interpretation.

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Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
16 hours ago, Sour Lemon said:

I'd keep expectations low.

We should always keep expectations low, Sour Lemon.

That way, we pessimists are never disappointed.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

Just want to add, because this is a personal thing I have...translating is only for written materials. When you're talking about a person in a healthcare setting talking to people, it's interpreting, not translating. 

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

Our hospital offers testing for bilingual providers who would like to show proficiency in being a medical interpreter.  I've taken the Tagalog exam which was actually difficult coming from being a native speaker.  All I got, however, was $60, a certificate, and a sticker on my badge that says "bilingual provider".

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