Minor to go along with nursing degree

[haitianshawty112]

Hi wanted suggestions on which minor is better, I am thinking of minoring either in Spanish or Health Administration. If i wanna be a pediatric nurse/traveling nurse which minor better suits more.

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

My minor is Chinese and I am thinking of picking up Spanish since I have already had credit. Do the language ; being bilingual will only help you in the job market.

[llg, PhD, RN]

I depends on your career goals and plans. If you think you will be working with many Spanish-speaking people ... the Spanish minor will probably be of most help on a daily basis. If you will not be working with a Spanish-speaking population, then it won't be of much use. It depends on what regions of the country interest you as places to work. I've lived in 10 different states, but have never needed Spanish.

On the other hand, Health Administration won't be of much use in your first job as a staff nurse ... but it might open up career possibilities after you get a year of two of experience. It might help you advance in your career later.

I recommend choosing the one that appeals to you the most -- the one that you will enjoy the most -- have a genuine interest in the taking the classes, etc. Follow your heart on this one and be a happy, interested student. Don't take what you think will be best and then be unhappy with it.

[AaronsMommyxx]

I always thought that I would minor in Spanish and then once I go for my Masters I would take the dual degree course for nursing & health administration.

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

JCAHO wants to ensure that information is communicated accurately, so they're beginning to require that hospitals test and validate employees who provide informal language interpreting.

You simply cannot acquire language fluency strictly through a minor, and even getting to a professional working proficiency requires immersion/study abroad or a ton of commitment and work outside of your minor courses.

Bottom line: I used to think that some familiarity with a second language was a huge benefit, but I think ultimately it's not going to be all that valuable. I think we'll soon see a shift away from informal interpreting and toward placing more calls to credentialed interpreters.

[Cortisol]

As a Medical Interpreter, I'm partial to the idea of minoring in Spanish! If you are already fluent in Spanish, you may simply want to become a trained medical interpreter rather than completing a minor that's full of grammar and literature courses. While I minored in Spanish, the medical spanish study abroad I did and the medical interpreter training were most beneficial to me. In some instances, a certificate says more than a minor.

If you want to be a travel nurse, pursuing a Spanish minor may be a better choice for you since you may end up in areas with large Hispanic populations.

[Cortisol]

Sorry. Double post.