Not even a word of English

[MomRN0913]

This past 2 weeks, the patients i have opened up cases for in HH speak not a work of English. They have social security numbers, Medicare benefits, and Medicaid benefits. Live in the U.S. But do not speak a word of English. Getting a family member who does or a translator at a certain time, or even to make a simple phone call and to get someone to answer the door is an utmost challenge.

I know this topic is controversial, but why am I struggling to hard to understand some Spanish so I can do my job in America?

Most are quite lovely patients. Some are just shocked that I don't speak Spanish!

My rant of the day. And these days, there are a lot of rants for me in this field, I admit it.

[nurse fefi]

I'm a Costa Rican nurse where I work I get a lot of American clients at least 4 per month, for us thats a lot... cause the hospital in the middle of the city at San Jose, not even close to a tourist place... Right now I'm the only nurse that speak english and they´re always very glad that there´s someone that can understand them. I think is plus to be bilingual, Is not that you have to, but you should so we can help more people and be close to our patients where ever they come from...

[nurse fefi]

And by the way must of them have more than a year living here in Costa Rica and they don´t know to speak Spanish...

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

To the OP - your post makes me sick. Let us hope you never fall ill in a foreign country. Though, it's highly unlikely that would occur because it's highly unlikely that you have a passport. God help you and your patients.

This belongs in the "I wouldn't want you as my nurse!" thread. It's thataway ---->

[tothemanorborn]

This belongs in the "I wouldn't want you as my nurse!" thread. It's thataway ---->

No, honey, it belongs right here. Thanks though!

[tothemanorborn]

Also, your assertion that all RN BSNs are multilingual is laughable.

I don't recall ever saying "all." Foreign language is typically a requirement of ANY BS program - nursing or otherwise. If you have ever had to learn to conjugate irregular verbs, you most certainly have a greater appreciation for the work involved in learning a new language.

And even if you DO know a few words of another language, you typically don't learn medical terminology.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

And by the way must of them have more than a year living here in Costa Rica and they don´t know to speak Spanish...

We're not talking about language superiority here. (Your post has a tit-for-tat quality about it.) We're talking about the ability to speak the predominant language of the country where you intend to reside. If there are Americans setting up retirement/permanent/long-term holiday residences in Costa Rica, YES, they should learn to speak Spanish.

Someone else mentioned falling ill on vacation. My child has fallen ill on vacation to my husband's homeland. My husband and his daughter were out seeing other cities, while I and my children were staying with his relatives, so I had no one bilingual to help me.

I know how terrifying it can be to get healthcare in a country where you don't speak the language. However, wouldn't a permanent resident of any country then make learning it a priority? That experience was the reason why I've repeatedly told my husband we are never retiring in his homeland, even though he would love to.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

And by the way must of them have more than a year living here in Costa Rica and they don´t know to speak Spanish...

Well, they should try to learn Spanish is they're going to live in Costa Rica. Just like people who move to the US should make an effort to learn English.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

I don't recall ever saying "all." Foreign language is typically a requirement of ANY BS program - nursing or otherwise. If you have ever had to learn to conjugate irregular verbs, you most certainly have a greater appreciation for the

work involved in learning a new language.And even if you DO know a few words of another language, you typically don't learn medical terminology.

I took four years of high school French, I know all about conjugating verbs. I appreciate that learning a language is difficult. But the majority of people who immerse themselves in a foreign language

learn enough to get by in a matter of months. I agree that even immigrants who are considered fluent will have a hard time with medical jargon. That's NOT what we're talking about. We're talking about people who have lived in this country for years and have made the conscious decision not to learn English. That is NOT an intolerant expectation. I'm not asking anyone to wire a thesis. But after 4 years you better be able to read simple signs or fill out a form....

[kidznrs]

I grew up in an area that had a lot of German immigrants. It seemed they all learned English. I knew they were immigrants because of the broken English they spoke in their homes. I moved to CA where the population was 70% Hispanic. I would enter a room only to have the family say "we only want a nurse that speaks Spanish." I had Hispanic nurses explain to me over and over about their families coming to United States for a better life. And other nurses saying, if only the colleges would require students to take a foreign language, everyone should speak more than one language. I had taken classes in a foreign language. In French, not in Spanish. Just as I was learning to speak a few words/phrases in Spanish, we started to have patients that only spoke Hmong, Punjabi. We did have both the phone and a video conference equipment available for translating, but most felt they weren't very effective when trying to communicate. Very frustrating.

[prmenrs, RN]

Please remember to debate w/o attacking, as per the Terms of Service. xx's prmenrs, moderator.

[Tragically Hip]

The ADN program at our school has no foreign langauge requirement, but the BSN program requires at least two years of a foreign language at the high school or college level.

I took two years of Spanish followed by two years of French from 9th to 12th grade, and after I was done, I couldn't come close to holding a conversation in either language. Later on I worked with a tutor (more like a conversation partner) on French, and after quite some time, I was able to hold a conversation in the language, though I'd be lost if I had to talk about medical subjects, even though I could probably read a journal article in French and understand most of it.

Two years of high school Spanish, and my Spanish ability very basic. I'm afraid it would take a lot of intensive study before I'd feel comfortable taking a medical history in the language. On the other hand, where I live, employment, outside of research and informatics, is difficult to find without some fluency in Spanish.

[anotherone, BSN, RN]

Haven't read every post. That being said. one very positive aspect of my current location is that the majority of people are English speakers. It makes things so much easier and faster. In this field those are big things. Even with interpreters, martii( never heard of that before!), the att phone service, it takes MORE time, and you still do not know if it is being translated correctly. Occasionally we get some spanish speakers but most of them speak some english or understand a lot. Like other posters said "bilingual " usually means spanish. However in some places being bilingual with the other language being spanish IS USELESS. Totally depends on where you live. It can be anything. My own experience is that I hate not knowing what is going on. When I am in a foreign country I constantly ask what does this mean, how do you say that etc......... 20 years and they can't understand or say simple stuff? embarassing for most adults................. i think sometimes people know more than they let on.