Nurses not speaking english at work

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I work nights and the majority of the night nurses are foreign, they are all very good nurses but sometimes I feel out of place because they are always speaking their language to each other. They all take their breaks together and have a feast every night, many times leaving me on the floor by myself. I am out numbered and am afraid to say anything, it took awhile to get accepted and I don't want to make waves.

Not according to my conversation with CGFNS and multiple boards of registered nursing. If you have a BSN in another country then it better be on par with BSN education in the USA.

I think you also fail to recognize that there are high end and low end schools across the USA teaching nursing.

A BSN degree from one school may be a higher quality than a BSN from another school, yet they all meet the same minimum requirements.

YES I AM NOT A NURSE!!!

I guarantee you that I know more about US nurse licensure for foreign nurses than you do. It is what I work with on a daily basis and I am well versed in the requirements, processes and procedures for all 50 states.

You are doing work that a US nursing school secretary does for free in the USA. In the US filing for NCLEX is not a big deal. Considering the Forgein Schools are based on US programs this should not be a big deal for them either.

When the IEN applies it is a learning experience, nursing is full of forms that one must deal on a daily basis. Having a second agency do this work robs the nurse of learning the system when they come into US practice. I know they may save money, but it would be an easier to learn US processes before they have a license then to loose their US license due to the fact they don't know how to navigate the system.

Also the grads should hold the schools feet to the fire , they paid them for 4 years, the schools should be assisting considering they say they are modeled after the US>

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You are doing work that a US nursing school secretary does for free in the USA. In the US filing for NCLEX is not a big deal. Considering the Forgein Schools are based on US programs this should not be a big deal for them either.

I agree that it should not be; but it is. The requirements for application are different for foreign versus US Grads yet they are made to use the same application form in most cases.

Studies prove that the process IS difficult; so much so that approximately 30% of foreign nurses each year make major mistakes in the application process which cost them more than $200 to correct and in many cases causes them to be found ineligible or forces them to completely re-apply.

Interestingly enough one of my clients was a US Citizen who came to the Philippines for education, she had been denied eligibility to take NCLEX four times before coming to my office.

The work I do isn't just on a whim, it is based on extensive research to identify the problem and formulate precise solutions.

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I agree that it should not be; but it is. The requirements for application are different for foreign versus US Grads yet they are made to use the same application form in most cases.

Studies prove that the process IS difficult; so much so that approximately 30% of foreign nurses each year make major mistakes in the application process which cost them more than $200 to correct and in many cases causes them to be found ineligible or forces them to completely re-apply.

Interestingly enough one of my clients was a US Citizen who came to the Philippines for education, she had been denied eligibility to take NCLEX four times before coming to my office.

The work I do isn't just on a whim, it is based on extensive research to identify the problem and formulate precise solutions.

The US nurse has to fill out numerous forms, many of them are harder than filing for the NCLEX, (even with the extra paper work), My point is wouldn't it be better to learn how the US system works even if you make a two hundred dollars mistake, I would rather make a mistake prior to be a licensed nurse where they could loose their job, have a compliant filed with the BON? There is no hurry to get a license these days so why the rush?

The "research" I found is posted on the web page by business man, to me it looks a marketing advertisement that has taken facts to sell a program.

In nursing school we teach how to interpret studies, the study is not case controlled, it does not disclose it was financed by a for profit agency, it does't mention that the participants were informed etc.

Where my husband works this is called marketing not a study, where facts are analyzed and a marketing plan is implemented, even in the non medical field they don't call taking stats, analyzing the outcomes and call it research. They call it advertisement.

Could you point the link where this randomized case control study which has been peer reviewed ? I would be interested in reading it.

Thanks

Thanks

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Maybe just press '1' ?;)

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Specializes in LTC, Acute care.
Absolutely not, you came in good faith, you met your obligations of service to your sponsor. But you bring up an interesting problem, the US needs to look at the issue of importing nurses in tough times, instead make nursing a better occupation so qualified Americans can go to school and be employed.

Not all foreign nurses share your attitude about America, many look at the USA as a way to make money to send back home. These nurses have no intention of making the USA "home", it is a means to living a good quality life in their homeland.

Can you tell me what is wrong with the bolded? If someone makes their money legitimately, how they spend it-sending it home, buying an SUV, going on a cruise-should really not be anyone's business. I'm just confused by your statement...

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Can you tell me what is wrong with the bolded? If someone makes their money legitimately, how they spend it-sending it home, buying an SUV, going on a cruise-should really not be anyone's business. I'm just confused by your statement...

To say you want to immigrate you are saying you are making US your home. If you bring a family your kids are being educated, you are using services. For the most part if nurses are in it for the money, they tend not to be involved in the community. The nurses who come over to work, tend to take all the overtime, but don't participate in any extra work such as community or committee work. These nurses give a quick report and are in a hurry to get to their second job.

There are many immigrants who come to the USA and embrace life in the USA. In my home town the immigrants work hard to make my community solid ( for example when the town needed a defibrillator they raised enough for two). The nurses who come to work have no interest in making the US their permanent home. If immigration slots are in demand, why should people who have no plans to stay or contribute to the community be a priority.

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Specializes in PACU, CARDIAC ICU, TRAUMA, SICU, LTC.
I am a little stupid so bear with me.

Many US CITIZENS who are RN's are out of work yet we have foreign nurses speaking a foreign language at work in a US hospital while the unemployed US nurses are having their homes foreclosed on?

Can someone please educate me on how this is possible?

Many foreign nurses are willing to take a lower rate of pay; they still earn more $ than they would in their native country.

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Specializes in CTICU.

To the OP:

Sounds hurtful. Did you ever ask them to include you? Perhaps they are beetches, perhaps they are ignorant, perhaps they are just not thoughtful and would be upset to find out that you are upset. It might be worth opening your mouth to address the issue openly. Nobody like to be excluded from a group, regardless of the basis of the exclusion.

The xenophobia spewing forth in this thread is jaw-droppingly astounding from supposedly educated, professional people. Even the fact that any, let alone many posters assumed that the people speaking a foreign language are not US citizens would be laughable, if it wasn't so sad.

The assessment. Is for basic nursing education they do not evaluate for a bsn, there is difference. I am a RN and have an advanced degree what are your nursing credentials?[/quote']

You are absolutely uninformed and incorrect. I have in my possession a CES report which clearly states "EQUIVALENT TO A US BACHELOR DEGREE IN NURSING" with regard to my "foreign" education.

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To the OP:

Sounds hurtful. Did you ever ask them to include you? Perhaps they are beetches, perhaps they are ignorant, perhaps they are just not thoughtful and would be upset to find out that you are upset. It might be worth opening your mouth to address the issue openly. Nobody like to be excluded from a group, regardless of the basis of the exclusion.

The xenophobia spewing forth in this thread is jaw-droppingly astounding from supposedly educated, professional people. Even the fact that any, let alone many posters assumed that the people speaking a foreign language are not US citizens would be laughable, if it wasn't so sad.

You are absolutely uninformed and incorrect. I have in my possession a CES report which clearly states "EQUIVALENT TO A US BACHELOR DEGREE IN NURSING" with regard to my "foreign" education.

It is not up to the "isloated person" to ask the other nurses to stop speaking in another tongue. It is not the RN problem. For you to point to her as it SHE was the problem concerns me and your use of empathy here. Again, rude is rude in ANY language when your peers are standing about not able to understand. I would NEVER think of doing this with one of my languages.

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Specializes in CTICU.
It is not up to the "isloated person" to ask the other nurses to stop speaking in another tongue. It is not the RN problem. For you to point to her as it SHE was the problem concerns me and your use of empathy here. Again, rude is rude in ANY language when your peers are standing about not able to understand. I would NEVER think of doing this with one of my languages.

Perhaps you could re-read my post, and this time don't ascribe intentions to me that I did not have? I didn't mention or "point to her as if SHE was the problem".

Oftentimes, as adults, even if you didn't cause a situation, it's more intelligent to address it directly. Addressing a problem in an adult manner, even when other people are acting improperly, doesn't suggest that you caused it.

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Many foreign nurses are willing to take a lower rate of pay; they still earn more $ than they would in their native country.

Sorry, you're wrong there.

US employers are required by law to pay immigrants the same rate as non-immigrants for the same position.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.
for all the time people spent on complaining; you could have spend that time learning tagalog, spanish, and possibly basic eastern languages.

This kind of response is a little bit frustrating for the following reason: Which language should I learn to be the most effective for my patient and co-worker population?

This is an interesting map. http://www.mla.org/map_single

According to the 2000 census, 82% of the US speaks English. Other languages are only 18%...combined. Spanish is 10%, and the next largest group is Chinese at less than 1%.

In my area, in order to accommodate the largest patient groups, I would need to learn Spanish and Polish. To accommodate any potential co-workers, I would need to learn Spanish, Polish, Tagalog, and the Eastern Indian languages. So, now I'm up to four or more languages so that I can be a nice, "pretty" (as opposed to "ugly") American.

Some people feel English-only Americans should learn another language. Ok. But that doesn't make the Tagalog and English-speaking nurse any more effective than I when dealing with a Spanish- or Polish-speaking patient or co-worker.

See what I'm getting at? Are some suggesting that the English-only Americans should learn another language just to berate the "ugly" Americans? Or are you suggesting it so we can be more effective?

Regardless, it won't help when we are trying to communicate with ALL patients or co-workers. Especially when there is only ONE language that could be common to all, which is English.

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