Nurses not speaking english at work

[Guest296136]

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.

[sailornurse]

If you lived in Chicago, your Spanish-speaking ability would be put to good use for your patients. But, what would you do when your patient was Polish? Remember, the other nurses aren't there to translate for you, right?

The point is that no nurses are hired to be interpreters, facilities need to have properly trained interpreters. Ih they want nurses to serve in this role in addition to their NURSING DUTIES, 1. The nurses need to have correct medical terminology.

2. Be paid to serve as translators and 3. Should be allowed time to serve in this role.

[hecallsmeDuchess]

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.

Are these immigrants who are using services not paying taxes? If they're working overtime, does that not mean they are paying more taxes? Assuming they are actually paying their taxes from these jobs, isn't that considered as contribution to this country? Immigrants who work two jobs most times do so because of the immense responsibility they have in their home countries, that they are here in this country does not absolve them from taking care of their extended families back in their native lands. And there really is nothing wrong in making a home two different countries.

[nursel56]

Sailornurse: The quote you posted that supposedly quoted me is from someone else's post. Maybe one of the mods will fix it.

If you lived in Chicago, your Spanish-speaking ability would be put to good use for your patients. But, what would you do when your patient was Polish? Remember, the other nurses aren't there to translate for you, right?

The point is that no nurses are hired to be interpreters, facilities need to have properly trained interpreters. Ih they want nurses to serve in this role in addition to their NURSING DUTIES, 1. The nurses need to have correct medical terminology.

2. Be paid to serve as translators and 3. Should be allowed time to serve in this role.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

what nursing shortage? nurses are out of work and looking for jobs in record numbers.

please answer my question regarding why it is ok to give jobs to foreingers while us citizens go hungry? i do not understand.

i am not being facetious here, i am really seeking to understand the rationale.

most of those "foreingers" came to this country to work as nurses during a time when there just were not enough nurses to go around. they've worked long and hard to get and keep their jobs and many of them are now us citizens. should we fire all those experienced nurses who happen to have been born in a foreign country so that folks who were born here can take their jobs? in many places, that would mean there would be no experienced nurses yet to train the newbies. the economy waxes and wanes. it will turn around. and those nurses will still be here, taking care of our families and friends.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

i think those nurses have every right to speak their language at work as long as they dont speak it at front of the patients,i mean we live in a free country so we have the right to dress the way we want to,speak they way we want and belong to what ever religion dominations we agree with it...united states is a country of zero tolerance for immigrants.i mean when you travel to another country the local people are thrilled to meet someone from united states and they actually are happy when someone speak english so they can also maybe learn other language and customes..american people need to get over their high horses and stop being nationalists,no wonder people dont like us in other countries--like if you go to mexico they talk bad about us or in europe,they say that we are arrogant and narcisstic,i dont want people to think that about me-i dont want to be this blind,better than thou person,so i urge americans to open to other cultures and i dont mean just to let them live here,work,and eat,stop being so judgemental,start showing international movies in tv,start brining more international stars to the hollywood,and learn other languages.

while everyone has a right to speak whatever language they choose in their homes and when they're off duty and with their friends, it's downright rude to speak another language at work to the exclusion of one of your colleagues. i disagree that the united states is a country of zero tolerance for immigrants. we're built by immigrants -- however most of them desired to learn the language and the customs of their adopted country and to fit in.

most americans, i believe, are open to learning about other cultures. we do, however have our own. perhaps, if someone has chosen to live in our country they ought to be more open to ours. i've said it before, but my mother-in-law boasted that she never had to learn to live in our culture or speak our language -- she only patronized businesses that spoke her language and lived in her culture. she never quite thought the us was good enough for her.

that said, i love most of the "foreign" nurses who are my colleagues, and some of their cuisine is outstanding! i can't wait for the next potluck so marlena will bring some of those rice noodles with shrimp and veggies that i can never remember the name of. we have nurses from every continent except, arguably, antartica and perhaps simone qualifies because she lived and worked there. i'm fascinated by the glimpses into their home countries and cultures that they provide.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

it's all about business. blame it on $ hungry us schools. they charge a higher tuition for foreign students-----so it obviously makes them earn a lot by doing that than to accept someone who's from the us.

i am shocked, personally, by the numbers of foreign nurses. we see these nursing schools being so "selective" and yet so many of our nursing class were foreign students -- whatever happened to admitting an american to the class -- there was undoubtedly no shortage of applicants. yet, i do not know the number of american students who applied.

most public colleges and universities are supported at least in part by the taxes of the community. of course they charge more for people who come from outside their tax base -- they didn't help pay for the school with their taxes. schools are money hungry because education costs money -- or don't you believe educators should be paid?

[island40]

if you are not part of the group it doesn't sound to me like you are "accepted." join in - ask them what they are eating tonight, talk with them, get to know them.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

i have a feeling that the op is exagerrating a bit,i really dont believe that these nurses leave her on the floor by herself,do you actually believe that??? they would be fired!

i believe her.

[kcochrane]

i believe her.

me too..i've seen it happen. especially on weekends when admin isn't around. with a mix of different type of employees.

it is one thing to speak your native language on your break or for personal issues. but to leave one person out is just rude. there should be one common language at work to allow for communication and good teamwork. when i lived in s. korea, i learned the language because it was their language. i didn't expect them to speak english.

[caliotter3]

i believe her.

as many times as i was left out of the loop by the "majority", on purpose, i definitely believe her.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

It's all about business. Blame it on $ hungry US schools. They charge a higher tuition for foreign students-----so it obviously makes them earn a lot by doing that than to accept someone who's from the US.

:confused:

I'm not sure where you're getting the idea that only foreign students pay more tuition than American students. In addition to the info about tax base posted by Ruby Vee above, individuals with student visas are charged the same amount as out-of-state students in public universities. Private universities have the same tuition rate for everyone because they receive no tax dollars.

If a student is a resident alien (legal immigrant who is a full-time resident of the US), they are charged based on residency, meaning that if they are in-state, they pay in-state tuition just like an American citizen.

[brownbook]

About leaving her on the floor by herself. In my old job in an acute care hospital the meed/surg break room was centrally located close to the nurses station and patient rooms. When I was the supervisor we would often gather in the break room for short breaks, leaving NO ONE "on the floor". We (Anglo, Hispanic, and Phillipino) could hear the call lights, hear any alarms, hear the IV pump alarms, etc. I don't know the original OP layout, but I felt our patients were perfectly safe! If any hospital is paying foreign born nurses with the same education and same job less than native workers please give me the details. I have many lawyer friends who would be eager to take this TOTALLY ILLEGAL case to court.