Nurses not speaking english at work

Nurses General Nursing

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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.

Logically, if University A admitted 20 qualified international students to their program, these international students would automatically pay more $ than if they admitted 20 qualified local (in-state) students. It's that simple, you don't need to overanalyze. On top of that, if you are an international student, chances of you paying for a dorm/housing in the campus is higher.....so they earn more from you.

:confused::confused::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.

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Specializes in Med Surg,.

This is a problem where I came from. Once one of them come there is a trail behind them. They do take our jobs in droves. Do not take it lightly they are consuming our heritage. The preference is to hire them for what ever reason. Where I worked it was a policy for them not to speak in their language but americans were out numbered. When the issue of them not speaking english there were never any repercussions. We Americans need to stop talking about the problem and gather to conclude a solution

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Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.
Yeah, now it's ICE, ICE, baby.

ICE = Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

You are so right, I'm sorry, just set in my old anti-illegal ways. Thanks for reminding me:D Husband came from Czech. we're all about doing it the LEGAL way. His family was sponsored through catholic charities... there are so many ways NOT to be ILLEGAL. Although we all seem to agree the process is crazy, how is it my husbands family arranged it from a Communist country and those walking across the border can't do so.

and yes, they all learned ENGLISH! and they don't wave their old flag, and demand rights not allowed to them. I say, everyone in a protest be asked for legal status papers or I'll happily pay for their deportation. I"m already paying their welfare, food stamps, medicare because of the ripped off social securitiy ##'s that cost me thousands of dollars to get my identity back, on top of my wasted taxes, for those that demand I learn a foreign language in my own country.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Newborn Nursery, Post Partum.

Why is everyone getting so worked up over something that's not going to change! I am a first generation American born, my parents were born in Mexico came over legally, and because of that is why I know the language. Both my parents know English, even if it is with a heavy accent, but can hold a conversation. I DO NOT speak Spanish in front of my co-workers unless I am translating and when I do translate I do it directly meaning that I speak as if I were the patient. I have been know to tell the parents to my patients that it is very important not just for them but for their children to learn the language.

So stop posting nasty MSG back and forth to each other. It is what it is and we will not be able to change what our companies do or the people they hire. Remember we became nurses because we care and wanted to help people; they (administration/corporate) got into this "business" because it is great money!

Don't forget why your really there...... regardless of what your co-workers do bottom line is to care for your patients and be their advocates!

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Why is everyone getting so worked up over something that's not going to change! I am a first generation American born, my parents were born in Mexico came over legally, and because of that is why I know the language. Both my parents know English, even if it is with a heavy accent, but can hold a conversation. I DO NOT speak Spanish in front of my co-workers unless I am translating and when I do translate I do it directly meaning that I speak as if I were the patient. I have been know to tell the parents to my patients that it is very important not just for them but for their children to learn the language.

So stop posting nasty MSG back and forth to each other. It is what it is and we will not be able to change what our companies do or the people they hire. Remember we became nurses because we care and wanted to help people; they (administration/corporate) got into this "business" because it is great money!

Don't forget why your really there...... regardless of what your co-workers do bottom line is to care for your patients and be their advocates!

Thank you for the information you've shared and the fact that you have encouraged some of the people for whom you are translating to learn English. In the long run they will benefit from being able to communicate better.

I do take issue with your assertion that " we will not be able to change what our companies do or the people they hire." There are right ways and wrong ways to bring about change, but companies and working conditions have improved greatly over time because people challenged things they thought needed improvement.

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why is everyone getting so worked up over something that's not going to change! i am a first generation american born, my parents were born in mexico came over legally, and because of that is why i know the language. both my parents know english, even if it is with a heavy accent, but can hold a conversation. i do not speak spanish in front of my co-workers unless i am translating and when i do translate i do it directly meaning that i speak as if i were the patient. i have been know to tell the parents to my patients that it is very important not just for them but for their children to learn the language.

so stop posting nasty msg back and forth to each other. it is what it is and we will not be able to change what our companies do or the people they hire. remember we became nurses because we care and wanted to help people; they (administration/corporate) got into this "business" because it is great money!

don't forget why your really there...... regardless of what your co-workers do bottom line is to care for your patients and be their advocates!

hello judy,

i speak two languages, but would never hold conversations with other peers in front of another nurse who does not speak the language as this is just rude. rude is rude in any language and i would never have a conversation with anyone in another language while a peer of mine is sitting there not understanding what is being said. i am proud of all languages, but i'm in america, thus i speak english when at work and expect the same respect from others. i believe you need to go back and read all the posts as you've missed the point. :confused:

thanks for your interest however

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If there are times when it becomes momentarily necessary to speak to a co-worker in a non-English language--such as, to clarify something that is really difficult to get across in English--I wouldn't have a problem with someone doing so as long as it was brief and infrequent.

I would appreciate it if that person told me what they were talking about.

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I'm a nursing student and when I'm at my clinical sites, I am there to LEARN. I'm soaking it up like a sponge, however, I'm so unhappy with many of the sites because the nursing staff speak Tagalog in front of us.

One of the first things we do when we get to our site is participate in shift change report. After report, my instructor starts grilling us to tell her about our patients and a brief overview of their conditions/medications/treatments, etc... and all I can do is say, "The nurses chose to talk in their home language so I have no idea". This is really sad to me. All I want to do is learn so I can be a good nurse when I complete school. I don't mind if people speak other languages while on their breaks but please, do not do so to my exclusion. You may be talking about the weather but I feel like you are talking about me. It's rude and unprofessional. If I were to move to another country to work, I would be expected to adapt. "When in Rome" is my motto! Nurses, please remember that you were a student once and remember how difficult it can be. I respect your culture and love your food and have even listened to your music with my Filipino friends. I am trying and hope you can too.

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Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

We just got another emailed reminder from our director that only English was to be spoken in the clinical area. (Unless pt does not speak it). Stressing how important an issue it is. How it makes the patients/parents/co-workers uncomfortable. How there had been many complaints and it MUST. STOP. NOW@!!!!!!!11!, etc.

A group of my co-workers (including the charge nurse) were, that very night, having a long and animated conversation, on the floor, in Tagalog. I asked them what they were discussing so hotly. The answer?

They were discussing the email warning us to only speak English, of course. In Tagalog. On the clinical floor.

Okey doke.

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Why wouldn't she, if that is what she grew up speaking in the home?

English is NOT the official language of the US! In fact, I think that in the next 20 years, English will be replaced by Spanish as the most commonly spoken language in the home.

You are not serious, are you? "English is NOT the official language of the US"- What the hell are you talking about? I am not an american, but i have to speak English BECAUSE I LIVE IN THE US NOW. Why should we speak Spanish, we do not live in Mexico nor Spain. :confused:

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Specializes in Operating Room Nursing.

I've reached the stage now where I don't care what language people speak during their breaks as long as they CAN speak any English at all. I agree that deliberately excluding people in this way is rude and is a form of bullying. But right now we have bigger problems that need to be dealt with. We have a HUGE problem within my hospital of nurses who see being hired with poor English language skills. I've recently had nurses come and work with me and not been able to communicate appropriately. This is unacceptable anywhere in a hospital in an English speaking country. I've had to refuse to work with them one on one because I've had too many incidents in the OR where communication deficits put the patient at risk.

It's clear to me that the criteria for allowing some English as a second or third language is not being met. The boardneeds toget tougher on this because it puts patients and risk as well as causing stress to other nurses.

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Most of my coworkers are, and have been, Filipinos and majority of them were brought into US because of nurse shortage. Despite their fluency in English language (the only Asian country that have fluency in English language), they choose to speak Tagalong around the clinical setting as well. As most of the posts here state, I do not have a problem with people speaking in their ethnic language among themselves (especially since I am a bilingual myself), but since the filipino nurses make up the majority of nurses at work, the non-filipino nurses like myself often feel isolated and most importantly, miss out on crucial nurse-nurse communication involving patient care. This is a serious issue that is affecting health care and nursing throughout the USA as the posts from various states across the country show. I would agree with enforcing the rule of one common language to be spoken in the clinical environment.

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