[POLL] is it a reason to NOT pursue nursing anymore?

[ionelaitou]

Hello, I really want to know the opinions of others about this. I would really appreciate if I were to get an outsider's viewpoint about this!

First off brief background (skip to question if not interested):

I moved to Korea, but I really am not fluent in Korean at all.

It's a four year program and once I graduate, I take the 99% pass rate licensure test and start working at one of the three major hospitals. For my school... graduates are only allowed to apply to one hospital of the 257 general hospitals in Korea.

1st year = just general credits

2nd year = theoretical nursing classes + some cadaver and basic nursing skills at uni hospital

3rd year = 1/2 practice + 1/2 theory

4th year = 2/3 practice + 1 class

No habla korean. I was raised in the states. I'm in 2nd year and literally, for my anatomy class, I just colored in the bubbles for the final. It was allllll Korean. I asked(begged) my professors for English. They said they would put in English terminology in brackets...but allllll the questions were all Korean ALL KOREAN and just the terms like "mycrofibril' was english but the rest was in Korean.

Of course, it's expected that a Korean uni would teach in Korean. But, it just makes no sense to me that they have no English versions...because the material they use are translated material that was originally in ENGLISH. The professors and the earlier classes learned in English. Heck, the year before...they taught statistics in English. BUT NOPE NOT ANYMORE.

Also, all the questions are in the format of "what is wrong, not right etc".

Question

I'm not saying their level or quality of education is inadequate...but its not fit for me personally. I want to know what I should do... to continue or to change?

I just don't know what else to do besides nursing.

Do you think it would be wise for me to continue with a program that I'm passing in all C's and D's? Not because I didn't try...but because I am at a severe disadvantage compared to my peers that are fluent in Korean and can understand the ppts, tests, books etc. I've stressed myself out so much to get good grades...but I realized it's no use and its better for me to just not try at all. I've tried using English version of text books, negotiating with the professors, learning on my own, gathering foreign students together but...its no help because they don't care at all. They just say 'oh im sorry..but we're not good at English either' (HOW THE HELL DID THEY GET THEIR PHDS IN AMERICA). They really just don't care at all, because in the end, we just chose a hospital and work there. Their education system FOR ME is a failure. I am taught to fail.

They just don't care, because we're accepted to any hospital we apply to.

There were also foreign students before me that are working at the hospitals now or went abroad. I look up to them, but...their answers are just to change majors or just stick with it. I'm 19 years old btw.

[cracklingkraken, ASN, RN]

This is kind of off topic but I speak two foreign languages, neither of which are my native languages, and I don't even think in English when I am reading/hearing/speaking in a foreign language. It's common to translate in your head when you first starting learning but I don't think you should do it once you've gained proficiency.

You're absolutely right. I apologize. When I first started to learn Korean, I would always have to translate a phrase in Korean to English, think of a response, and then translate it in Korean, so replying to questions took FOREVER. And it was quite embarrassing and frustrating. And I just realized, after you pointed that out, that I no longer do it.

To the OP: Are you planning on being a nurse in Korea? Just a random side note, some elderly Koreans are quite ethnocentric and you may find yourself having a really difficult time getting them to cooperate. Especially since almost 100% of them don't speak English.

I would recommend enrolling in some more language classes. Additionally, get a group of Korean friends. I actually learned Korean in college because I literally only had Korean-speaking friends. They barely spoke English, so I had to figure out how to communicate with them. My mom was certainly surprised when I suddenly came back from college speaking proficient Korean. Whatever your decision, good luck! I know how stressful it can be being in an unfamiliar place where you don't really know the language.

[OCNRN63, RN]

You must be able to read and understand some Korean or how have you managed to get Cs on tests that are all in Korean? But the bigger question I have is--let's say you can manage to graduate--what about working? Won't you need to speak Korean to work at the hospital? You have to understand the doctors, other nurses and most certainly, the patients. What's your plan to overcome this problem? How long will you be in Korea? Need more info to give my opinion.

Not just that, the OP needs to be understood as well. How will patients communicate with her? What about the staff, physicians, family? How will she be able to understand and complete physician's orders?

I became very fluent in another language, but that didn't happen in just one semester. It took several years in high school plus college courses. Perhaps there is an immersion course around that the OP can take. Otherwise, she's wasting her money and time.

[OCNRN63, RN]

I have to disagree with you on trying to understand anything in your native language. It doesn't help at all.

I am bilingual. I moved to United States when I was 30 years old. When I decided to start my prerequisites for nursing program I could communicate on 4 year old child level. Quickly I learned that trying to translate to my native language and then learn in English is not a very good and fast way to learn English... Essentially, I stopped reading and thinking in my native language. I was memorizing pages from books trying to make sure I will succeed and get accepted to nursing program. If OP wants to succeed he/she needs to essentially forget about English for some time

I would ARGUE with that

Thank you for this; I disagree with reverting back to your native language to speak another language. In fact, it's a pretty inefficient way to learn another language. For example, when I look at a flower, I don't think, "Oh, 'flower,' that's 'flor.'" I think the word that I want. Same way when I'm listening to Spanish; I don't try to hear it in English.

[ionelaitou]

Thank you for your positivity :) Y​eah, I speak Spanish as well only cause I was able to practice it. Hopefully, Korean will be like that too! I mean, I can speak it and understand it. It's just not the college-level that they are requiring enough to compete with peers!

[ionelaitou]

Well, it is their responsibility. They admitted me with knowing the fact that I'm completed my entire education in an English-speaking public school in a English-speaking country(mainly, although not official language, but we all know what language is spoken mostly). The entire application process was English, the people who answered my calls were English, the website is English, the international students spoke English. Also, I believe many are unaware of this fact, but the top universities in Korea are usually mostly English. Thus, I complained why my school has such little English in the academic side when they admit so many English speakers and hire English speaking professors.

[ionelaitou]

I agree, English, is actually the easiest language ever to learn besides latin!

Answers to your questions:

I didn't think WHY was an important aspect than just explaining the situation.

I moved for personal and uncontrollable reasons. It wasn't just like a "Oh yay, going to a country I never been to since I was a newborn!" I knew a year beforehand that I HAD to go. You might be wondering..so why would you HAVE to go? Again, personal reasons.

Again, just like people said, Korea is not America. America is not Korea. Korean universities are different. What you know about universities in America, it doesn't stand in Korea. For example, someone mentioned that a foreigner that is in American universities..shouldn't demand for a non-English class accommodation. HOWEVER, knowing Korean wasn't a requirement to applying - just score above a 4 to avoid paying extra for language school. But, level 4 or the highest level of that test doesn't mean your Korean is college-level ready.

Also, Korean universities teach English. One of the best universities have 100% English policies. Others have 50% English faculty. Others have 100% English programs. So, I complained why..the BEST one...doesn't have more than 4 classes per semester or ANY regulations with the amount they accept.

I don't know how I got this far...matters. But,

I got this far, because...they look at my K-12th grades, my ranking, my SAT and ACT score, SAT IIs, IBs, English proficiency(weird right?) and essays (which can be written English or Korean). Their application process, website, anything I need to know about the school was in English. They gave me tours in English... so yeah, I figured..they will have sufficient academic accommodations for English speakers since everything I needed had either English or Korean versions and options.

On how I got this far into the program...the first year is all electives with one Major related class(was in English). I took my electives with 2 english classes(all they had) and others in Korean(Korean lectures, English readings and tests). The second year (all nursing)..I wrote my essays and answers in English, but the m/c - I couldn't answer - because all of them were "choose the wrong one" meaning one word made it wrong.

Thus, I questioned whether or not I can complete this program.

[ionelaitou]

WOW ALL THIS TIME I clicked on REPLY than QUOTE. Sorry for the out-of-order, talking to the wall replies. But, I tried to reply to each and everyone!!!!! ^^

[cracklingkraken, ASN, RN]

That is extremely weird. How can they admit students, with the factor of English proficiency, yet teach some classes in Korean? I've never been in that situation, so all I can offer you is my condolences. I would think, at least for me, clinicals would be extremely difficult. I don't know any medical terms in Korean, nor would I be able to understand if they were saying "I'm having abdominal cramps," or something like that. Have you already begun clinicals? Is it just the classroom work that you're having difficulties with?

[ATBStudent]

That is extremely weird. How can they admit students, with the factor of English proficiency, yet teach some classes in Korean? I've never been in that situation, so all I can offer you is my condolences. I would think, at least for me, clinicals would be extremely difficult. I don't know any medical terms in Korean, nor would I be able to understand if they were saying "I'm having abdominal cramps," or something like that. Have you already begun clinicals? Is it just the classroom work that you're having difficulties with?

This is what I'm thinking. It would be a disservice to teach you to be a nurse in English when your career will require you to be a nurse in Korean. What I mean by this is that there is a large gap in vocabulary between medical personnel (like nurses) and the average joe on the street (not that there is anything wrong with joe). Teaching you medical vocabulary and terminology in English is a disservice to you as a professional that will likely have to use these terms to speak with patients and coworkers in Korean. Maybe your application process was in English, but a program that does not teach you to be successful in the environment you are in would not be worth pursuing. Maybe it's true that most Koreans speak English..I don't know, but I do know that all Koreans speak Korean ...so it is important that your education prepare you for that.

[cracklingkraken, ASN, RN]

I can vouch that a majority of Koreans do not know English. They know English cuss words and a few simple phrases, but there is still a large percentage of the population that are not even at a communication level.

If you're going to continue to pursue nursing in Korea, perhaps look if there is a medical terminology course you could enroll in. It might make some parts of the program a little more understandable.

[ionelaitou]

I can vouch that a majority of Koreans do not know English. They know English cuss words and a few simple phrases, but there is still a large percentage of the population that are not even at a communication level.

If you're going to continue to pursue nursing in Korea, perhaps look if there is a medical terminology course you could enroll in. It might make some parts of the program a little more understandable.

Good idea, but my nursing program is all scheduled until the day I graduate. No picking or choosing courses It's just made for us and very similar to high school schedules in Korea!! 0 _ 0 I did..get a book about medical terminology. I plan on assimilating myself more into Korean culture.

Yeah, english is not that used as they would like. But, you can go to any store and speak English and they wouldn't be surprised. For the clinicals..making small talk with the patients are hard for me personally, but the machines and records are mostly in English. HOPEFULLY I CAN SURVIVE :)

[ionelaitou]

This is what I'm thinking. It would be a disservice to teach you to be a nurse in English when your career will require you to be a nurse in Korean. What I mean by this is that there is a large gap in vocabulary between medical personnel (like nurses) and the average joe on the street (not that there is anything wrong with joe). Teaching you medical vocabulary and terminology in English is a disservice to you as a professional that will likely have to use these terms to speak with patients and coworkers in Korean. Maybe your application process was in English, but a program that does not teach you to be successful in the environment you are in would not be worth pursuing. Maybe it's true that most Koreans speak English..I don't know, but I do know that all Koreans speak Korean ...so it is important that your education prepare you for that.

Yeah, I agree. This program was made for Koreans to work in Korea. I'm one of the very few that are planning to go abroad since the start of the program. They do teach the terms in English but lectures and explanations in Korean. I'm just afraid I won't be able to utilize what I learn and work really really hard to teach myself.