llg hit it on the head! I even have trouble understanding some of our foreign nurses and I can just imagine how hard it is for the patients. I am a firm believer that ALL foreign train nurses who want to work in the states should have an excellent understanding of the English language and not a passing a test one. They show the lack of knowledge in how they chart and I really, really don't understand how some of them even passed NCLEX test. A few of the nurses here I just give up trying to understand them. Nursing shortage or not, they shouldn't even be here.
I worked in an ER with an MD that had a "thick accent" and was difficult to understand. We had a patient that was being admitted for new onset seizures and he suddenly began to seize. The MD started yelling "Volume! Volume! Give him Volume right now!" and our new ER nurse promptly reached over and ran the IV wide open....as I ran to get what she really wanted--VALIUM!
Specializes in Psych, ER, Resp/Med, LTC, Education.
LOL Too funny about the "volume!" funny though I am US born and very clear speaking--live in upstate NY--and have had 1 or 2 patients who were elderly and hard of hearing responded when I asked them the take some deep breaths so I could listen to thier breathing she says...."Big breasts??? what?" LOL
I worked in an ER with an MD that had a "thick accent" and was difficult to understand. We had a patient that was being admitted for new onset seizures and he suddenly began to seize. The MD started yelling "Volume! Volume! Give him Volume right now!" and our new ER nurse promptly reached over and ran the IV wide open....as I ran to get what she really wanted--VALIUM!
This is the funniest story I heard since long time ago....
We had another Chinese MD that would say "AH SAY! AH SAY!" whenever he wanted to look in their throat. When the pt. would look at him puzzled, I'd follow up by saying, "SAY AH, SAY AH!" But he was the best trauma surgeon--he could work on me any day of the week!
That story..........volume/valium made me think of the director where I went to school. She had a thick accent but believe you me, YOU UNDERSTOOD WHAT SHE MEANT. Straight to the point with a no funny business approach.
Thing was, I would start laughing to myself and get giddy when she was around (sort of like, IDK, when you try so hard not to sneeze in church).
She pronounced "students" like........stewd-aunts. I wanted to laugh every time she did it.........."stewd-aunts, there is a test coming and I dont want to hear about any parties the night before, I will not be giving any breaks on grades", "stewd-aunts, too many of you are coughing and not covering your mouths, do you want the other beautiful stewd-aunts to be sick as well?"
Oh my. People feared her, and for good reason, but I loved her. She taught the "Principles of Nursing" course I went to and one day I was acting the clown and she said "Mike-el, you are scaring me a liddle bid today. Are you really going to do thaaat in my clinicals, or are you beaning a clown? If you do thaat, the other stewd-aunts will have to get someone else to be the study group leeeder person thing." She was being friendly and knew I was just clowning. Ah, the class broke out in laughter, and she thought it was at me the whole time, but I knew better.
We had another Chinese MD that would say "AH SAY! AH SAY!" whenever he wanted to look in their throat. When the pt. would look at him puzzled, I'd follow up by saying, "SAY AH, SAY AH!" But he was the best trauma surgeon--he could work on me any day of the week!
This should be classic,I heard you ERs have a good humor,I guess I heard it right!!
yes, I do understand that patients need to know what is being said but, they can ask the nurse to speak slowly. Some patients are miserable and grouchhhhhhhhhhy anyway and doctor think they are higher being. Humor is medicine for the heart if this patient just try to be nicer they might be cured fast and send home.:wink2:
Patients have every right to understand what they are being told. I am so tired of everyone being so PC about everything. If Im a patient in a hospital and I did not understand what the heck someone said to me, you are darn right I am going to be upset.
I guess I am going to have to get used to PC for the next 4 years huh.
I'm sorry, but with our severe nursing shortage, it just HACKS ME OFF when our patients complain about their foreign nurses having an accent. Sometimes I just want to say "yknow what.....be glad you HAVE A NURSE to care for you at all !" I am just SO tired of it.....if it's THAT bad, the patient should just ask the nurse to WRITE things......:typing.. .....I was also appalled hearing a doctor speak to a foreign nurse VERY rudely due to her accent.....get over
yourself, doctor!
I agree with those who have said that patients have a right to understand what they are being told by their healthcare professionals. Asking a nurse to "write it" seems excessive for both the patient and the additional work/time for the nurse. I'd think that those nurses who know their accent may be a problem as far as patient communication should work toward minimizing that hurdle. It's not a personal slight- the issue is just that communication is a vital skill- particularly in a healthcare profession.
That said- I don't think rudeness is acceptable *anywhere* in the professional arena. (Or out of it.)
shodobe
1,260 Posts
llg hit it on the head! I even have trouble understanding some of our foreign nurses and I can just imagine how hard it is for the patients. I am a firm believer that ALL foreign train nurses who want to work in the states should have an excellent understanding of the English language and not a passing a test one. They show the lack of knowledge in how they chart and I really, really don't understand how some of them even passed NCLEX test. A few of the nurses here I just give up trying to understand them. Nursing shortage or not, they shouldn't even be here.