I remember having a prof in school with an accent that impaired our understanding of his lectures. We were upset because we were paying a lot of money for the class and didn't understand him. Pt's feel the same way. My family is from Scotland, the accents can be thick and difficult to understand if you're not used to the language. We have traveled out of country many times. In most countries they do not cater to Americans. We adapted to them. The only time there was an exception to the rule was when tourism and money was involved. But in main stream living, we adapted to them. And I might add, that was OK with me, it is their country. If I wanted to work in a hospital in Germany, I would need to speak fluent German or they would not hire me. If a German pt had trouble understanding me it was my problem not theirs.
Great minds think alike. I was just going to use the German example! I am sooo tired of hearing how the nursing shortage is proof that we should let anyone and everyone nurse in the US. I am almost certain that this has some effect on our wages (how could it not?) and I am absolutely certain that dying patients should NOT have to say, "what?" when their nurse explains that it is time to say their final goodbyes. (for example.)
Hmmm... Accent huh, I'm actually an Asian nurse(filipino to be specific) with a Pending Immigrant Petition to work there.. Still waiting for it to be processed. Actually, I guess the problem here is JUST THE ACCENT... Honestly, foreign nurses who aspire to work in the US has to undergo tremendous amount of EXAMS. and most of all ENGLISH proficiency exams..
I do agree that I myself carry a little of my Native accent when dealing with my patients and a foreign colleague..
And I've recognize a lot of Difference as to Pronounciation.. i.e. Lasix and Losec, two different drug, Lasix can be mistaken by Losec as pronounced by Americans. So these simple things, is really a big concern..
So hard tongues need to be practiced..
But let me clear things, ACCENT is not a BASIS for SKILLS, COMPETENCY and KNOWLEDGE... it's very different...Accent can be dissolve in years time...
While no one should make fun of somebody because of their voice ... or be less than polite and professional to someone with an accent ....
I remember interviewing a nurse from another country whose English language skills were so poor that it was difficult to conduct the interview. So, we decided not to hire her. However, we had trouble telling her that she was not hired because she could not understand what we were saying! We tried multiple people trying to state it as clearly as we could that "We are not hiring you. You will not have a job here. etc." and she could not understand us and kept asking about when her first day of work would be. What is most amazing about this story is that this person had been working as an ICU nurse in another state for over a year! How did she function? How could she handle communication in an emergency? etc.
The "nursing shortage" is not severe enough to justify hiring nurses who can not communicate effectively with their patients. If a nurse has an accent, but can communicate with ease -- I have no problem with that. Many foreign nurses are quite capable of being successful in the U.S. I respect them as colleagues. But if their English language skills are so poor that the patients are complaining about it -- that's a problem that should be addressed.
Ummm, the problem here is not ACCENT... It's COMPREHENSION... hmmm?
Ummm, the problem here is not ACCENT... It's COMPREHENSION... hmmm?
It could be both.
Someone can be highly proficient in understanding a language and in choosing the correct spoken words. That doesn't mean that they can be readily understood. A thick accent can be similar to illegible handwriting. Yes, the right words are there, but they aren't easily accessible to the recipient.
Form and content are two separate issues. Some have one and not the other. Some don't have either.
Eventually, some folks with thicker accents acclimate and become easier to understand, but what should their patients do in the meantime?
Thank you for clarifying and letting everyoye know what a foreign educated nurse has to go through to be able to work in the US. It is all about accents not skills and knowledge, I remember I too had to take the NCLEXRN which determines whether or not you are competent and safe to practice. BUT knowing what your collague nurse is trying to tell you in report? or trying to figure out what the MD wants? come on, don't hiring managers interview first?
Specializes in Home Care, Primary care NP, QI, Nsg Adm.
I'm originally from Pittsburgh. Any of you know the western PA accent. Ever hear of the Pittsburgh 'Steelwers' or 'yins' and 'youns'. (I swear I never said, "yins").
Several years after moving to NYC and thinking that I had cleverly rid myself of this distinct could track you on a 'GPS' accent, I was shopping in a sporting goods store in Manhattan and the clerk asked me if I was from Pittsburgh. Wow, busted! How did that happen?
At least I didn't pick up the 'Loooong Eyewland' accent after moving to NY (lol).
Plz, no offense to my fellow Pittsburghers or New Yorkers.
I think either that this is a valid concern. Nurses from other countries who speak English as their second language should adapt and try to study the accent that can be understood by their patients. As carers they should be the ones who would adjust to their patients and not the other way around. That is the reason why we foreign nurses are required to take English exam which includes listening, reading, writing and speaking, so that we could meet the minimum requirement needed to effectively deliver the communication process to our patients. Any miscommunications might jeopardize the safety of our patients. We cannot afford to commit any form of malifecense considering we are patient's advocates.
No one who is native to saudi arabia will work as a nurse
Not true. I know several Saudi Nurses and in Riyahd I met some Saudi Nurses. The ones I met were ALL male as there was no 'chaperon' around for me to meet the female nurses. They were also nice, not terrorists, not arrogant or conceited, not rude and didn't hate Americans.
I think the time for mass generalizations to end is at hand.
Some foreign nurses are competent in delivering care to patients, however, a prerequisite to practicing nursing in this country (the U.S.) and to being a fully competent nurse is to have a facility with English such that patients and staff can understand you. Not only does a nurse's language deficit interfere with providing competent care to patients (and the patients should be the primary concern) it potentially creates legal liability for the nurse and the facility. For example, there was a fairly recent legal case in which a physician who failed to provide a sign language interpreter to a hearing-impaired patient was sued and damages were awared, including punitive damages, because the patient could not understand the physician and therefore could not successfully participate in decisions about her treatment. You may think citing this case (brought under the ADA) is a stretch but consider that patients do have a right to understand their healthcare providers in order to participate in their own treatment. Those nurses who have marginal facility with English need to remediate and improve their language skills or practice somewhere it is not an issue; frankly, it amazes me that some of the foreign-born nusrses with whom I have interacted even got through nursing school as they could not have met the English requirement to have done so, or, in the alternative, the standard is VERY low in order to pass and get a credential. Again, some foreign nurses are very good healthcare providers and care deeply about their patients, however, good communication between patient and care provider is such an essential element in delivering quality care that ignoring its importance puts patients, providers, and facilities in peril.
Finally, I agree with the nurse who said that foreign-born nurses should not speak in their native language in the workplace (in front of others who do not speak their language) as such behavior is unprofessional and just plain rude; in addition, I agree that it is not the patient's problem that we have a nursing shortage and must hire people to provide care whom the patient cannot understand.
Some foreign nurses are competent in delivering care to patients, however, a prerequisite to practicing nursing in this country (the U.S.) and to being a fully competent nurse is to have a facility with English such that patients and staff can understand you. Not only does a nurse's language deficit interfere with providing competent care to patients (and the patients should be the primary concern) it potentially creates legal liability for the nurse and the facility. For example, there was a fairly recent legal case in which a physician who failed to provide a sign language interpreter to a hearing-impaired patient was sued and damages were awared, including punitive damages, because the patient could not understand the physician and therefore could not successfully participate in decisions about her treatment. You may think citing this case (brought under the ADA) is a stretch but consider that patients do have a right to understand their healthcare providers in order to participate in their own treatment. Those nurses who have marginal facility with English need to remediate and improve their language skills or practice somewhere it is not an issue; frankly, it amazes me that some of the foreign-born nusrses with whom I have interacted even got through nursing school as they could not have met the English requirement to have done so, or, in the alternative, the standard is VERY low in order to pass and get a credential. Again, some foreign nurses are very good healthcare providers and care deeply about their patients, however, good communication between patient and care provider is such an essential element in delivering quality care that ignoring its importance puts patients, providers, and facilities in peril.
Finally, I agree with the nurse who said that foreign-born nurses should not speak in their native language in the workplace (in front of others who do not speak their language) as such behavior is unprofessional and just plain rude; in addition, I agree that it is not the patient's problem that we have a nursing shortage and must hire people to provide care whom the patient cannot understand.
VICEDRN, BSN, RN
1,078 Posts
Great minds think alike. I was just going to use the German example! I am sooo tired of hearing how the nursing shortage is proof that we should let anyone and everyone nurse in the US. I am almost certain that this has some effect on our wages (how could it not?) and I am absolutely certain that dying patients should NOT have to say, "what?" when their nurse explains that it is time to say their final goodbyes. (for example.)