Perhaps it's just best to put it simply and plainly. I, as the patient, want a nurse I can understand and that knows what he/she is doing. Before a foreign born nurse starts a job here, they should be able to fully speak English and know US Policies in regards to medicine.
I know they have to pass a test and go through a class on speaking English. But we all know that's not enough.
And um... there are lawsuits in regards to the " language barrier " and improper care by foreign nurses.
And calling those " mistakes " is insulting to all nurses. Mistakes happen occasionally. When a patient continually has seen, first hand, foreign nurses accents and practices a hinderance more than a help, there is a problem.
Patients may whine, gripe, and complain about foreign nurses. Yes, some of it probably is prejudice. But when many people are saying the exact same thing, then there is definitely a problem.
I did NOT say that American nurses are better than foreign born nurses.
Ok,but just keep in mind that a lot of americans dont want to do nursing....
On a more serious note, I dont think ECK is stateing U.S. nurses are BETTER. I think she is pointing out the differences in procedures from one nation to another.
That can be a problem IF the foreign nurse doesnt become familiar with the scope of practice in their state and with the facilities policies.
Hey, I'm a travel nurse and I have to spend time looking at the states scope of practice laws every time I change states. Its not easy. The printout is like.....300 pages, and........oh, about 20 pages of it is usefull. How typical. So going from one location to another is hard to say the least. And I was born in the U.S.! Cant imagine how it must be for foreign nurses.
I thought ECK was just a patients,but maybe I'm wrong..
Ok since you went there let me share a quick story with you...True story...one of my close friends works as a phlebotomist and on occasion she runs a blood check on some of the nurses-the american ones and well she tells me how surprised she is about those nurses lacking simple knowledge about hematology you previously mentioned,they ask simple questions that any high school kid would know,so there your go...
^^ That reminded me of another aspect of foreign born nurses that I hadn't mentioned. The incorrect grammar issue. Not only is it difficult to understand the accents, the horrific and incorrect grammar is a barrier as well. Using correct grammar is imperative in a professional setting. Otherwise the nurse ends up coming across as uneducated, unprofessional, rude and incompetent. Unfortunately that's the world we live in.
I thought ECK was just a patients,but maybe I'm wrong..
"Just a patient"?
Subconscienc slipping of the tongue? I may be " just a patient ", but us " patients " keep nurses in jobs.
********** My own spelling at 3 am is horrific **************
Subconscious even!
I have even heard nurses complaining about foreign born nurses grammar, spelling and English on nurses notes. If someone doesn't have a complete grasp of English, even other nurses will have difficulty with their notes. That is both frustrating and dangerous!
^^ That reminded me of another aspect of foreign born nurses that I hadn't mentioned. The incorrect grammar issue. Not only is it difficult to understand the accents, the horrific and incorrect grammar is a barrier as well. Using correct grammar is imperative in a professional setting. Otherwise the nurse ends up coming across as uneducated, unprofessional, rude and incompetent. Unfortunately that's the world we live in.
In a previous life, (before I was an RN and had limited medical knowledge), I had a horrendous experience with a foreign language nurse.
Imagine laying in an ICU after a liver transplant and having a nurse that could literally not speak one word of english. I guess that's why she worked ICU, not many pt's are able to ask questions there. I would ask her what drugs she was hanging and I could not understand one single word (and neither could my husband.)
She tested my glucose and showed me the glucometer. I said, "so, what is that machine, what does it mean to me?" She was unable to explain what a glucometer was and the purpose of it.....let alone I was getting whammy doses of insulin because I was getting a gram of Solumedrol a day. I had no freaking clue what a glucometer was or any concept of blood glucose readings.
She solved this communication problem by totally ignoring any comments or questions I had. I no longer existed....she just hung her drugs and never aknowledged me again. To add insult to injury, she stepped on my foley line and it was stuck to her shoe when she walked away. YOWSER!
Unbelievable, and this was at the world famous Mayo Clinic! My husband did complain to quality management and he was told she was a foreign traveler.
Acutally this nurse, is one who actually inspired me to become an RN. I knew if she could do it, then certainly I could - and do a much better job of it. :heartbeat
^^ That reminded me of another aspect of foreign born nurses that I hadn't mentioned. The incorrect grammar issue. Not only is it difficult to understand the accents, the horrific and incorrect grammar is a barrier as well. Using correct grammar is imperative in a professional setting. Otherwise the nurse ends up coming across as uneducated, unprofessional, rude and incompetent. Unfortunately that's the world we live in.
LOL @ " Since you went there"
It is obvious that you believe that U.S nurses are superior to the foreign nurses....hmmm I dont know maybe you should open yourself to other cultures more,travel the world,it is beautiful you will see!
In a previous life, (before I was an RN and had limited medical knowledge), I had a horrendous experience with a foreign language nurse.
Imagine laying in an ICU after a liver transplant and having a nurse that could literally not speak one word of english. I guess that's why she worked ICU, not many pt's are able to ask questions there. I would ask her what drugs she was hanging and I could not understand one single word (and neither could my husband.)
She tested my glucose and showed me the glucometer. I said, "so, what is that machine, what does it mean to me?" She was unable to explain what a glucometer was and the purpose of it.....let alone I was getting whammy doses of insulin because I was getting a gram of Solumedrol a day. I had no freaking clue what a glucometer was or any concept of blood glucose readings.
She solved this communication problem by totally ignoring any comments or questions I had. I no longer existed....she just hung her drugs and never aknowledged me again. To add insult to injury, she stepped on my foley line and it was stuck to her shoe when she walked away. YOWSER!
Unbelievable, and this was at the world famous Mayo Clinic! My husband did complain to quality management and he was told she was a foreign traveler.
Acutally this nurse, is one who actually inspired me to become an RN. I knew if she could do it, then certainly I could - and do a much better job of it. :heartbeat
Hmmm I'm inspired by wonderful nurses,but hmm that is just me...
If the nurse cannot make herself clearly understood to her patient, she should not be that patient's nurse.
The exception we have to that from time to time is in the event we have a patient that speaks a foreign language (living here in the US, in the area that I do, well gosh we consider anything other than English a foreign language!). When that happens, we provide an interpreter phone, or they sometimes have a bilingual family member stay or reachable by phone. It is CLEARLY explained that they are in a hospital without a fluent XX-Language speaking nurse on duty (if that's the case), and that's that.
I speak English clearly. I have never had an accent issue, regardless of what part of the country my patient is from. Sometimes I have to slow down, or enunciate more carefully if the patient is not a native speaker, but English is English.
I do not speak other languages. If my patient does not speak English, I will do my best to be understood, but it is not up to me to learn their languages. If no one is available who DOES speak their language, the aforementioned options are offered.
I wouldn't dream of working in Mexico and wondering why my patients look confused when I use broken, heavily accented Spanish. Why would a nurse whose primary language is not English be offended that HERE, in the US, they are questioned about their accent and language skills?
lovehospital
654 Posts
Ok,but just keep in mind that a lot of americans dont want to do nursing....