To be or not to be......bilingual

hypocaffeinemia, BSN, RN · May 30, 2008

It would be quite helpful in my area (Houston). The four years of French I took in high school are really coming in quite handy. /sarcasm

Tweety, BSN, RN · May 31, 2008

I actually have that program. I put it away when I started my RN to BSN. Perhaps I should dust it off. You're finding it helpful?

Being bilingal would be very helpful in my current job.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · May 31, 2008

I'm not bilingual, but I live in a metro area where many Spanish-speaking people reside. Therefore, being bilingual in the English and Spanish languages would be very useful at work and in everyday life around here.

JaneyW · May 31, 2008

I don't think you would get paid more, but being bilingual is a terrific asset for patient care, patient safety and patient advocacy. It is also fun out and about town when you can understand what others are saying and they have no idea that you can! :devil:

It is a great relief to my patients that I can understand them and be there for them in their language when they are scared and in pain. I am still learning Spanish every day, but every little bit helps!

allnurses Guide · May 31, 2008

Welsh and English, and although it would be of no use in the US it is invaluable in the darkest West Wales where the local farmers only speak Welsh:D

We had to learn Welsh as part of school up to the age of 14 years as part of the Welsh language act.

Would love to learn another language, not sure which one though

kcalohagirl · Jun 30, 2008

Although I speak Spanish pretty much fluently as far as everyday conversation goes, in no way do I feel confident in my medical Spanish. And for that, I am eternally grateful for our interpreters!

However, I think that I definitely have an "advantage" over my co-workers when we have patients on the floor that speak Spanish only. I can converse about everyday sorts of things, I can ask them about pain, I can talk about almost everything. It's just that if we are conversing about anything that may have a legal ramification, or anything that is technical that I make sure I have a certified interpreter there.

It can be a good feeling to have patients that only speak a certain language, and you know that because you can converse in that language you are really having a positive impact on that patient.

However, it can also be draining when your charge nurse knows that you speak a certain language, and so you are given all the patients on the floor that speak that language and not English.

allnurses Guide · Jul 2, 2008

Our hospital has an official list of those who passed the test to be official translators. The incentive pay is $40 month. I've decided not to do it, although I speak basic Spanish fairly well, because I don't want to ever end up in court over being the "official translator" when my vocabulary won't cover psych issues, etc. I do end up translating a lot, but if I don't know the words I am quick to say so. It gets to be a pain when I am pulled away from my patients to translate for docs in other rooms in the ER. But it would take a lot longer to get translators every time, and we really want to keep things moving.

What gets me is when another doctor is nearby, who is fluent, and I get asked because they don't want to interupt (bother!) the other doctor. Um, don't you want the really fluent person? :jester:

kcalohagirl · Jul 2, 2008

Welsh and English, and although it would be of no use in the US it is invaluable in the darkest West Wales where the local farmers only speak Welsh:D
We had to learn Welsh as part of school up to the age of 14 years as part of the Welsh language act.
Would love to learn another language, not sure which one though

I LOVE Welsh! My family emigrated to the US from Wales, and of course, no-one speaks the language anymore, but I visited Wales about a decade ago, and fell in love with the language. The other half of my family came from Ireland, and of course, none of them speak Gaelic, either.

How quickly my family assimilated (within less than 20 years from either side.) The grandparents flatly REFUSED to teach us the "mother tongue'.

DDRN4me · Jul 2, 2008

In this area it would be extremely valuable. I understand alot more than i speak Spanish but even that helps with admissions, etc.

bethin · Jul 2, 2008

So I recently purchased Rosetta Stone software and I absolutely love it! I've only been using the software for a couple of weeks now and I understand Spanish conversations much, much, much better.
Are there any nurses here who are bilingual? Do you find it helpful in the field of nursing? I am hoping that if I can learn to be fluent in Spanish that I will be considered more valuable and hopefully get paid more.
Do you have any experiences that I can learn by?

Good luck trying to get paid more.

I'm an aide and fluent in spanish. I don't use it everyday or even every week, but it has come in handy. Last week we had a 16yo pregnant illegal immigrant who spoke NO English and neither did her husband. She had to have a crash c-section so I spent my time explaining things to her. I can't imagine if no one there was able to tell her what was going on.

I do come in on my off days to translate if needed. I get paid, but not extra as aides do not receive premium pay for coming in extra like nurses do. You as a nurse probably will, and you should negotiate this with your NM.

The plus side: you put those people's minds at ease. They know that someone there can understand them. Plus, I got to sit in on a c-section. Wow. It was amazing and beautiful. I've never seen a birth before and I was almost crying.

TexasPediRN · Jul 2, 2008

It would be quite helpful in my area (Houston). The four years of French I took in high school are really coming in quite handy. /sarcasm

Are you me??

lol!

I took 4 years of french in highschool, plus an extra year in college. Then I moved to Houston. Why oh why did I take french and not Spanish?

I guess cause I had no interest in going to Mexico and a huge interest in traveling to Europe! (which, I did get to do, and want to do again!)

However, should have taken Spanish.. I die at work lately..

Had to have the dietician interpret for me the other day b/c I knew a parent was upset and they didnt speak a LICK of English.

Maybe I too should get the Rosetta stone program! Had thought of it, but now its even more of a possibility..