Trouble c accents at work?

[Suninmyheart]

I have a really hard time with language accents be it either foreign or regional dialects. I had an altercation with a house supervisor the other day who accused me of not listening when I did not understand her and asked if she could repeat what she said. When I explained I have a hard time with accents she became very offended and further accused me saying "you just do not listen and I do not have an accent!" Well, she DOES have an accent and a strong one and I barely understand half of what she says. This supervisor continued to berrate me accusing me of not listening and I literally had to walk away from her because she was being so innappropriate. Most of the NAR's also have a strong accent and I have a hard time understanding them. This is starting to feel like a problem. I think the supervisor took it as a racial issue and this I do not understand - I had the same problem when in Ireland last year and again when in New Orleans several years ago. Anyone have any input to share?

[Indy, LPN, LVN]

I like differing accents once I get to understand them. Some are cute, some are annoying, some I miss. My preceptor was polish and I miss her pronunciations of different things, but not quite as much as I miss her. However, I'm partially deaf (don't hear the low end of the scale well) so I don't care who you are, if you mumble with your back turned there is no telling what in the sam hill you're saying.

So! Then I've got an indian (far east indian) doc on the phone whose orders I'm wading through and repeating, correcting myself with each order on about the third repeat, and we get stuck on something. It's always something! With this doc I can NOT get through a whole set of orders! I think he said "hyaloid" and I can't figure out what in saint peter's britches the hyaloid bone has to do with cardiac tamponade (no, a big tree did not fall on the guy's neck or anything, but boy I was imagining some weird stuff) and it turns out he's saying "thyroid studies." I know he thinks I'm either a deaf, an idiot, or both.

[sally24]

No doubt how much you improve your communication skill , but you still count as an foriegners when it come to your accent and that true i m a foriegner and i have an pakistani/indian accent. but i cannot change it overnight because its highly depend on time you spend on certain environment to adapt that particular accent. i just reccently came from pakistan. i am currently working in ICU where you definately need a good communication skill with your collegue and with docters. i know that some time its being a struggle to express your self with your collegue and with other paramedics but that doesnt mean that person is not trying. of course! i also feel myself embarrased and insecure to give a hard time to others and i m trying my best to overcome that problem but it take time. this is the toughest part that mostly people dont wana give you a chance. they hesitate to talk you. they are not very much welcoming and friendly, give you a very rude attitute. i was really feel isolated and depressed for couple of months. as far as patient care concerned i know that i never take a chance and i sort out the ways to understand them what they really need. if the patient is concious if they can speak , i tell them to repeat or write for me. because of my accent i never wana put my patient in certain condition where they feel frustated to talk to me. SO! my major concern is my own collegues, i just wana say, hold my hand and give me a chance to breath with U. i am not an allien, i m a part of u. dont put me down or isolate just because i have not born here.

[sally24]

No doubt how much you improve your communication skill , but you still count as an foriegners when it come to your accent and that true i m a foriegner and i have an pakistani/indian accent. but i cannot change it overnight because its highly depend on time you spend on certain environment to adapt that particular accent. i just reccently came from pakistan. i am currently working in ICU where you definately need a good communication skill with your collegue and with docters. i know that some time its being a struggle to express your self with your collegue and with other paramedics but that doesnt mean that person is not trying. of course! i also feel myself embarrased and insecure to give a hard time to others and i m trying my best to overcome that problem but it take time. this is the toughest part that mostly people dont wana give you a chance. they hesitate to talk you. they are not very much welcoming and friendly, give you a very rude attitute. i was really feel isolated and depressed for couple of months. as far as patient care concerned i know that i never take a chance and i sort out the ways to understand them what they really need. if the patient is concious if they can speak , i tell them to repeat or write for me. because of my accent i never wana put my patient in certain condition where they feel frustated to talk to me. SO! my major concern is my own collegues, i just wana say, hold my hand and give me a chance to breath with U. i am not an allien, i m a part of u. dont put me down or isolate just because i have not born here.