TWO THIRDS OF DRS COME FROM ABROAD & ALMOST 50% OF NURSES

mattsmom81 · Feb 24, 2005

They are not working where I am but I do know of another hospital downtown that is 75% foregin doctors and a large percentage of foregin nurses. I hear communication is tough down there.

Yes..lots of foreign docs and nurses in the US as well and accurate communication is a HUGE problem. Primary English speaking nurses get the extra job of functioning as interpretor between the ESL staff and frustrated patients patients who don't understand them, nor do they feel understood.

But this is a fact of life here now and isn't going to change. so we either put up with it or we leave.

elnski · Apr 12, 2005

Im just one of the 44% overseas nurses...but i wont stay very long.... not until im done w/ my europen tour... HIK!!

madwife2002, BSN, RN · Apr 14, 2005

Im just one of the 44% overseas nurses...but i wont stay very long.... not until im done w/ my europen tour... HIK!!

Enjoy yourself whilst you are touring

elnski · Apr 15, 2005

Thanks Madwife..

About attracting people to join nursing or become a nurse is gonna be quite hard.

I will just put it down to as one of the signs of the time....

elnski · Apr 15, 2005

Anuther thing here my fellows,spoken communication can become a problem, yeah, but then, I have noticed too that several primary English speaking members of the medical team have difficulty spelling out properly their own language, nor correct written grammar...And that wld be a serious problem too, cuz that's legal documentation.. We may have an imperfect end of speaking it but pardon me, most of the primary English speaking staffs hardly can spell Troponin-T accurately and loads of other proper medical terms...(not to mention other anatomical terms, wc were spelled as they sound!) OMG.

Sorry...i just want to present the other shades of the prism....

I didnt mean to offend anybody...just expressing... pardon me..

madwife2002, BSN, RN · Apr 15, 2005

Anuther thing here my fellows,spoken communication can become a problem, yeah, but then, I have noticed too that several primary English speaking members of the medical team have difficulty spelling out properly their own language, nor correct written grammar...And that wld be a serious problem too, cuz that's legal documentation.. We may have an imperfect end of speaking it but pardon me, most of the primary English speaking staffs hardly can spell Troponin-T accurately and loads of other proper medical terms...(not to mention other anatomical terms, wc were spelled as they sound!) OMG.
Sorry...i just want to present the other shades of the prism....
I didnt mean to offend anybody...just expressing... pardon me..

I have no problem with nurses from overseas but I do believe they should be able to communicate verbally with their patients and other staff members.

As for spelling I agree you have valid point, but when questioning the written word with the offender it would be quite nice to be able to do so!! :chuckle

elnski · Apr 15, 2005

I have no problem with nurses from overseas but I do believe they should be able to communicate verbally with their patients and other staff members.
As for spelling I agree you have valid point, but when questioning the written word with the offender it would be quite nice to be able to do so!! :chuckle

Oh yeah, we do so! and that make us like work together closer, we realize each effort exerted..

believe me, wer havin' fun.. cuz the people m workin w/ are open minded.. well, Not all of 'em, but at least things are not taken seriously unless sarcasm and ridicule are present..

PEACE!!

madwife2002, BSN, RN · Apr 15, 2005

Oh yeah, we do so! and that make us like work together closer, we realize each effort exerted..
believe me, wer havin' fun.. cuz the people m workin w/ are open minded.. well, Not all of 'em, but at least things are not taken seriously unless sarcasm and ridicule are present..
PEACE!!

Yo peace

AllenJ · Apr 24, 2005

I don't see a problem in having foreign healthcare professionals as long as they meet the standards and they practice safely.

No need to feel guilty, you do what feels right for you.

expatnurse · Aug 6, 2005

I have to admit never really thought along those lines.
But what i have noticed myself is that the standard of nursing students we are experiencing on our ward has dropped and that nursing seems to be not attracting the nurses who have all the qualities needed. Yes i know I will attract raised eyebrows from this statement but it seem to me standards have dropped to allow for decrease in applicants!!
I also have to say that every so often a star shines through and you get a fabulous student who can communicate effectively and talk to the patients as though they were human beings, can risk manage care, can implement care after correct assessment, can think ahead, has knowledge re basic needs and is a wonderful addition to the ward team, and finally even presents themselves in a clean tidy, professional manner.
A student said to me last week after I had organised for a R/C pt to attend mass, " what is a catholic, is it some sort of funny religion". I advised the student that as religion played a important part of a lot of peoples lives that she should research religions and the important role religion plays in hospital, for patients.
Sorry stepping off soap box :uhoh21:

As I am one of these new students just finished. I will say I agree with you. However I feel a lot of the problem has to do with the self directed study!! We as students are no longer taught A&P, Pharm etc. but told to self direct our study!!! Now come on very very few people are going to study for something that you are not testing them on. Furthermore the idea that giving them the cases to be tested on beforehand is going to help them learn the systems of the body and how they work. I think not. From what I have found the students can not transfer the basic concepts from one area to another. Most of the students I have bumped into have never never even opened an A&P, Pharm textbook. As someone who is about to start a job as a newly qualified I feel very unprepared in the Pharm part. I am trying to read but I have no real way of knowing I am getting the concepts correctly because there is no teacher to talk to. I also feel unprepared in the writting of care plans because we haven't done it very much at all in 3 years. I have talked a lot with nurses you trained in the old system. They were really taught, quized daily etc. We are not. I personally blame the NMC and certain professional organizations. What are you views on this? I look forward to hearing from you. :balloons:

madwife2002, BSN, RN · Aug 6, 2005

I really feel for you I know it must be hard. on our ward we work really hard with the students to get them familiar with medications and the way they work. Then we often send them off to discover further information about the common drugs of which i believe there are 64. You may be scared now but remember everytime you do a drug round you have the BNF as back up and most drugs have an slip with them that gives you all the current up to date information. if in doubt check and re check you will quickly became familiar with dosages. Remember if you are unsure ask for help and advice-nobody will think bad of you. I dont care how I look if I am doing anything I am unsure of then I will check with another colleegue, because at the end of the day you have somebodies life at the end of your hands.

Hey and I am one of the senior nurses. :lol2: I feel that by just stating you have concerns shows me that you will do just fine, it's the cocky ones I worry about.