The CE series focuses on the fundamentals of Spanish speaking for nurses

Learning Spanish for nurses could seem difficult, but in accordance with one nurse, it is unquestionably price it.

Being in a position to communicate in Spanish generally is a big assist in nursing, says Tracey Long, PhD, MS, RN, APRN, a professor of nursing on the Arizona College of Nursing, who runs a clinic at a Las Vegas hospital and may read, write and speak Spanish fluently . She immersed herself in Spanish-speaking culture, living in Spain for a summer as a nursing student and later serving as a volunteer missionary in Colombia, South America, for nearly two years. Tracey Long, APRN Long’s ability to speak in Spanish was useful, as he often encounters Spanish-speaking patients at work.

Latinos make up over 18% of the US population. At 59.9 million, Latinos are estimated to be the biggest ethnic or racial minority within the country. United States Census Bureau.

Many American nurses often look after Spanish-speaking patients, especially in states with large Hispanic populations corresponding to Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and Texas. Nurses not having the ability to communicate effectively in Spanish might be problematic because, in accordance with 2016 statistics. Census Bureau.

Benefits of Spanish for nurses and other professionals

According to Long, learning at the least basic Spanish can greatly help RN facilities provide excellent care. Long teaches Basic Spanish for Healthcare Professionals within the Focused CE series, in addition to Rapid Spanish for Healthcare Professionals, a 0.5-hour course that gives healthcare professionals with the fundamental concepts of Spanish grammar and vocabulary needed to speak with patients . He also teaches classes for healthcare professionals who know some Spanish but wish to improve their language skills and higher understand medical vocabulary. The CE series, she said, assists health care professionals during a wide range of clinical encounters with Spanish-speaking patients. “The course is aimed specifically at healthcare professionals, so it provides conversational phrases, vocabulary and even cultural background that they need to understand to better work with a Spanish-speaking patient,” Long said. Knowing some level of Spanish is a skill that may set a nurse candidate apart and add value to their CV. Long said knowing Spanish also improves the standard of care.

“Language barriers impact the quality of care,” she said. “We don’t want to believe that’s the case, but I know hundreds of anecdotal stories that prove it. There’s also a lot more job satisfaction when you feel like you can connect with someone and help reduce their fear.”

According to Long, one other advantage of learning Spanish for nurses is that it helps providers higher understand patients’ values ​​and culture. For example, nurses educating patients about medications may consider that Spanish-speaking patients are very passive. But their behavior has more to do with their belief that God is on top of things, and in the event that they are sick, it’s for a reason, Long said. “Often their resistance to filling prescriptions is not so much due to the language barrier, but rather to a very deeply rooted system of beliefs and values ​​that we need to understand,” she said. It is far easier to make these distinctions when nurses can seek advice from patients and not using a language barrier. According to Long, because of this our concentrated CE series educates participants not only on Spanish grammar and vocabulary, but in addition on cultural issues.

Benefits of getting a translator

There are times when nurses should or must, as a consequence of employer policy, bring an interpreter to the purpose of care. Situations where a translator may help include:

• While talking about surgery
• Discussing advanced directives
• Sharing concerns a couple of patient’s mental health

Long teaches healthcare staff easy methods to properly and effectively use interpreters, which she considers a skill in itself. Do you’re thinking that it may be too difficult? According to Long, nurses often feel intimidated by learning a brand new language, even when it’s just the fundamentals. “The truth is that they have already learned another language and its medical terminology,” Long said. “The beauty of Spanish is that our medical terms are based on Latin, which is the essential language of Spanish. During the firstclass, I show them what number of medical terms they already know in Spanish. I hope they begin considering, “Wow, I can do this because all these terms are very familiar anyway.”

Five Spanish phrases price knowing

According to Long, these five phrases for communicating with Spanish-speaking patients are amongst an important to learn.

?Have pain? (It hurts you?)

?Where does it hurt? (Where does it hurt?)

Do you wish a translator? (Do you wish a translator?)

I’m here to enable you to. (I’m here to enable you to.)

I don’t speak Spanish. (I don’t speak Spanish.)

Take CE courses on cultural competency in nursing