I agree that learning a second language would no doubt be helpful on the job this day and age, but to make it a requirement for employment? No, I can't say that I agree with that. I believe that if there are two applicants in a community that predominantly caters to the wellbeing of foreigners, the applicant with the most knowledge (ie:ability to speak a foreign language) should probably be considered first, or compensated appropriately upon hire.

But as an American, who took 4 years of high school foreign language (maybe just enough to survive in a foreign country), and a parent who REQUIRES my children to take a foreign language as part of a well rounded education, I too feel that it is the foreigner's responsibility to learn the dialect. I don't think that immigrants should be automatically "granted" all of the so-called American benefits without "earning" them. I would NEVER go to a foreign country, set up residency, and have the expectation that I would be treated any differently than any of the natives. I don't by any means wish to imply that I am against immigration in this country, but if you want to be an American, be a TRUE American...with all of the same responsibilities, and thus the same privileges.

To be mandated to learn another language, to help others is, in my opinion is not right. If we know English and Spanish, it would not benefit someone who is Indian, German, Chinese, Japanese, etc. The list can go on and on. We are an English speaking nation and those who choose to come, whether legal or illegal wishing to be a part of the American dream should learn English. I don't think that is unreasonable to say that. If people are to live here then upon taking the citizen exam they should be taught English. They want to be a citizen of America..correct. I would expect to do the same if I moved to another country. I wouldn't think they would cater to me and learn my language. That goes for any country. I am not trying to sound rude or noncaring but it is getting ridiculous. If anyone wants to learn another language, well good for them but to make it mandatory? No. Get extra pay because of it? Yes. More education means more money in any profession.

First, you ( Carmen) should be sorry for your opinion. That is your right to have and state. But I don't think anyone here said for people of different cultures to stay out or not keep their culture. But if people are going to live here and be a part of another culture to make a home, work, live, pay taxes, SSI, etc... then speaking English should be the obvious choice. I should not be mandated to speak Spanish just because the Spanish culture is more prevalent. The Spanish speaking Americans should speak English because that is where they are; in an English speaking nation. They came here for opportunites and to prosper and that is great. But again living in another culture means they should learn the language, of that culture, if that is what is spoken. If I went to live and thrive in Mexico, then I would speak Spanish because that seems like the necessary thing to do in order to get what I needed to live there. Not the other way around.

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I was in k-mart last night and the message over the loudspeaker was entirely in spanish. No enlish translation. This is ridiculous!

While being bilingual is definitely an asset, the discussion seems to come down to this: How much do we accomodate different cultures vs how much assimilation into the American culture should be expected? I know most of the people that immigrated here when this country was developing assimilated, learned the language, and culture to fit in. It seems that is no longer the case. Accomodations for this can't without limits.

NO, no, no. While i do agree learning another langauge will help to require it is wrong. The last time i checked the offical language of the US was english and that is all that should be required to get a job. However personal growth should be up to the nurse not forced. For example i decided to take spanish for healthcare providers to learn basic medical things if i neede to use them and i have. It makes me feel great to help someone who's sick understand in their language however this should not be forced of the nurse or nursing staff. Is'nt their job hard enough already?

As a long-time nurse who has served as an interpreter for the past twenty years on both sides of the pond, this is obviously a very interesting subject to me. The likelihood is that many feel that if every person coming to the US were mandated to speak English, that would make things easier. Needless to say, I support this, were it merely for a social incentive to not be taken advantage to. However, socioeconomic and political backgrounds does not necessarily make this possible. I believe that the employers see a way to make a quick buck as well as foreign labor is quite a bit cheaper when working illegally. So, it does not really make a good pragmatic point to state such. Moreover, not all people requiring interpreter assistance are here illegally, as may be thought. The overwhelming number of clients/patients I have dealt with over the past two decades were here legally. They were visiting relatives, traveling through on vacation (Bryce Canyon area healthcare facilities deal with that quite a bit with an average yearly revenue approximating $3 million), refugees, and Green Card lottery winners. They are looking for a better life, and the US gives them this opportunity. In Quebec, immigration offices favor French-Speaking people, even those with limited English proficiency to strengthen their cause of the Francophonie.

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act requires (in the US) that interpreters be provided free of charge to anyone who needs it. If nurses have the benefit of the second language, it enhances basic communication. However, knowing how to speak a second language and being an interpreter cannot be equated as interpreting (translating is its written equivalent, and a very different exercise and process), as there are ethical guidelines dictated by the National Council of Interpreting in Health Care (NCIHC) code of ethics. One study in 2003 found that technical linguistic errors related to untrained interpreters were primarily related to omissions (52%), false fluency (16%), substitution (13%), editorializing (10%) and addition (8%). Of an average of 31 errors found during monitoring, 19 had dire consequences when it came to medical interpreting (Cyracom, 2009).

If you know how to speak a second language, that is great. I am all for it, and it helps with ADLs and basic communication to establish trust and comfort of the patient. A requirement for nurses to speak a second language might not be justified, unless you made this a mandatory part of the curriculum from early on. We already speak a foreign language for our patients when we discuss them in medical terms and they look at us as if we were from a different planet. Cultural awareness and sensitivity is the best way to apprach this so it helps us keep ourselves in check and avoid stereotypes and expression of biases in our clinical endeavors.

These implications help nurses avoid conflict in the clinical setting, achieve effective and efficient care delivery despite the diversity factor, and serve to uphold Joint Commission guidelines (2008) state that "Communication] with the [patient] and family about all aspects of care, treatment, and services is an important characteristic of a culture of safety. When the [patient] knows what to expect, he or she is more aware of possible errors and choices. The [patient] can  also be an important source of information about potential adverse events and hazardous conditions" (p. 23).

I have taken Spanish, French and sign language. I can read it but not speak it well enough for others to understand. In fact not all spanish people can even read spanish books. I asked a mexican cafeteria worker to help me with something I did not understand about diagraming sentences. She said she didn't know that kind of Spanish.???

 I think if the whole world learned universal sign language all problems would be solved. We currently have more vietnamese in our area. Which language would I need to  learn?

My grandparents too were very proud to learn English, , but nevertheless did so immediately. They even changed their last name to what Americans kept pronouncing it. At the very end of my grandfathers life, he just spoke Norwegian then.

If I went to live in another country for any length of time, I would learn the language.

I won't even buy products that are in another language. It actually irritates me.  I took care of a patient that had been here 20 years and I had to get an interpreter for her. Her husband said she refused to learn English.

I think that nursing school is hard enough without adding more. It's good to know a few choice words to communicate with your pt, but where do we draw the line.

Other countries require folks who come and stay over a certain length of time to at least have rudimentary skills in the nations primary language. Knowing some of  a second language would be helpful, but I am old enough to remember when naturalized citizens to this country had to learn the language. They had to recite the pledge of allegiance in English. I do not think that we should be accommodating them to this degree. Do you realize how many languages one would have to learn to speak in this country alone, to be able to communicate with people from other countries who are here whether they are legally or illegally here.

cdnurse says ...

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Not only do I think that nurses should not be required to speak a second language, I think they should stop all this "Push one for English" stuff on voice mails and also teaching classes in Spanish in schools. I do not mean teaching the nSpanish language, I am talking about teaching math, reading, science to the student in Spanish. If a person comes to the US they should learn English.

Since ENGLISH is the official language of the United States as well as the international language of business I see no reason why citizens should be required to learn a language for the convenience of those who do not make an effort to learn OURS.  They have NO PROBLEM accepting Medicaid, welfare, etc. so they should learn the language of the sponsoring country.

When I visited England, I learned to speak the Queen's English and to use THEIR terminology and currency while I was there.  Likewise when I was in Germany recently.  I don't presume to have someone who is native to a country where a different language is spoken to understand my 'piney woods' Southern dialect and I expect the same when they come here.

Teddy Roosevelt once said: America has room for only one language, and that is English!  Those who would live here must learn to speak and use it.

That statement is as true today as it was in TR's time.  Besides, it is rude as hell to speak a foreign language in the presence of someone who does not understand it unless an interpreter is present and the communication flows both ways.

When in Rome...

i beg to disagree with you guys, English is not spoken all over the world. Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese etc) is spoken by 1.3 billion people followed by the languages of India by 1.1 B. English by USA, Canada, UK, Australia and some commonwealth countries combined are only spoken by about 500 million people.