Author: Melodie Hull
Published: Nov 12/08
We all know there is a shortage of nurses in Canada right now. We all know that the shortage is going to get much, much larger over the years in direct relation to the growing population of senior Canadians. We all know that in British Columbia, the government of the 1990’s decided to close up to one-half of the admissions for students to all nursing programs, which also contributed to the current shortage. We also know that Canadians, just as others in the ‘developed countries’, do not replace themselves. The birth rate substantiates this.
So, where will we get the nurses or nursing students to fill the looming need? Whenever we are faced with a crisis like this, the quickest answer from politicians is, ‘through immigration’. Alright then, let’s consider that: recruitment and immigration of foreign-trained/internationally educated nurses. However, is it really that simple?
Healthcare in Canada is culturally bound in the language and literacy of English or French. I wish to talk about English. I teach, write and lecture internationally on English for Nurses and English for Medical Purposes. I ask the reader: ‘Do you think there is such a thing as nursing English or will simple acquisition of common, everyday-old English suffice to allow an immigrant nurse to work safely with you and your loved ones?’
The next time you are in a hospital or clinic, listen carefully. How does the treatment team or staff speak to each other? Any jargon? Any abbreviations, code names, etc.? How often? In what context? Have you ever listened to the treatment team during an emergency situation? Did you understand what they were saying to each other? Probably not. Yet they all understood each other and worked with a fantastic, rhythmic sense of harmony, speaking this ‘other’ language.
Again I ask the reader: ‘Do you think there is such a thing as nursing English or will simple acquisition of common, everyday-old English suffice to allow an immigrant nurse to work safely with you and your loved ones?’
There are a great number of English dialects in the world. For instance, Canadian English, British English, Jamaican English, Australian English, Irish English, Scottish English, Indian English, South African English, the list goes on. There are even dialects that differentiate regions of countries. Simply saying that you can speak or write English because you did so in your homeland does NOT necessarily equate to safe practice for nurses. I may have some degree of difficulty for a time, trying to work in Scotland, in English. It would take some time to understand the colloquialisms, the slang, and then the nursing jargon. But would I have the luxury of time in an Emergency or a difficult situation where the patient needed my help right now?
A Canadian nursing colleague of mine went to work for a year in Australia. She quickly discovered that the language of nursing there was different from what she was accustomed to. It was difficult for her. She felt slow, cumbersome, and even ‘stupid’ for quite some time. This sense of inadequacy can lead to hesitance; even reluctance. These are not good things in a crisis or emergent situation.
Should foreign trained nurses coming to Canada be expected to study some other type of English in addition to whatever level of English language competency that they arrive with? The answer is yes!
English for Nurses falls within the category of English for Specific Purposes. Its target audience is those non-English speaking persons who need career-specific language: language that is germane to their work. It is at a skills and competency level beyond that of General ESL. English for Specific Purposes/English for Nurses is not testable on the TOEFL, IELTS or other general English language test. It requires its own course material, exams and benchmarks which MUST be designed and written by professionals in that specific career field. I cannot stress this enough. ESP is so often written by ESL experts with little or no knowledge of the specialty. While their input is essential, this writer cannot see that they are best suited to be ‘in charge’ of the direction of the course work or testing. Indeed, those knowledgeable in the specialty are. Collaboration is the key.
On the other hand, there is very often reluctance of the nurses new to Canada to study more English. I can sympathize. ESL course after ESL course can become fairly boring. I have found that when you offer a course specifically paralleled with a career, motivation and initiative change phenomenally. The course has purpose.
English for Nurses courses are few and far between. They are not yet a requirement of the regulatory bodies of nursing who continue to hold steadfast to more generally recognized tests of English, as previously noted.
In Canada, we have a welcome new addition to this mix, the Canadian English Language Benchmarking Assessment for Nurses (CELBAN). Being piloted at various colleges and universities across the country over the past couple of years, the effectiveness of these new measures has not yet been ascertained. It will be interesting, but something is still missing. The internationally educated nurses arrive with a diverse attitude towards their own responsibility to safe practice and professional development (as a matter of fact, these are not common themes in some countries).
More emphasis should be placed here in Canada on the importance of English language competency in context: the context of our health care, the culture of Western health care, and the culture of our health professions academically, technically and in the workplace.
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About the Author
Melodie is a dynamic speaker, international lecturer and author in this field. Her wit, authenticity, and engaging style place her in high demand for speaking engagements worldwide. An academic, an educator and a health professional, she is able to share a wealth of knowledge and experience that captivates audiences far and wide.
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