Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Spanish For Health Care Professionals
I was reding this post from May over at About A Nurse, and I couldn't help but tell her about the book Spanish for Health Care Professionals .I managed to find my copy at Half Price Books (a used book store chain, you might have one in your area) but I would have to say it is definately worth full price. It reads sort of like a friendly spanish lesson, but teaches you how to say what you want in 'common language' spanish (the words and the pronunciations), rather than trying to make things too difficult. It's also got everything I can imagine to do any sort of medical assessment and history collection, broken down by chapters arranged in each category (i.e. peds, MVA, chest pain, elder care, even how to use the call light and the menu). It's not a huge book, but I can't think of anything I would want to say that isn't covered in it.
Vamos a sacar un poco de sangre de su vena = We're going to draw a little blood from your vein.
Se queda sin aliento despues de hacer un esfuerzo? = Do you get short of breath upon exertion?
Posted by HypnoKitten at 10:49 PM
thanks...this is probably the best time to use the Barnes and Noble gift card i got for christmas.
hopefully, when i finally learn a line or two of spanish, the patients will not start relating their whole life in spanish, thinking i am a pro. it always happens you knoow.
Oh, I SO could have used that at work yesterday. Dads are generally clueless anyway. (no offense to all you non-clueless dads out there!) Then make that a dad who has never been to our office before, with his 8 year old daughter who has only been once before, two days ago, with her mother. That would be her mother who speaks very, very little english. And her father who also speaks very, very little english. My question to the 8 year old child, "Has your mom been giving you the medicine the doctor prescribed?" Though she speaks english, she looks at me as if I am speaking Japanese and does not answer. "The thick white medicine." I clarify. "Um, maybe, I think so." she says. NOT that I think dad would have known if she had been taking her medicine even if there had not been a language barrier!
I am essentially bilingual (English-Spanish) and my Spanish skills have landed me all of my nursing jobs, so far. I highly recommend doing anything you can to add Spanish to your "clinical toolbox". Latinos will become the majority in the US by 2020, so learning Spanish is economically very advisable at this time.
There are many good schools in Central America where you can study of a month or so very reasonably.
Hasta luego.