How to Help Nursing Students With Culture Shock

In 2009, America faced a shortage of 100,000 nurses, according to "Business Week," and the shortage is expected to grow as more nurses age and retire, or burn out from the demands of the job. One solution the health care industry has proposed is to import more nurses and nursing students from other countries. The new students, however, may have to deal with culture shock as they cope with a different language, different communication styles, different rules and different social conventions.

Instructions

Helping Students With Culture Shock

• 1

  Make allowance for the language barrier. An article in "Contemporary Nurse" points out that students who have learned English as a second language may still not be able to process information or answer questions as quickly as a native English speaker. They may also find it harder to absorb all the information in teachers' lectures. Nursing schools may need to adjust course materials and class presentations to make it easier for foreigners.

• 2

  Help students with their writing. The "Contemporary Nurse" writers found that many students come from cultures where testing relies on multiple choice and few test questions require essays. Schools must shape written assessments so that they accurately reflect the students' skills, without lowering standards.

• 3

  Clarify things foreigners might find confusing, such as American abbreviations, medical terminology, pronounciations and slang.

• 4

  Learn what the foreign students' expectations are, and help cushion them from surprises. "Contemporary Nurse" found that many students expected more hands-on work and less classroom study; some were uncomfortable with how much responsibility they were given in the ward. Giving students information before they arrive about what's expected of them can go a long way toward making their studies more worthwhile.