I’ve been thinking a lot lately about taking a conversational Spanish course sometime this year. Why you ask? Well, according to the United States Census Bureau, Spanish is the primary language spoken at home by over 34 million people aged 5 or older. There are also 45 million Hispanics who speak Spanish as a first and second language and there are 6 million Spanish students, making it the world’s second-largest Spanish-speaking community, only after Mexico and ahead of Spain, Colombia and Argentina.
What does this mean as a health care provider? It means that the chances are very likely of encountering a Spanish speaking individual in your health care setting. There is also a chance of encountering an individual whose only language is Spanish, and knows very little to no English. Increasingly I’m seeing job ads in health care that require one to be bilingual- usually English and Spanish speaking.
In order to provide the most excellent care possible for Spanish speaking individuals, communication barriers have to be eliminated. My personal goal is to be the best health care provider I can be. If taken classes in a second language inches me towards that goal, I would like to do it. Plus, I think it would be fun to learn. It would be a chance not only for professional development, but personal development, too.
I also want to try to learn Japanese and French!
The DA Chronicles 