New course trains students for bilingual interactions in health care

10/16/2014 4:52 PM

By Danielle Fitch ‘15

A new course for future health care professionals is preparing Bradley students to interact with the growing number of Spanish speakers in the United States. “Spanish for Health Care Professionals,” offered by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, is teaching Education and Health Science students Spanish skills tailored to health care needs.

Through classroom dialogue and practical application in the Peoria medical community, the course teaches conversational tools such as introducing and describing oneself, asking for information regarding a patient’s medical history, identifying symptoms or injuries, communicating vital signs, giving medication guidelines and conducting a physical exam.

“Because of the growing Spanish-speaking population, there are huge benefits to being able to communicate in Spanish in a health care setting,” said course instructor Dr. Deborah Kessler. “Speaking to a patient in their native language, even at a fairly novice level, helps break down barriers and improve communication. It enables healthcare workers to build relationships with patients that are based on mutual respect and trust.”

Students are given opportunities to practice Spanish in real-world situations such as Heartland Community Health Clinic. Students also assist with South Side Mission’s food and clothing drives and bilingual classrooms at Glen Oak Primary School in Peoria.

“I’m not fluent yet, but I can understand more phrases and ask necessary questions,” said nursing major Emily Maybach ‘15. “There was one time that a Heartland Clinic patient only spoke Spanish and was asking about a doctor’s note because he was unable to work that day. I used the basic Spanish I had learned to clarify and then asked about the note for him.”

Though the class focuses on health care application, it is open to other students that may benefit from more general applications: learning the days of the week, telling time, forming questions, using past and present tenses, and identifying family members.