Dear Mechell,

Hang in there!  Unfortunately, you haven't heard the worst, but most days
won't be this bad.

I am a maternity nursing clinical instructor for the local community college.
The hospital we use has a large hispanic and Haitian population.  Do ANY of
the nurses speak the language?????  A couple of part-timers speak spanish, the
cleaning crew speak creole.  I usually have nursing students who speak one or
the other.

I don't always remember to give my "translator speech" before the situation
comes up each quarter (maternity is 1/2 a semester).  It is basically this:
Your job here is to be a student nurse.  You have certain things that you need
to accomplish, including patient care, charting, vital signs (etc....depending
on pt.). You need to gather the information that you will need to write up
your process paper (or newborn paper).  IF you have time after taking care of
your own work, you may assist the staff in translating.  If you do not, the
hospital will need to hire a translator.  I understand that you want to
help....after all, that's why you are in nursing school.  But you are paying
money to be a student nurse, and that must come first for you.  The hospital
may hire you as a translator if they need one, and you have the time for
a(nother) job.

I have had students run ragged by the staff.  The staff then complains that
they have to do baths/change beds/mix an IV when the student didn't have time.

When I can, I will assign students who are multilingual to the patients who
speak only  another language.  Sometimes, the patient population does not
match the student's needs.  I would rather assign what the student needs over
what the patient (or staff) needs.

The other problem.....weird callers.  I have had some ?interesting (for lack
of a better term) instant messages when on line.  My usual answer is "I see
that you are a pervert.  Did you have an actual breastfeeding question?  Then
go away."  Although I vary this from time to time, the first line stays.  They
go away.

Good luck!!!!  Hang in there!!!

Margie Forrest, RN, BSN, IBCLC
Cinical Instructor, Maternity Nursing, Palm Beach Community College
Lactation Consultant, Palms West Hospital