Medical English for nurses. How important is it? What to consider and how to structure a course?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Nursing
• Nephrology

Background:

• A common language is essential for scientific discourse and professional collaboration in nursing.
• English is recognized globally as the scientific language and is crucial for multidisciplinary teams, particularly in nephrology.
• Nurses require specialized English skills to engage with international congresses and medical literature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and implement a medical English course tailored for nurses.
• To equip nurses with the confidence and skills to present at international congresses in English.
• To improve nurses' access to and understanding of medical English literature.

Main Methods:

• A 20-week course with 1.5-hour weekly lessons.
• Inclusion of diagnostic testing for student assessment and workshop grouping.
• Utilized diverse didactic elements: videos, slides, workshops, and games.

Main Results:

• Over 50% of the 28 participants were nurses working in renal settings.
• Post-course evaluation indicated participants felt capable of handling English medical texts.
• Participants reported a high level of satisfaction and enjoyment of the course.

Conclusions:

• The developed medical English course effectively enhanced nurses' confidence and competence in English.
• The course successfully prepared nurses for international scientific communication and literature engagement.
• This initiative supports professional development and international collaboration within the nursing field.