Developing Bilingualism in Nursing Students: Learning Foreign Languages beyond the Nursing Curriculum.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Applied Linguistics
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Nursing curricula prioritize vocational training, often limiting foreign language course requirements.
• Packed academic schedules can impede nursing students' pursuit of supplementary language education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the motivations and reasons behind nursing students' voluntary foreign language course enrollment.
• To understand learning behaviors through the framework of social cognitive career theory.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative research methodology.
• In-depth interviews conducted with 60 nursing students.
• Exploration of motivations for learning foreign languages outside the nursing major.

Main Results:

• Career development interests emerged as a significant motivator for foreign language acquisition.
• Personal considerations were identified as another key factor influencing language learning choices.
• Findings highlight the importance of factors beyond academic requirements.

Conclusions:

• Recommendations are provided for educational institutions, policymakers, and government agencies to enhance foreign language offerings for nursing students.
• The study offers insights into student motivations, guiding curriculum development and student support.
• Results serve as a blueprint for future initiatives in nursing education and foreign language learning.