Medical Spanish Vital Signs Educational Module for Healthcare Students.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Healthcare Communication
• Linguistic Training

Background:

• Increasing Spanish-speaking patient populations necessitate improved clinician communication.
• A shortage of Spanish-speaking healthcare professionals creates a communication barrier.
• Targeted training is needed to equip healthcare students with essential Spanish language skills for patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of a hybrid educational module designed to teach basic Spanish for taking vital signs to healthcare students.
• To evaluate the module's impact on students' knowledge acquisition and self-perceived confidence in performing this clinical task in Spanish.

Main Methods:

• A 7-hour hybrid educational module with in-person sessions and assignments was implemented.
• Students engaged in learning grammar, vocabulary, and cultural nuances, followed by team-based speaking practice.
• Pre- and post-module surveys assessed knowledge, comprehension, cultural understanding, and confidence using a 5-point Likert scale.

Main Results:

• Statistically significant improvements were observed in all assessed domains, including grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, and cultural understanding.
• Student self-confidence in taking vital signs in Spanish significantly increased post-module.
• Prior exposure to Spanish correlated with a greater increase in confidence for reporting vital signs.

Conclusions:

• The developed module effectively enhances healthcare students' ability to learn and practice medical Spanish for vital signs.
• Educational institutions should consider incorporating such modules to improve Spanish proficiency among trainees.
• Addressing the linguistic gap is crucial for providing equitable and effective care to the growing Spanish-speaking patient population.