Abstract
There has been limited research on nursing students’ (NSs) language problems conducted in non-English speaking countries, especially research focusing on college transfer students. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceived needs and challenges of English use by college transfer NSs in a non-English speaking environment. A descriptive study design was adopted. Forty-five college transfer NSs from a university in Hong Kong participated in the study. Sixteen interviews were conducted. A qualitative content analysis was performed. Two main categories were identified: (a) Perceptions about English use (three sub-categories: (i) significance of having a good command of English; (ii) challenges in use of English; and (iii) low motivation and need to learn English), and (b) using English in nursing contexts (two sub-categories: (i) challenges in the use of English in nursing and (ii) improving English proficiency as a second priority in nursing students). In conclusion, college transfer NSs face challenges in general and discipline-specific English use, but their motivation to improve their English proficiency was not strong. Language centers should re-design the language courses to meet NSs’ communication needs, while nursing educators should provide opportunities for students to strengthen their English use in research and clinical situations.
Highlights
English has long been considered a lingua franca, being used for communication between people with different mother-tongues [1]
This study has identified students’ perceptions of the challenges they face with the use of English
The results show a clear need to conduct further studies on this topic, for nursing students’ (NSs) in non-English speaking countries, in addition to the existing research being conducted in English-speaking countries
Summary
English has long been considered a lingua franca, being used for communication between people with different mother-tongues [1]. Competence in English impacts a variety of professionals, nurses [2]. There is an increasing need for the use of English across non-English speaking countries. People from English-speaking countries may travel to Asia for medical services [3]. The lack of a guarantee of English communication might hinder the country from providing excellent healthcare to diverse populations [4]. A growing need for effective English communication for medical purposes is evident in non-English speaking countries around the globe
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