English tests for foreign nurses

NURSES will be forced to take a language test before working in NSW hospitals following complaints about nurses being unable to speak English.

The move has raised questions about how some nurses were able to earn their qualifications without adequate language skills.

The Daily Telegraph has learned some universities are teaching groups of students in their native languages.

Michael Cleary, executive director of the Nurses and Midwives Board, said overseas-trained nurses were automatically tested upon entering the country.

However, he said the State Government assumed any nurse who was trained in Australia would have workable English.

"In the past we believed that if someone had done a degree in Australia, their English would be good enough for safe practice," Mr Cleary said.

"But in some anecdotal reports about individual nurses and midwives, it appears this may not be so.

"There have been instances where there were questions about the ability of the nurse or midwife, mostly nurses, to communicate."

The mandatory test will apply to nurses who have spent less than two years studying in Australia. Testing will begin next month.

Mr Cleary said the board was concerned about reports of university tutorials for one group of ethnic student nurses being taught in their native language.

"That supports their learning but it doesn't help them develop English skills," he said.

"We need to be reassured about patient safety."

The Opposition is calling on the Government to ensure all registered nurses can speak English.

"We need a review of all nurses who don't speak English," Opposition health spokeswoman Jillian Skinner said.

"I am calling on the Government to guarantee every nurse registered to practise in Australia speaks English at a sufficient level. It is rather alarming that nurses who can't speak English can be registered.

"They should never have become nurses in the first place if they couldn't speak English properly and cannot read medical charts."

With the Government losing about 10 per cent of nurses from its ranks every year, NSW Health has embarked upon a number of international recruitment drives to lure overseas nurses.

A NSW Health spokeswoman said "there is no plan to introduce a retrospective English language test across the board".

"NSW Health supports the board's initiative in relation to English language requirements for local and overseas educated nurses," she said.

A spokeswoman for the NSW Nurses Association said she had heard reports from her members regarding nurses with inadequate English skills.

"Anything that makes it easier for nurses to communicate is a plus," she said.

By Clare Masters, Political Reporter

Article from www.news.com.au

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