Medical Spanish for Nurses

Nursing Elective – 3 credit hours

Sample Syllabus

M/W  One and one-half hour classes

 

Instructor:                

Office:                      

Office Phone:          

Office Hours:          

E-mail:                      

Internet:                   

 

A. Text and Course Materials

 

Chase, Robert O & Clarisa B. Medina. 1998. An Introduction to Spanish for Health Care Workers:  Communication and Culture.  New Haven: Yale University Press.

 

Course Packet, including CD-ROM,  Essential Tasks in Medical Spanish for Nurses.

 

B.  Course Description

 

This course is designed for students in nursing who want to learn basic phrases in Spanish as related to their daily activities.  The course activities are divided into two major sections: First, basic language skills that are taught using the textbook, “An Introduction to Spanish for Health Care Workers;” Second, the memorization of dialogs related to specific nursing tasks (e.g., assessing medical history, assessing health risks, teaching breast self exams, making appointments, etc.).  This course is not a Spanish language class per se, but is designed to teach nursing students how to do specific tasks in Spanish.  As such, there is no specific Spanish prerequisite to be enrolled in this course.  All non-native speakers of Spanish  at any level are encouraged to enroll in this course.  Students who are interested in acquiring Spanish language in general are invited to enroll in traditional Spanish courses.

 

C.  Course Objectives

 

·      Student will feel confident in brief, basic conversation in Spanish using medical and health-care related expressions and terminology.

·      Students will be able to articulate and respond to patient concerns.

·      Students will be able to respond to patient's requests regarding care and comfort.

·      Students will be able to conduct basic interviews (assessments) in Spanish, such as the registration interview, health history, physical exam, breast exam, and the more detailed situations of women's health.

·      Students will understand cultural and social factors that influence the practitioner-patient communication with Hispanic peoples and immigrants to the U.S.

 

D. Class Schedule

 

Week 1

Topics for the week

Grammar Objectives: The verb “ser.”

Vocabulary Objectives:  Presentations,  Professions and Specialties

Dialog Objectives:  Introduce the Eligibility Assessment Interview

 

Monday

                        Introduction to Course and Materials

                        Chase, Chapter 1.  “Hello, I Am the Doctor.”

 

Wednesday

                        Chase, Chapter 1.  “Hello, I Am the Doctor.”

                        Dialog, Eligibility Assessment 1

 

Week 2

Topics for the week

Grammar Objectives: What is your name? The verb “estar.”

Vocabulary Objectives:  Adjectives with “ser.” Adjectives with “estar.”

Dialog Objectives:  Eligibility Assessment 1 and Native Speaker Demonstrations

 

Monday

                        Chase, Chapter 1.  “Hello, I Am the Doctor.”

                        Dialog, Eligibility Assessment 1

 

Wednesday

                        Chase, Chapter 2.  “How Are You?”

                        Task Pass-off

 

Week 3

Topics for the week

Grammar Objectives: The verb “tener.”

Vocabulary Objectives:  Days of the week.

Dialog Objectives:  Eligibility Assessment 2 and Native Speaker Demonstrations

 

Monday

                        Chase, Chapter 2.  “How Are You?”

                        Dialog, Eligibility Assessment 2

 

Wednesday

                        Chase, Chapter 3.  “What Is the Matter?”

                        Dialog, Eligibility Assessment 2

 

 

Week 4

Topics for the week

Grammar Objectives: The verb “doler.”

Vocabulary Objectives:  Cold and Flu Symptoms. Parts of the Body. Injuries

Dialog Objectives:  Eligibility Assessment 3 and Native Speaker Demonstrations

 

Monday

Portfolio #1 Due

                        Chase, Chapter 3.  “What Is the Matter?”

                        Task Pass-off

 

Wednesday

                        Chase, Chapter 3.  “What Is the Matter?”

                        Dialog, Eligibility Assessment 3

 

Week 5

Topics for the week

Grammar Objectives: Numbers.

Vocabulary Objectives:  Numbers. Months.

Dialog Objectives:  Eligibility Assessment 3 and Native Speaker Demonstrations

 

Monday

                        Chase, Chapter 4.  “The Receptionist”

                        Dialog, Eligibility Assessment 3

 

Wednesday

                        Chase, Chapter 4.  “The Receptionist”

                        Task Pass-off

 

Week 6

Topics for the week

Grammar Objectives: Verbs in the Present Tense.

Vocabulary Objectives:  Family Members.

Dialog Objectives:  Health Risk Assessment 1 and Native Speaker Demonstrations

 

Monday

                        Chase, Chapter 4.  “The Receptionist”

                        Dialog, Health Risk Assessment 1

 

Wednesday

                        Chase, Chapter 5.  “The Family”

                        Dialog, Health Risk Assessment 1

 

Week 7

Topics for the week

Grammar Objectives: Verbs in the Present Tense.

Vocabulary Objectives:  Family Members.

Dialog Objectives:  Health Risk Assessment 2 and Native Speaker Demonstrations

 

Monday, Day 26

Portfolio #2 Due

                        Chase, Chapter 5.  “The Family”

                        Task Pass-off

 

Wednesday, Day 28

                        Chase, Chapter 5.  “The Family”

                        Dialog, Health Risk Assessment 2

 

Week 8

Topics for the week

Grammar Objectives:  The verb “tomar.”

Vocabulary Objectives:  Pharmacy.

Dialog Objectives:  Health Risk Assessment and Native Speaker Demonstrations 3

 

Monday

                        Chase, Chapter 6.  “The Pharmacy”

                        Dialog, Health Risk Assessment 2

 

Wednesday

                        Chase, Chapter 6.  “The Pharmacy”

                        Dialog, Health Risk Assessment 3

 

Week 9

Topics for the week

Grammar Objectives:  The verb “gustar” and “querer.”

Vocabulary Objectives:  Side Effects. Nutrition.

Dialog Objectives:  Health Risk Assessment 3 and Native Speaker Demonstrations

 

Monday

                        Chase, Chapter 6.  “The Pharmacy”

                        Dialog, Health Risk Assessment 3

 

Wednesday, Day 7

                        Chase, Chapter 7.  “Diet and Nutrition”

                        Task Pass-off

 

Week 10

Topics for the week

Grammar Objectives:  How long has it been?”

Vocabulary Objectives:  Six Food Groups.  Tests and Procedures.

Dialog Objectives:  Health Risk Assessment 4 and Native Speaker Demonstrations

 

Monday

Portfolio #3 Due

                        Chase, Chapter 7.  “Diet and Nutrition”

                        Dialog, Health Risk Assessment 4

 

 

Wednesday

                        Chase, Chapter 8.  “The Doctor’s Office”

                        Dialog, Health Risk Assessment 4

 

Week 11

Topics for the week

Grammar Objectives:  Speaking in the Future.  Verbs in the Past

Vocabulary Objectives:  Physical Exam.

Dialog Objectives:  Health Risk Assessment 5 and Native Speaker Demonstrations

 

Monday

                        Chase, Chapter 8.  “The Doctor’s Office”

                        Dialog, Health Risk Assessment 5

 

Wednesday

                        Chase, Chapter 9.  “The Past Tense”

                        Dialog, Health Risk Assessment 5

 

Week 12

Topics for the week

Grammar Objectives:  The verbs “tener,” “estar,” “ser,”“ir, ””decir”  in the past.

Vocabulary Objectives:  Illnesses and Diseases.  General Symptoms

Dialog Objectives:  Needs Assessment Interview 1 and Native Speaker Demonstrations

 

Monday

                        Chase, Chapter 9.  “The Past Tense”

                        Task Pass-off

 

Wednesday

                        Chase, Chapter 10.  “Taking Medical History”

                        Dialog, Needs Assessment Interview 1

 

Week 13

Topics for the week

Grammar Objectives:  Review of Previous Topics.

Vocabulary Objectives:  Internal Organs and Glands.  Surgical History

Dialog Objectives:  Needs Assessment Interview 1 and Native Speaker Demonstrations

 

Monday

Portfolio #4 Due

                        Chase, Chapter 10.  “Taking Medical History”

                        Dialog, Needs Assessment Interview 1

 

Wednesday

                        Chase, Chapter 10.  “Taking Medical History”

                        Task Pass-off

 

 

 

Week 14

Topics for the week

Grammar Objectives:  Reflexive Verbs.

Vocabulary Objectives:  Mental Health

Dialog Objectives:  Needs Assessment Interview 2 and Native Speaker Demonstrations

 

Monday

                        Chase, Chapter 11.  “Hospital Admissions and Mental Health”

                        Dialog, Needs Assessment Interview 2

 

Wednesday

                        Chase, Chapter 11.  “Hospital Admissions and Mental Health”

                        Dialog, Needs Assessment Interview 2

 

Week 15

Topics for the week

Grammar Objectives:  Stem Changing Verbs. The verb “poder.”

Vocabulary Objectives:  Mental Health.  Maternity

Dialog Objectives:  Needs Assessment Interview 2 and Native Speaker Demonstrations

 

Monday

                        Chase, Chapter 11.  “Hospital Admissions and Mental Health”

                        Task Pass-off

 

Wednesday

                        Chase, Chapter 12.  “Maternity and Safe Sex”

                        Dialog, Making An Appointment 1

 

Week 16

Topics for the week

Grammar Objectives:  Command Forms.

Vocabulary Objectives:  Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Dialog Objectives:  Making An Appointment 1 and Native Speaker Demonstrations

 

Monday

                        Chase, Chapter 12.  “Maternity and Safe Sex”

                        Dialog, Making An Appointment 1

 

Wednesday

Portfolio #5 Due

                        Chase, Chapter 12.  “Maternity and Safe Sex”

                        Task Pass-off

 

There is a final exam for this course.

 


E.  Vocabulary Quizzes

 

We will be covering a large amount of vocabulary throughout the semester and there will be various ‘pop’ quizzes pertaining to the vocabulary from each chapter of the textbook.  The “Vocabulary Objectives” that are  listed at the beginning of each week show which vocabulary sections will be on the quizzes.  The quizzes may include writing from dictation, sentence completion, writing , translation, or dictating patient directions/explanations, etc.  Each quiz is worth 10 points and there are 12 pop quizzes.

 

F.  Task Pass-offs

 

The Task Pass-off checklist contains  dialogs, grammar tasks, and vocabulary tasks that are to be mastered and passed-off orally to partners in class and to your instructor.  On the days that are designated “Task Pass-offs” in the syllabus students will spend the bulk of their time practicing and passing off the various tasks.  On those days, the instructor will sit with the students and listen to the pass-offs.  Each grammar task (20) and vocabulary task (25) is worth a maximum of 5 points.  The Dialogs (11) are to be memorized and are worth 20 points each.

 

G.  Portfolio

 

The purpose of this project is to allow you to apply your learning to practical situations, as well as allow you to demonstrate and practice proficiency in Spanish in a work-like situation.  Of the list of 25 vocabulary topics, choose the two that are of most relevance to your specialization, or those two that would be of most use to you in your future career.  From these two lists, formulate an appropriate dialog that might take place between a nurse and patient.  You may choose to use your memorized dialogs as a model, or you may wish to use the native speaker dialogs available online to assist you.  Your dialog should contain at least ten lines each for nurse and patient.  You may choose to follow a question and answer format, but that would be boring.  Try to create something that is realistic as possible, as this will enhance your learning experience and improve your ability to function in Spanish once in the workplace.

 

Once you have completed your dialog, use the resource list contained in the syllabus to locate a native speaker of Spanish with whom you will practice and record (audio or video) your dialog.  After recording your dialog, allow it rest for at least 48 hours.  Following, listen to, or view, your recording and create one page “reflective summary” highlighting areas of strength and weakness, along with suggestions for improvement.  Ideally, you will use the reflective summary as a guide to making your second dialog even better than the first.

 

There are five class days where time is provided to helping you produce your portfolio.  On each of these days, certain components are due.  The last component is due on the day of the final.  Each dialog and summary is worth 150 points, for a total of 300 points.  Following are the due dates:

 

 

H.  Final Interview

 

Students will meet individually with the instructor for 20 – 30 minutes and will be asked to orally pass off any of the dialogs, grammar tasks, or vocabulary tasks that were previously passed off during the semester.  The final interview is worth 100 points.

 

I.  Class Attendance

 

Due to the nature of the class, the emphasis on oral presentations, class discussion and the pace of the course, attendance is mandatory.  Each student starts with 35 points for attendance and loses 5 points for each day missed.  There is no make-up for points lost.

 

J.  Grading

 

The final grade is based on the percentage of total points earned (A=90+, B=80+, C=70+, D=60+).  No make up work is allowed.  Points are distributed on the following basis:

 

Chapter Quizzes                                          12 x 10 pts =  120

Dialog Memorization                                  11 x 20 pts =  220

Grammar Tasks                                           20 x 5 pts =    100

Vocabulary Tasks                                        25 x 5 pts =    125

Portfolio                                                        2 x 150 pts =  300

Final Interview                                             1 x 100 pts = 100

Attendance                                                    35 pts - 2 =      35

TOTAL                                                                                  1000 pts

 

*Note:  At the beginning of the semester, students with disabilities who need special accommodations should notify the instructor by presenting a letter prepared by the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) Office.  To ensure that the most appropriate accommodations can be provided, students should contact the SSD Office at 571-6259 or 471-4641 TTY.

 

**Note:  Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from The University.  Since such dishonesty harms the individual, all the students, and the integrity of The University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced.