Abstract
Introduction: With the increase in global migration, encounters between people speaking different languages are becoming more common. In healthcare, effective communication is the cornerstone of quality care. In pediatric settings, communication between nurses and parents who speak languages other than the official language can become a barrier to nursing education.
Objectives: To identify how immigrant parents' lack of proficiency in the native language affects their understanding of pediatric nursing education in Portugal, and to explore the strategies Portuguese nurses use to overcome the language barrier when educating parents.
Methodology: This is a qualitative, descriptive study. Data collection was carried out through guided observation using a checklist of six nursing education sessions for immigrant parents who do not speak Portuguese. These sessions took place in three portuguese clinical settings: Family Health Unit, Pediatric Emergency, and Neonatology Service. Data were analyzed using Laurence Bardin's content analysis method (Bardin, 2016).
Results: The results highlighted three categories of analysis: understanding of the teachings, expressions of lack of comprehension, and strategies to overcome the language barrier. The lack of understanding of the nurse's educational sessions was observed in all the interviews. Parents' lack of understanding, particularly from Brazil, Guinea, India, and Pakistan, was observed through expressions of confusion such as shaking their heads, shrugging, brief answers. Strategies used by nurses to overcome the language barrier included the use of translators, expository methods, and demonstrations.
Conclusion: The lack of proficiency in Portuguese among immigrant parents hindered their understanding of nursing education, despite efforts made to overcome the language barrier. Nurses employed strategies such as informative leaflets, translation apps, and procedure demonstrations. However, they felt that the teachings were not fully understood by the parents, which has implications for hospital readmissions and the quality of care provided by parents to their children.
Notes
References: 1 - Bardin, L. (2016). Análise de conteúdo (L. A. Reto & A. Pinheiro, Trads.). Edições 70.
2 - Belintxon, M., Dogra, N., McGee, P., Pumar-Mendez, M. J., & Lopez-Dicastillo, O. (2020). Encounters between children's nurses and culturally diverse parents in primary health care. Nursing & Health Sciences, 22(2), 273-282.
3 - Squires, A. (2018). Strategies for overcoming language barriers in healthcare. Nursing Management, 49(4), 20-27.
4 - Stephen, J. M., Zoucha, R., Cazzell, M., & Devido, J. (2023). Necessidades de cuidado cultural de pais que falam espanhol com proficiencia limitada em inglês e cujos filhos estão hospitalizados: Um estudo de etnoenfermagem. Jornal de Enfermagem Pediátrica, 69, 62-70.
Sigma Membership
Phi Xi
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Descriptive/Correlational
Research Approach
Qualitative Research
Keywords:
Public and Community Health, Teaching and Learning Strategies, Competence, Language Barriers, Portugal
Recommended Citation
Lomba, Lurdes Lopes, "The Language Barrier in Nursing Education for Migrant Parents Who Do Not Speak the Native Language" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 20.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/posters_2025/20
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
The Language Barrier in Nursing Education for Migrant Parents Who Do Not Speak the Native Language
Seattle, Washington, USA
Introduction: With the increase in global migration, encounters between people speaking different languages are becoming more common. In healthcare, effective communication is the cornerstone of quality care. In pediatric settings, communication between nurses and parents who speak languages other than the official language can become a barrier to nursing education.
Objectives: To identify how immigrant parents' lack of proficiency in the native language affects their understanding of pediatric nursing education in Portugal, and to explore the strategies Portuguese nurses use to overcome the language barrier when educating parents.
Methodology: This is a qualitative, descriptive study. Data collection was carried out through guided observation using a checklist of six nursing education sessions for immigrant parents who do not speak Portuguese. These sessions took place in three portuguese clinical settings: Family Health Unit, Pediatric Emergency, and Neonatology Service. Data were analyzed using Laurence Bardin's content analysis method (Bardin, 2016).
Results: The results highlighted three categories of analysis: understanding of the teachings, expressions of lack of comprehension, and strategies to overcome the language barrier. The lack of understanding of the nurse's educational sessions was observed in all the interviews. Parents' lack of understanding, particularly from Brazil, Guinea, India, and Pakistan, was observed through expressions of confusion such as shaking their heads, shrugging, brief answers. Strategies used by nurses to overcome the language barrier included the use of translators, expository methods, and demonstrations.
Conclusion: The lack of proficiency in Portuguese among immigrant parents hindered their understanding of nursing education, despite efforts made to overcome the language barrier. Nurses employed strategies such as informative leaflets, translation apps, and procedure demonstrations. However, they felt that the teachings were not fully understood by the parents, which has implications for hospital readmissions and the quality of care provided by parents to their children.
Description
This presentation explores how language barriers affect nursing education for immigrant parents in pediatric care. Participants will learn strategies used by nurses to overcome communication challenges, improving care quality and reducing hospital readmissions.