To think the nurses shouldn't have spoken in a different language in front of me?

[ColouringTheBrain]

If I start by saying I think our NHS staff do a great job I'm not looking to be flamed, I genuinely want to know if I'm BU.

I had to go to the hospital today, the nurse that initially dealt with me was kind and gentle, also in the room was a colleague of hers ( another nurse). The nurse took my bloods, then went to get another machine, it was then that the two nurses started talking to each other in a different language ( I'm not trying to be vague, I just haven't got a clue what language it was). It made me feel really uncomfortable as it was directly in front of me, whether they were talking about me, or what's on TV, or other members of staff I feel is irrelevant, I felt like they shouldn't be doing it in front of a patient. Obviously I didn't say anything, I wasn't feeling the best anyway, but I also felt slightly intimidated I suppose.

AIBU, or should I just accept it as part of the care?

There's often threads on this theme.
The consensus seems to run that anyone who speaks more than one language isn't bothered or offended by it, and feels it's a natural thinlg to do whereas posters who only speak one language find it rude or feel sidelined, or threatened.
I'm a bit on the fence myself as I would see any conversation which excluded you as a bit rude, regardless of the language it was conducted in.

YABU

People can speak in whatever language they feel comfortable in.

English isn't my first language (not that most people would ever guess as I was born here) and I was always taught it's rude to speak a different language in front of other people.

YANBU especially given the context of it being in a hospital.

I get really annoyed when bus drivers do it too.

I wonder if the responses here would be different if the nurses had started whispering to each other?

I think they would. I think people claiming to have an issue with nurses speaking about non-nursing matters during their 12-hour shifts would not have an issue as long as they were speaking (or whispering) in English.

Totally unacceptable. This would be considered a disciplinary matter in my Trust because, as you've found, it can be upsetting for patients and is extremely unprofessional.

"BaronessBomburst

There's often threads on this theme.
The consensus seems to run that anyone who speaks more than one language isn't bothered or offended by it, and feels it's a natural thinlg to do whereas posters who only speak one language find it rude or feel sidelined, or threatened.
I'm a bit on the fence myself as I would see any conversation which excluded you as a bit rude, regardless of the language it was conducted in."

I speak more than one language and I am still annoyed at their rudeness. That is a silly reason to suggest.

Doctors often speak to one another using medical terminology instead of layman's terms in front of patients, especially at shift change and when a consultant is taking students on a ward round - do those who think they should understand everything said within earshot think that is that rude too?

YANBU when i was a senior Nurse i told off a couple of colleagues for doing this, they would often chat away in their own language in front of patients. I sat them down and tried to get them to see it from the patient's point of view, how anxious and intimidated it could make someone feel. You had no idea what they were saying - and that's the whole point, that's why its not on.

Yes, unprofessional and upsetting for the patient: I think that sums it up well.

Out of interest, is there anyone here who speaks more than one language that says OP is not being unreasonable? Because I highly doubt that, which if I'm correct is very telling!

YABU. Why should someone speaking in a different language make you feel "intimidated"? That is your issue, not theirs. It is very difficult to learn another language, very tiring to constantly speak a language other than your native tone in ways which one cannot possibly understand unless they do it themselves. I find there to be nothing remotely "intimidating" about hearing two people talk in another language and cannot possibly understand why anyone would find it so, sorry .

YABU. If the conversation concerned you, then of course the nurses should have conducted it in English. Otherwise, they are free to communicate in any language they choose.

I am an academic in a university department consisting of people from at least a dozen countries. The multilingual milieu is amazing. The working language of the department is English, so everyone speaks English in formal meetings, etc. Otherwise, my colleagues and I speak in any language we like.

Yanbu, a nurses role is to ensure that patients feel at ease and provide reassurance. If you felt intimidated OP then those nurses were failing in their role, they are their for you not the other way round.

YABU. If they weren't talking to you, it's nothing to do with you. You were being nosy and thus felt excluded. Even if they were talking about you, it might have been information that you shouldn't be privy to in case it worries you. It's also possible that they found it easier to communicate in their own language.

I'm bilingual (I speak French too) but there's times I go and see my French friends but speak in English to DP because I'm not sure on the exact right way to say what I mean in French.

"5moreminutes

Doctors often speak to one another using medical terminology instead of layman's terms in front of patients, especially at shift change and when a consultant is taking students on a ward round - do those who think they should understand everything said within earshot think that is that rude too? hmm"

Medical terminology is often reasonably - often perfectly - accessible to patients. Just because one is not a doctor does not mean one cannot comprehend the " big words wot Doctor's use."
Ridiculous.

Exactly, sweet potato.

I went for an outpatients appointment last year. I was having a BCC removed. The surgeon took a call before he started. I have no idea what it was about but I was waiting for half an hour before he started and I could hear most of it. It was all medical jargon. Didn't bother me in the slightest. Not all conversations within a hospital are about you op. Yanbu.

Yabu,

I think it is rude. If it was just chatter that's not too bad. If was confidential or a complaint about a patient then it was wrong and stupid. I studied an unusual language at university for two years- not something you would guess about me by just looking at me. what they were saying wasn't necessarily confidential or private at all.

"DotForShort

YABU. If the conversation concerned you, then of course the nurses should have conducted it in English. Otherwise, they are free to communicate in any language they choose.

I am an academic in a university department consisting of people from at least a dozen countries. The multilingual milieu is amazing. The working language of the department is English, so everyone speaks English in formal meetings, etc. Otherwise, my colleagues and I speak in any language we like."

Hardly the same situation.

Missy if they came from a country with multiple languages spoken they probably wondered what on earth the problem was. In most of the world people cope perfectly well with a babble of different languages and one official one for direct official communication.

I'm a HCP and we would not be allowed to talk to colleagues in a different language in front of patients. End of. So, YANBU. I would definitely raise it with the hospital's PALS department as a concern.

As a frontline nurse I say YANBU conversations should not take place in front of patients, be it in another language or about a night out, technically it is not allowed in our trust, it should not be tiresome to speak in English, unless you are talking to a patient of the same language it's not acceptable. I have had colleagues do this in front of me and I feel akward so can only imagine how a patient would feel.

"MeadowHay

Out of interest, is there anyone here who speaks more than one language that says OP is not being unreasonable? Because I highly doubt that, which if I'm correct is very telling!"

Please read my post ABOVE.

Thanks so much for your responses. Just to clarify, the nurse obviously did do her job, that's not a concern at all.

The reason I felt uncomfortable was because there were only three of us in the room, so when they started talking together I wasn't really sure what to think I suppose.

That's why I posted here because I wasn't sure if I was BU, it's great to get different views.

YABU. And so utterly British.

Why on earth shouldn't they speak their (i'm assuming ) mother tongue to each other if it's more comfortable so long as they are able to communicate fluently with you when needed and weren't being nasty and pointing at you while chatting or something.

This reminds me of a story a few years ago about Aldi store workers getting into trouble for daring to chat to one another.