Medical English for nurses. How important is it? What to consider and how to structure a course?

A common language is a precondition for a forum where scientific achievements as well as professional nursing issues can be discussed. It enables the professionals to exchange results and to create a new international terminology for future aspects. English should be the language of choice because not only is it the common language of most other members in the multidisciplinary team in nephrology, it is acknowledged world-wide as the scientific language. The aim of the project was to devise a medical English course for nurses which would enable them to participate at an international congress in English without the aid of translation and to make them aware of the available medical English literature at their facilities. The course has 20 weekly one and a half hour lessons. There is a test at the beginning for self evaluation for the students and to assist the course teacher on the grouping of the students for workshops. Didactic elements were included as well as videos, slides, workshop and games. More than 50% of the 28 nurses who attended the courses worked within in a renal setting. Evaluation of the course demonstrated that at the end they felt able to tackle English medical text and had enjoyed the course thoroughly.