7 Benefits Of Being A Bilingual Nurse


Written By: Darby FaubionDarby Faubion RN, BSN, MBA

Darby Faubion is a nurse and allied health instructor with over 20 years of clinical experience. Darby lives in Louisiana and loves exploring the state’s rich culture and history. Darby has a passion for caring for veterans and a special interest in those affected by post-traumatic stress disorder. In her quest to make a difference for veterans, she founded a non-profit called “Operation Battle Buddy.” Read Full Bio »»
RN, BSN, MBA

If you are a nurse who has worked in a hospital or large healthcare organization, chances are, you have met patients and their loved ones, or colleagues, who speak a non-English language. How did you feel when faced with caring for or working with someone where there was a language barrier? Maybe you have considered learning a second language but wonder, “What are the benefits of being a bilingual nurse?”

Years ago, I worked at a university hospital. The patient and staff population was quite diverse. Although doctors and nurses had to prove English proficiency to be accepted into their programs or jobs, communication was still sometimes challenging, especially if the person was not fluent in English. Also, we served a patient population that was incredibly diverse. There were many times, despite my efforts to communicate effectively, we needed an interpreter to help ensure we were sharing accurate information. Although I never learned a second language fluently, I certainly learned how being bilingual is a good thing for nurses. In this article, I will share what I believe are 7 benefits of being a bilingual nurse and how these benefits can impact your career.



What Are The Benefits Of Being A Bilingual Nurse?

(The following are the 7 benefits of being a bilingual nurse.)


BENEFIT #1: You Can Help Patients and Staff from Different Populations

Nursing is a career that is all about helping others, right? What better way to help others than to learn to communicate in a language your patients and their families understand? When you can speak to someone in a language they know and comprehend, it is easier to build stronger nurse-patient and interprofessional relationships. After all, if you could not understand what someone says to you, it would be difficult to feel like you could have a close relationship. The fact that you can help is one of the main benefits of being a bilingual nurse.


BENEFIT #2: You May Find More Job Opportunities

Living and working in an area where there is a diverse population of patients and healthcare providers, and knowing how to communicate with those populations, is an excellent way to find more job opportunities.

When I first became a nurse, I lived in a very small town. Actually, it was so small it was classified as a village, not a town. We did not even have a caution light, and the nearest hospital was about 25 miles from my house. This was one of those rural places where everybody knows everybody, and you often hear about jobs or get offered jobs because someone called you and told you there was one available.

Later in my career, I moved to a little larger area where there were more and bigger hospitals and tons of specialty physicians' practices. Many of those facilities catered to immigrant populations, especially seasonal workers who came here to farm, and many of whom spoke broken English, at best. Other places across the nation, like Little Saigon in Seattle, have a large Vietnamese community. Knowing a second language is an excellent way to show your versatility and make yourself a more appealing candidate for jobs in places where there is a diverse patient population.


BENEFIT #3: You Can Negotiate a Higher Salary

Another excellent benefit of being a bilingual nurse is that you can leverage your skills to negotiate higher wages. Having worked with human resources directors and nursing management, one thing I learned is that it is more cost-effective for an employer to offer a bilingual nurse a higher salary than their average going rate, versus paying two nurses who speak different languages. So, if you know a second language or have been considering earning one, keep this in mind when you begin applying for jobs. Although an employer may pay you more, it is still a win-win for everyone because patients have someone who can communicate with them, employers save money on their bottom line, and you can earn a higher paycheck!


BENEFIT #4: You Can Become a Travel Nurse

Have you dreamed of traveling the world but feel you cannot afford to take time off work? If so, you could consider becoming a travel nurse. One of the top benefits of being a bilingual nurse is that you can accept travel jobs in countries where you know and understand their language! You can then make your dream of traveling the world a reality while earning an excellent income. In fact, the highest-paying travel nursing jobs pay between $90,230 and $130,870! Not to mention, most travel nurses receive stipends for travel and lodging while on assignment, which means more money in your pocket at the end of your contract!


BENEFIT #5: You Can Help Promote Better Patient Outcomes

One of the first things we learn in nursing is the importance of patient education. As nurses, when we effectively and thoroughly educate our patients, it helps increase their understanding of issues with their health and prescribed treatment plans. When patients clearly understand the rationale behind proposed treatment plans, they are more likely to be compliant with those plans, which provides for better patient outcomes. Being a bilingual nurse means you can bridge the gap that exists between patients and providers who speak different languages, making you instrumental in promoting good health outcomes.


BENEFIT #6: You Can Provide Culturally Sensitive Patient Care

Learning another language makes it possible for you to get to know patients on a more personal level. You can talk to your patients, developing a deeper understanding of their beliefs and preferences for healthcare services. Being aware of your patient’s beliefs and culture allows you to provide culturally competent nursing care. Cultural competence in nursing is essential because it helps improve patient satisfaction, reduces healthcare disparities, and supports deeper patient relationships, and being a bilingual nurse helps you ensure those things occur.


BENEFIT #7: You Can Help Promote Better Interdisciplinary Collaboration

I often mention the university hospital I worked at because there were so many things I had opportunities to do while working there. Although I am not bilingual, I have friends and colleagues who are. One of the things I noticed that was important to me is that when bilingual nurses are available to offer translation assistance, it promotes better understanding among team members. This is especially important because good patient care requires effective interdisciplinary collaboration. When healthcare teams communicate effectively and understand one another, it benefits not only our patients, but our peers and the organizations we represent.


My Final Thoughts


If you are a nurse who speaks a second language or you are considering learning another language, you may wonder if it is worth the effort it takes. You may question, “What are the benefits of being a bilingual nurse?” The closest I came to learning a second language was taking two years of French in high school. However, I have learned through my years as a nurse to appreciate the significant role bilingual nurses play in good patient care and positive organizational outcomes. The 7 benefits of being a bilingual nurse featured in this article are just a few reasons that it is worth considering learning a new language.

If you have been on the fence about wanting to be a bilingual nurse, I would love to encourage you to consider your options and take a leap of faith. You can start by talking to your supervisor or director and asking what patient populations most need a translator where you work. Many employers offer incentives for nurses to take classes to earn a second language, also. So, this is certainly something worth discussing!


List Of Sources Used For This Article


1. “44 Highest-Paying Travel Nursing Jobs in 2024” (nursingprocess.org)
2. “What is Cultural Competence in Nursing? (With Examples, Importance, & Barriers)” (nursingprocess.org)


Darby Faubion, RN, BSN, MBA
Darby Faubion is a nurse and allied health instructor with over 20 years of clinical experience. Her work history includes clinical experience in pediatrics, mental health, addiction and behavioral disorders, geriatrics, wound management, and communicable disease. Darby has worked in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and home health and hospice agencies. Darby also has experience as a nursing and allied health educator at both community college and university levels. Her love for nursing and nursing education led to her becoming a test-taking strategist and NCLEX prep coach.