Almost all nurses surveyed by Sykepleien believe inadequate Norwegian-language skills pose a risk to patient safety.
One in 100 respondents said they had experienced a situation in which a patient died as a result of problems understanding the language.
Three in 10 respondents said language problems occurred at their workplace at least once a week. Eight percent said they experienced them every day.
In a survey conducted by Sykepleien, nurses were asked about language proficiency and patient safety. The responses clearly show that misunderstandings occur primarily in verbal communication, but also in discharge summaries and other written documentation.
Between 1,100 and 1,200 nurses took part in the survey.
Medication errors and additional workload
According to the respondents, language problems can lead to additional work, among other consequences, while 15 percent said they had witnessed harm caused to patients.
One percent of the nurses said they had experienced a situation in which language problems led to an error that resulted in a patient’s death. One example involved the administration of an incorrect dose of insulin. The patient received an additional dose, which led to their death.
One nurse described the difficult situation faced by people whose native language is Norwegian. When they work in a ward where most staff speak other languages, patients and their relatives turn to them for information.
“More and more Norwegian nurses are leaving their jobs, particularly in nursing homes, where the working culture is no longer Norwegian,” the nurse wrote, describing her observations.
No data on the scale of the problem
“Language problems can mean not only that important information is not communicated. They can also cause patients to feel anxious and uncertain if they do not understand what is happening. Clearly, this can pose a risk to patient safety,” says Gro Lillebø, second deputy leader of the Norwegian Nurses Organisation (NSF).
Neither the Norwegian Board of Health Supervision (Helsetilsynet) nor the Norwegian Directorate of Health (Helsedirektoratet) has data showing the extent of language problems in the healthcare system.