GENERAL INFORMATION 

With an ever-growing Latino population in the state of Nebraska (14%, 2021 US census) and in the U.S. in general (18.9% 2021 US census), the Spanish for Health Sciences concentration seeks to provide individuals planning on working in healthcare with the competencies and experience that they need to better care for their Spanish-speaking patients. 

The concentration in Spanish for Health Sciences is built on three pillars: 

• Spanish language instruction, 

• knowledge of Hispanic/Latinx cultures, and 

• hands-on experience where students put into practice their newly acquired sociolinguistic skills in the community.

By the time students graduate, they will possess many skills and knowledge, including:

• Students will be able to navigate cross-cultural and social factors that challenge the practitioner-patient communication with Spanish-speaking people and immigrants to the U.S.

• Students will develop a better understanding of health disparities in the U.S. and how to help their patients develop their own health literacy.

• Students will have command of the Spanish language used in healthcare sectors (e.g., specialized vocabulary).

Spanish for Health Sciences for future Nurses

• By 2030 an estimated 16% of Nebraskans will be Hispanic/Latinx. Presently, only 2% of the Nebraska nurse workforce speaks Spanish and only 1% are Hispanic/Latinx. A recent survey of Nebraska nurses and clinic administrators found the importance of a bilingual nurse or nurse practitioner to their organization to be “extremely important.” 

• The Spanish for Health Sciences program hopes to address this clinical need by teaching future nurses the linguistic and intercultural skills necessary to provide quality care to their Hispanic/Latino patients. Bilingual/bicultural nurses may see career advancement opportunities related to their cultural knowledge and language abilities. 

EXAMPLE CLASSES IN THE PROGRAM

SPAN 1140: INTRODUCTION TO SPANISH FOR HEALTH SCIENCES (1 credit)

This course introduces students in the Spanish for Health Sciences concentration to fundamental topics that emerge from the intersection between healthcare and the Spanish language. These topics include: language diversity; language policy in the US; and historical and sociocultural factors that prevent access to care.

SPAN 3420: LATIN AMERICAN CIVILIZATION (3 credits)

What do we know about Latin American culture, geography, politics and languages? How has Latin America been imagined from the United States? Does it make sense to think of Latin America as one space brought together by a similar history or is it better to imagine it as twenty particular countries with intersecting pasts and futures? This course will attempt to answer these questions by introducing you to a number of key topics and debates common to contemporary Latin American culture, including issues such as democracy, class, race/ethnicity, gender/sexuality, religion, family and globalization.

SPAN 3570: SPANISH FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS (3 credits)

Spanish for Healthcare Professionals provides an introduction of specialized communication in the healthcare context. Course objectives include the development of essential informal and formal vocabulary and expressions,and sociocultural competencies necessary for successful interaction with patients and other healthcare providers.

SPAN 3050: LATIN AMERICA IN CONTEXT: HEALTH, BUSINESS, ENVIRONMENT, & SOCIETY THROUGH ORAL PRACTICE (3 credits)

This course focuses on the development and intensive practice of oral expression in Spanish, and is intended for students interested in the fields of business, health, education, environmental sciences, social work, and cultural studies, who are either heritage speakers of Spanish or who are completing a major/minor in Spanish. The class provides a broad context of current relevant issues in Latin America, including politics and society; the state of the economy after decades of neoliberalism; racism; indigenous and Afro-descendent identities; domestic and gender violence; health and disabilities; adult, youth, & child immigration; and ecology and the environment.

SPAN 4330: LINGUISTIC JUSTICE AND LATINO HEALTH (3 credits)

Language barriers compromise the quality of health care for millions of Spanish-speaking patients each year. Spanish-speaking patients, for example, have disease (e.g., musculoskeletal diseases, pesticide poisoning, cervical cancer, HIV/AIDS), mortality, and pain burdens at least twice as high as English-speaking patients. At the same time, they have been disproportionately affected by infectious diseases such as the tuberculosis outbreaks or the COVID-19 pandemic. These facts make language a crucial concern for the improvement of health among Latinos in the US. Students in this course examine the relationship between language, health care, and health among Spanish speakers in the US through the dual lens of sociolinguistics and public health. We consider the effect of linguistic and discursive practices on access to health information and examine some of the measures currently in place to improve the transmission of health information across language boundaries.

PLACEMENT INFORMATION

Minor vs concentration in Spanish for Health Sciences

We offer both a concentration (30 credits) and a minor (16 credits) in Spanish for Health Sciences. The concentration differs from the minor in that it requires more course credits and can truly foster students’ bilingualism and biculturalism. The minor, which requires far fewer credits, can be an addition to students’ main areas of study (e.g., sociology, psychology) and can introduce students to the language and topics relevant to healthcare, and foster awareness on the challenges that arise from linguistic barriers.

The Spanish for Health Sciences concentration/minor can complement programs/majors such as: 

• Medical humanities

• Psychology

Pre-Health pathways including:

• Audiologist

• Chiropractor

• Clinical Perfusionist

• Cytotechnologist

• Dental Hygienist

• Dentist

• Genetic Counselor

• Gerontologist

• Imaging Specialist

• Medical Lab Scientist

• Occupational Therapist

• Optometrist

• Pharmacist

• Physical Therapist

• Physician

• Physician Assistant

• Public Health Practitioner

• Registered Nurse

• Respiratory Care Specialist

• Speech Language Pathologist

To learn more, check out this list of coursework for the minor and concentration.

COURSEWORK ROTATION

COURSES OFFERED EVERY SEMESTER 

SPAN 1140: Introduction to Spanish for Health Sciences
SPAN 3010: Heritage Speakers I
SPAN 3020: Heritage Speakers II 
SPAN 3030: Spanish Conversation and Pronunciation
SPAN 3040: Spanish Grammar and Composition
SPAN 3060: Readings in Spanish

If you are interested in learning more and/or declaring a concentration or minor in Spanish for Health Sciences, please contact Dr. Cecilia Tocaimaza-Hatch ctocaimazahatch@unomaha.edu