While working on a Labor & Delivery assignment during one of my Travel Nursing Jobs in an area of the United States that has a fairly large non English speaking population, I recall a very embarrassing, yet funny incident that happened during a delivery with a non English speaking couple. Most of the regular staff and physicians at this particular facility were not fluent in Spanish and only knew a few pertinent words that they had picked up here and there that were specific to their role. On this particular evening, I was assisting a couple through the labor process. Neither of them spoke English fluently. Needless to say, communication with them was challenging (thank God for hand gestures and my inborn talent with charades…). As the evening progressed, it came time for the woman to begin pushing for delivery. I instructed her to push (“puja”). The time came when the physician was called for delivery. When he began instructing the woman to push, he was commanding, “puta”, “puta!” I immediately looked at the husband and noticed his face was shocked at what the physician was saying. Fortunately, the husband began laughing. At that very moment the baby was delivered. After the delivery, the physician asked me what the husband was laughing at. I told the physician that the proper word for “push” in Spanish is “puja” and that he had been shouting “puta”, which meant “prostitute”. The physician was very embarrassed and apologized to the couple. Everyone laughed at this the physician’s mispronunciation and was grateful that the situation was received with good humor.
Posted by: rrleavitt | June 24, 2009
