Spanish for Nurses: My #1 Piece of Advice

I’m going to say something that a lot of online sources won’t tell you: there is way too much advice for nurses learning Spanish online--and not all of it is good. Search and you’ll find tons of Spanish for Nurses PDF’s and guides out there with lists of medical expressions in Spanish and body parts to memorize.

The problem with all of these materials? They can sidetrack your Spanish learning.

A lot of nurses I speak with start out by trying to memorize huge lists of medical vocabulary in Spanish, hoping they’ll never have to call in an interpreter again. 

And if you’re like most nurses I know, you’re willing to put in the work to improve your Spanish. You may also be innately caring and want to make your patients comfortable. 

That’s why I don’t want you to go through the pain and frustration of continuing to study Spanish only to end up feeling like you're no closer to connecting with your patients. 

And that happens far too often.

Why? 

Picking up a list of Spanish vocabulary for nurses might seem like a lifeline--but in terms of Spanish learning, you’re setting yourself up for failure starting there.

First, it’s nearly impossible to memorize a list of expressions from a list. To supercharge your memorization skills, you need context, something to make those expressions memorable. 

You’ll also struggle to move those new (and complex) expressions into your active vocabulary--that is, the set of words you can recognize in Spanish--especially if you don’t get a chance to hear them first. 

And there’s a more profound problem none of these PDF authors mention.

What if you manage to use one of those expressions you just learned to ask a question but still can’t understand your patient’s answer? 

You (and your patients) will be much better off if you stop focusing on speaking Spanish--and do something entirely different. 

Today, I’ll share my number one piece of advice for boosting your Spanish as a nurse--in a way that will help you make the difference you want with your patients. 

Hint: You’ll stop following random advice on the internet and create a great strategy that works. And you’re going to save time and see real progress quickly because you’ll focus on one Spanish skill first.

It’s the one skill that will impact your patients the fastest--let’s call it a superpower for nurses. 

It also happens to be a Spanish skill you can improve on your own in 6-8 weeks and in 10-15 minutes a day.

Oh, and you’ll also find a complete guide to my handpicked Spanish resources to help you improve this key Spanish skill--whatever your current level. So you can get started right away.

Ready to make a difference in your Spanish and for your patients? Read on.

My #1 Piece of Advice for Nurses: Prioritize Understanding Your Patients in Spanish 

Learn to listen in Spanish first, and you’ll see your progress quickly. 

If you decide afterward that you’re ready to commit to changing your Spanish level, you’ll have created just the foundation you need to get there.

Start with this skill because understanding Spanish is the #1 thing your patients need from you as a nurse.

When you’re a nurse, listening is your superpower--even before you add Spanish to the mix.

That’s something I learned for myself when I was in Barcelona in 2011.

I had just moved there and was still a beginner in Spanish. I came down with a stomach bug and went to see the local doctor. 

I was so grateful that he understood some English so that I could explain my symptoms to him in my native language--even though my host mom had to do some interpreting for us. 

But here’s what comforted me the most. I could see that the doctor understood some of what I was telling him. It allowed him to listen.  

More importantly, I felt heard and understood, and it wasn't as scary as having a complete communication barrier.

You might still be worried about not being able to speak. But know this:

Understanding is the most important step toward communication with your patients.

In the U.S., Spanish-speaking patients may understand quite a bit of what you say in English.

And you already know what that looks like.

Think about the way you can tell when someone is “right there with you” as they listen along and reply without waiting for the interpreter or family member to help out? You can see it in their eyes as they watch you speak.

And you can feel the connection.

Your patients can absolutely feel that when you understand them. 

They feel it even if you don’t conduct your interviews and assessments in Spanish and even if you opt to call in an interpreter for everyone’s safety.

Imagine what it feels like when your patient asks their question, and you tell the interpreter, 

“Oh, I understand. She’s asking when she’ll be able to walk on her foot again.” 

You answer the question in English, and whether you need the interpreter to explain or not, you and your patient understand each other. 

You’re 80% of the way there when it comes to communication--just by being able to listen and understand.

Improving your listening also happens to be the easiest place for you to start. Why? Because…

Listening happens to be a skill you can improve quickly (and on your own). 

As a nurse, one of your biggest challenges will be learning Spanish while you’re busy with an engaging and essential career. And listening is a great place for Spanish learners to focus. 

A lot of nurses come to me asking how long it takes to become conversational in Spanish. The fact is that it may take years of structured and committed practice before you’re happy with your casual conversations in Spanish. 

As a nurse, you’ll need an advanced level of Spanish before you can work without an interpreter. And pushing yourself past the intermediate level to become fluent in a highly specialized setting can take years.

But practice your listening comprehension for 10-15 minutes a day, and you can expect to notice improvement in roughly six weeks. 

If you’re ready to get started with your listening, don’t forget to read to the end of this post for a complete list of my favorite resources.

And just in case you feel like you’re not addressing the long-term issue of pushing yourself to become conversational in Spanish, consider this:

 Learn how to go from an intermediate to advanced Spanish level with this FREE guide.

Becoming a better listener in Spanish will set the stage for better fluency.

Research points to listening as one of the most important and undervalued language learning skills. That’s why it’s also the cornerstone of your future Spanish study.

As a nurse, once you can understand your patients in Spanish, you’ll pick up incredible amounts of vocabulary and new phrases. With each passing day and as you continue to practice on the job, so much more Spanish will become accessible to you.

In fact, many linguistic specialists recommend that you listen first, then begin to reproduce what you hear. 

Some brain-friendly language experts recommend listening to the language you’re learning as often as possible and even keeping it in the background for more exposure.

Starting with listening is not only the most efficient and fastest way to help your patients but also the best way to set the stage for your long-term Spanish learning.  And on that note, maybe it’s time to get started.

Here is my go-to list of high-quality materials for improving your Spanish listening skills as a nurse.

Challenge yourself to practice your listening in short, fifteen-minute bursts for six weeks and see if you notice a subtle shift in your ability to understand your patients. 

Let’s get you and your patients communicating in Spanish as quickly as possible.

Read on to find the perfect Spanish podcast, playlist, show, or film for your current level and language learning style.

General Spanish Language Podcasts and YouTube Playlists.

Let’s start with some of my favorite Spanish resources for improving your listening skills in general. You’ll notice that these first resources are not specifically for nurses or about medical topics.

That’s because when you’re just starting out, it’s important to improve your overal listening skills--and maybe your Spanish level first.

When you’re not ready, skipping straight to a medical Spanish resource can leave you feeling panicky and unsure of yourself. 

Remember, nobody wins if you give up on learning Spanish because it feels impossible.

Find a level that feels comfortable for you and a resource you love listening to in a fun, no-pressure way.

These are the same resources I recommend to my students pushing the needle on their Spanish in my beginning Spanish program for adults or my intermediate Spanish program for adults.

• The 7 Best Latin American Podcasts to Learn Spanish for Beginners

• The 8 Best YouTube Channels to Learn Spanish as a Beginner

• Easy Songs to Sing in Spanish (great for beginners and beyond)

• The best intermediate podcasts for learning Spanish

• The 8 Best YouTube Channels for Intermediate Spanish Learners

• The 15 Best Mexican Spanish Podcasts for Advanced Spanish Learners

• 10 Binge-Worthy Latin American Spanish Netflix Series for Adult Spanish Learners

• The Best Movies to Learn Spanish: 15 Must-Watch Mexican Films

The self-paced course series for adults looking to take their Spanish way beyond the basics and reach an intermediate conversational level.

Spanish Listening Resources Specifically for Nurses 

Once you begin to understand your patients in customary greetings and everyday exchanges of politeness, you’re ready to start pushing on to more specialized listening materials. 

The playlists that follow will be more meaningful for you if you already have an intermediate or advanced level of Spanish. Until then, keep working on your listening skills using the resources in the previous section. But remember:

Listening and boosting your general Spanish is so important that I encourage you to alternate between your favorite podcasts, films, and series and more specialized medical playlists.  

Yes, even when you’re a more advanced learner.

There will be times when you come home from work and would just rather tune into a great series or Spanish-language podcast than revisit medical vocabulary. When you’re tired and feeling a little burned out, challenging yourself with something fun and inspirational is much better than not practicing at all.

That said, there are some exciting online resources for nurses learning Spanish.

Learn Medical Spanish Podcast and YouTube Channel 

In this podcast and YouTube Channel by the same name, Ben Tanner, an ER--Physician’s Assistant, teaches you curated, specific medical Spanish vocabulary to help you communicate better with your Spanish-speaking patients. 

Tanner’s background is in emergency medicine and family practice, but you’ll find a wide range of medical dialogues, terminology, and anatomy tailored to various situations.

This is a more reassuring podcast or YouTube channel for intermediate learners looking to expand their understanding of vocabulary in a nursing setting. 

In these episodes, you’ll hear an English explanation of essential phrases and questions you may want to ask patients. Then, you’ll listen to the Spanish version. 

The YouTube channel includes all expressions in written form, with abbreviated options available in case you happen to be a more visual learner.

The Medical Spanish Podcast 

The Medical Spanish podcast series offers short, focused episodes that cover essential medical Spanish vocabulary and phrases. 

Doctor Molly, the host and native English speaker, works with various Spanish-speaking teachers to help her provide high-quality lessons on a range of medical topics. Browse a bit, and you’ll find episodes that deal with everything from harm reduction to genitourinary symptoms.

Although it’s a subscriber-based podcast, you’ll find that some of the episodes are available without a subscription. 

The lessons range from basic to advanced, although there is always an explanation in English to give the context and importance. You’ll also find a review of key medical vocabulary and phrases in English and Spanish in each episode.

La Hiperactina: Spanish Language YouTube

La Hiperactina explains biomedical and human body topics like cancer, medications, and microbiology in an accessible way. So this is a great resource for learning about various medical and scientific subjects.

The entire YouTube channel is in conversational Spanish. So this channel will be most helpful for you if you have a high intermediate or advanced level of Spanish. 

Tune in, and you’ll push yourself to understand more advanced conversations with patients. 

Even better, you’ll learn an easy-to-understand and down-to-earth way of explaining things in Spanish--since patients are not always medical professionals themselves!

Médico en tu casa: Mexican TV show (YouTube)

You’ll find the Médico en tu casa playlist on the CAPITAL 21 YouTube channel. So it’s entirely in authentic Mexican Spanish and mostly in the Mexico City accent.

You can browse over 80 episodes where doctors and nurses provide medical care through house calls in Mexico. I love the way the show takes you through real-life healthcare scenarios in just 15 minutes. 

Of course, you’ll be immersed in a variety of medical situations, but you can pick up more than vocabulary by watching this show. 

Notice the way real people speak to each other and how they listen and show concern or respect. After all, communication across cultures is about more than memorizing lists of words.

Enjoy the stress-free and immersive environment of this series as you push yourself to a more advanced level of Spanish as a nurse. 

You can pause, play the video back, or even use captions to understand. That’s definitely not something you can do at work.

The LIVE community experience for intermediate Spanish learners to develop reading and writing skills through the deep dive of a contemporary Spanish book.

Are you ready to commit to changing your level of Spanish?

If you want to make a positive impact as soon as possible, start by focusing on your listening skills first. 

Improving your understanding of Spanish is the best way to communicate better with your patients--even before you can actually speak Spanish conversationally. 

Take it from someone who’s been sick in a foreign country--your patients really want you to be able to listen to them.

But if what if you decide you need a more profound and lasting change in your Spanish level?  

Remember to use structured, high-quality Spanish materials that will guide you through all the steps you need to achieve long-term success as an adult learning Spanish.

With all that practice you put into listening, I think you’ll find that you have exactly the start you need to push the needle on your Spanish level whenever you feel ready.