Bethpage High School Spanish Club members learned how language skills translate directly to patient care during a Jan. 6 visit from Gerry Connelly, an ICU and wound care specialist at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip.
Mr. Connelly, who is the brother of BHS Spanish teacher Kathryn Oak, shared stories from his daily work with Spanish-speaking patients. He explained that while the hospital provides translation devices like iPads, direct conversation in a patient's native language creates an entirely different experience.
Mr. Connelly described how patients experiencing medical crises face tremendous stress, and being able to communicate in their first language removes the additional burden of processing complex information in English or struggling to make themselves understood during critical moments.
The presentation highlighted several key points about bilingualism in healthcare:
Communication beyond translation. Mr. Connelly emphasized that knowing Spanish helps convey critical medical information accurately, but its value extends further – it puts patients and families at ease during vulnerable moments.
Dialects and imperfection. Both Mr. Connelly and Ms. Oak discussed the many Spanish dialects, reassuring students that perfect fluency isn't required to make a difference. Even conversational Spanish can be incredibly comforting to patients.
Growing need for bilingual healthcare workers. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 42 million people in the United States speak Spanish at home, making it the second most common language in the country. In New York State, roughly 2.9 million residents speak Spanish, with Nassau and Suffolk Counties combined home to over 300,000 Spanish speakers. This demographic reality creates ongoing demand for healthcare professionals who can communicate directly with this population.
Students engaged actively with the presentation, asking questions about Mr. Connelly's experiences. Several native Spanish speakers in the group confirmed his observations, sharing that bilingual individuals have made significant differences for their own families during challenging moments.
The visit represents another example of how Bethpage High School connects classroom learning to real career applications, helping students understand how their language studies can shape their professional futures.
