The needs of English language proficiency of Thai nurses at a private hospital in Bangkok

The needs of English proficiency required for healthcare personnel in Thailand cannot be overstated. Nurses play the pivotal role in providing healthcare service not only for Thai patients but also foreign patients from diverse linguistic backgrounds. The study investigated the needs of English language proficiency of Thai nurses working at a private hospital in Bangkok. This study included 84 Thai nurses working at Outpatient Departments (OPD) and Inpatient Departments (IPD). The purposive sampling was adopted to select the participants who were required to possess at least six months of working experience. A self-administered questionnaire including close-ended statements and open-ended questions was employed for data collection. The participants were asked to exhibit their current English proficiency and needs across four functional skills used in their professional contexts on a daily basis. The results of this study revealed the fair level of the overall English proficiency of participants, with the speaking skill was the most proficient. As far as the needs of English skills were concerned, the speaking skill was considered a high level of need. This was closely followed by listening, which was also perceived as a high level of need. Likewise, reading skill was recognized as a high level of need in various situations. However, writing skill was the only skill that was rated at a moderate level of need. The recommendations are to replicate the study with a larger group of participants in other hospitals in Bangkok and other provinces. Furthermore, adopting a qualitative method would provide a broader view of participants’ perspectives. This approach is crucial for designing English courses that cater to the specific needs of Thai nurses, thereby enhancing their English proficiency and facilitating effective communication.