Spanish for hospital intake and discharge instructions
Become Fluent teaches hospital staff the Spanish they need at the two ends of a stay: registration and admission at the start, and discharge instructions at the end. Lessons are private, one-on-one and online, 60 minutes each, and built around your department and your level, from A1 to C1 and above. You practise collecting information accurately and giving instructions the patient can repeat back. Your tutor has 15 years of teaching experience and an MA in Romance Languages.
Typical encounters
| Encounter | What you say | What you hear |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | Ask for the patient's name, date of birth, address, phone number and insurance. | Names, spellings, dates and addresses, said quickly. |
| Admission history | Ask about the reason for admission, past conditions, allergies and surgeries. | Long answers that mix symptoms, history and worries. |
| Medication list | Ask what the patient takes, how much and how often. | Brand names, nicknames for pills and herbal remedies. |
| Explaining the stay | Explain the room, visiting hours, call button and what happens next. | Questions from the patient and family about when they can go home. |
| Discharge instructions | Go over medication, diet, activity, wound care and follow-up visits. | Questions about what they can and cannot do at home. |
| Warning signs and teach-back | Explain when to call or return, and ask the patient to say the steps back. | The patient's own words, which show what was understood. |
Sample dialogue: discharge teaching
| Speaker | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse | Señor Pérez, hoy puede irse a casa. Voy a explicarle sus instrucciones. | Mr. Pérez, you can go home today. I am going to explain your instructions. |
| Patient | Muy bien, gracias. | Very good, thank you. |
| Nurse | Tome esta pastilla una vez al día, por la mañana, con comida. | Take this pill once a day, in the morning, with food. |
| Patient | ¿Y el antibiótico? | And the antibiotic? |
| Nurse | Tómelo dos veces al día durante siete días. No lo deje antes. | Take it twice a day for seven days. Do not stop early. |
| Nurse | Mantenga la herida limpia y seca. Cámbiese el vendaje cada día. | Keep the wound clean and dry. Change the bandage every day. |
| Nurse | Vuelva a urgencias si tiene fiebre, mucho dolor o dificultad para respirar. | Come back to the emergency room if you have a fever, a lot of pain or trouble breathing. |
| Nurse | Tiene una cita con el médico el próximo lunes. ¿Tiene transporte? | You have an appointment with the doctor next Monday. Do you have transportation? |
| Patient | Sí, mi hija me lleva. | Yes, my daughter will take me. |
| Nurse | ¿Me puede explicar con sus palabras cómo va a tomar el antibiótico? | Can you explain in your own words how you are going to take the antibiotic? |
A 10-session outline
- Assessment and goals. Your level, your department and the forms and conversations you handle most.
- Names, dates and numbers. Spelling, dates of birth, addresses and phone numbers, heard and said accurately.
- Registration and insurance. The questions at the front desk and answers to common worries.
- Admission history. Reason for admission, conditions, allergies and surgeries.
- Medication lists. Asking what the patient takes, and understanding brand names and nicknames.
- Explaining the stay. Rooms, visiting hours, the call button and what happens next.
- Discharge instructions. Medication, diet, activity and wound care in short, clear steps.
- Warning signs and follow-up. When to call, when to return and how to book the next visit.
- Teach-back and checking understanding. Asking patients to say the instructions back, and what to do when they cannot.
- A full simulated stay. Registration through discharge, with feedback and a plan for the next sessions.
Your plan is adjusted to your department and your level after the first lesson. For consent, legal forms and complex clinical discussions, use a qualified medical interpreter.
Your tutor
- Ross Torres, founder of Become Fluent
- 15 years of teaching experience
- MA in Romance Languages, University of New Orleans
- Certificate in Spanish-English legal interpretation, San Francisco State University
- Native English and Spanish speaker
These lessons are language training. They are not a clinical qualification or an interpreter qualification.
Book a free 30-minute trial lesson
Tell us your role and where you are with Spanish. Your tutor will plan the first lessons around them.
Book a free 30-minute trial lesson