English training programme for nurses in Portugal

Abstract

In recent decades, the growing demands of international mobility and academic engagement have increased the need for English language proficiency among healthcare professionals in Europe. In Portugal, nursing students are expected to read scientific literature, participate in exchange programmes and interact in multicultural environments. However, English courses in undergraduate nursing programmes often fail to meet these specific needs. Aligned with the principles of English for Specific Purposes (ESP), our study aimed to design and pilot an English course tailored to the professional and academic contexts of nursing students at the University of Évora, Portugal. As defined by Hutchinson and Waters (1987), ESP is an approach to language teaching that focuses on learners’ specific goals and their communicative demands. ESP courses are built upon needs analyses, which guide the selection of linguistic content, skills and methodologies.