*Islamic Azad University, Urmia branch
**Department of English, Faculty of Humanities, Urmia University, Valfajr 2 Street, Urmia, Iran
Online published on 21 November, 2013.
English has become the worldwide lingua franca of science. Large groups of people have become aware of the importance of learning English language for their profession. This study investigated the English language needs of nursing students and nursing practitioners in the workplace. The participants consisted of 144 nursing practitioners working in three different hospitals in Urmia, Iran and 91 nursing students majoring in Urmia Medical Sciences University. The study was conducted via a questionnaire including two sections with 12 questions in order to answer the research questions. The results of the study revealed that most nurses agree on the importance of English in the workplace, but it is used slightly in their career. The findings also indicated that reading and writing skills were perceived as more important than speaking and listening. The findings revealed that participants need English to conduct activities which require general English knowledge more than ESP. Finally, this study clearly showed that nursing students need English more than nursing practitioners. Based upon the findings of the research, English should have further use in nursing field in order to empower them in their career.
ESP, EAP, needs analysis, general English, occupational needs, nursing practitioners
