Kalleh said elsewhere, giving a notable example, that "lack of communication is by far the most important competence linked to nursing errors." Generalizing a bit:

quote:

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Poor English skills among foreign-born residents cost more than $175 billion a year in lost productivity, wages, tax revenue and unemployment compensation, says Ohio University University economist Lowell Gallaway.
USA Today, Feb. 28, 1997: "Can't anyone here speak English? Consumers frustrated by verbal gridlock"

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That is truly a massive number.
What can one do?

I think it will only get worse. Today, I heard a report finding that 30% of college papers are taken straight from the Web. While students understand plagiarism from books and articles, they seem to think it perfectly appropriate to "cut and paste" from the Web. Faculty at my meeting are saying it's a huge problem, even at the prestigious universities, because students aren't even going to libraries. They are doing their research from the Web, and even when they do write their own papers, often the material isn't accurate or well-researched.