An intensive, one-semester introductory Spanish course developed for nursing and other health-care professionals is intended to make possible spoken communication in Spanish, at least on a rudimentary level. The course encountered initial problems of rapidly growing enrollment, lack of appropriate text, and limited scheduling. However, student enthusiasm, publication of new materials, and frequent course revision and refinement have made the course viable and successful. Oral and listening skills are heavily emphasized, using a method developed specifically for medical personnel in conjunction with work sheets and supplementary reading provided by the teacher. Rapid student mastery of basic skills has allowed for the addition of more advanced material and a followup intermediate section for a small group of interested students. Based on this experience, an approach emphasizing communicative skills but balancing essential vocabulary and grammatical structures for satisfying and accurate communication is recommended. Cultural materials used in the course have been varied each year with the introduction of new health care-related texts and Latino poetry and fiction, which are well received by the students and provide the basis for discussion and understanding of the Latino experience. A four-page list of works cited is appended. (MSE)