Communicating Effectively with an Interpreter

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Communicating Effectively with an Interpreter
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Interpreter Language Services (University
Hospital)

• Navajo Interpreter
• Spanish Interpreters
• Vietnamese Interpreter

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• As an interpreter, my heart is with the patient.
  I interpret what the patient feels and where he
  is coming from. But my mind is with the provider
  where their knowledge, wisdom and scientific
  value are and that is how I interpret.

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What is the Interpreter Role

• Conduit
• Exactly (meaning)
• Clarifier
• Understanding
• Cultural Broker
• Cultural Beliefs, illnesses
• Advocate
• Directs patients

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Modes of Interpretation

• Consecutive
• Speaker-interpretation
• Simultaneous
• Same time the speaker is speaking
• Sight
• Reading a document
• English to Spanish
• Summarization

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Language Barriers

• Language Barriers
• Cultural Misunderstanding
• Complex Medical Terminology

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Circumstances Requiring Interpreter Services

• Medical History
• Consents
• Diagnosis
• Patients Conferences
• Explain procedures its risks

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Reason why not to use Family Members

• Confidentiality
• Conflict of interest
• Medical Terminology
• Use of minors should be avoided
• Patient may decline
• Hospital staff should document in medical record
• Doctor may ask interpreter to stay

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Title VI of the Civil Rights Act

• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  Office for Civil Rights (OCR) requires all
  recipients of federal funds to comply with the
  Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
  Compliance prohibits discrimination based on race
  or national origin, such as failing to provide
  effective methods of communication between
  English-Speaking staff and patients with limited
  English proficiency

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Communicating Effectively through an Interpreter

• Speak Directly to the patient
• You are not rude and will not hurt the
  interpreters feelings
• Speak at even pace
• Pause often
• Avoid
• Slang
• Technical Language
• Complicated sentence structure
• Asking multiple question at one time
• Cutting off patient or Interpreters response
• Be patient

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Suggestions

• Pay attention to body language, the same way you
  would with an English-speaking patient
• A picture is worth 100 words!
• Use diagrams or drawings

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Interpreter/Language Services272-5399

• M-F 800 a.m. - 430 p.m.
• When an on-site interpreter is not available,
  after hours, and weekends, please call Phone
  Line Pacific Interpreters
• 1-800-272-7442

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Pacific Interpreters

• 1-800-272-7442
• Use speaker phone
• Dial 800 number
• Access Code
• Language
• Patients Name, MR
• Supervisor/Charge Nurse knows access code.

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How to contact us

• Monday Friday
• 800 am 430 pm (272-5399)
• When an on-site interpreter is not available,
  after hours and weekends please use the phone
  service Pacific Interpreters
• 1-800-272-7442
• Use a speaker phone
• Dial the 800 number
• Have ready your access code1 (Supervisor/Charge
  Nurse have the access code)
• Language, Patient Name, MR