5: Interpreting in Healthcare Settings: More than Needles, Blood, and Terminilogy

Healthcare interpreting

• includes medical and mental health interpreting

  • addiction and recovery

  • massage

  • aromatherapy

  • acupuncture

Healthcare setting: Observing Physical or Emotional pain

• received bad news about their own health or of a loved one

• have acute injury or chronic conditions affect use of language

• on medication or coming off of anesthesia

Intimacy

interpreters will see what is normally physically or emotionally private/personal

Respect

• position yourself to give the patient the most privacy (near the shoulders during pelvic exams, etc.)

• requests for specific gender interpreter

• confidentiality

Infection control and Industrial Safety

• wear protective clothing

• follow safety precautions regarding bodily fluids and sharp object

• shoe type

• hand washing

• rules about what surfaces and objects you can touch

Vicarious trauma

When service providers who see or hear about intense pain, violence, or loss stat to absorb the trauma themselves

Self-Care

understand triggers and unpredictability of healthcare interpreting.

• blood, excrement, vomit, audible pain

Patient

a person receiving or registered to receive medical treatment

How can patients differ?

• age

• class

• sexual identity

• familiarity with healthcare system

• langauge use

• citizens or immigrants

Triadic

interaction is between the provider, patient, and interpreter

Family members

• small children

• extended family

• fluent in ASL

• home signs only

• supportive

• oppositional

CDI or DI

Certified Deaf Interpreter or Deaf Interpreter

What is one marker of a highly competent interpreter?

knowing when a specialist is needed

CDIs are critical in healthcare interpreting. What situations can they help navigate?

Nuanced communication across a range of signing styles influenced by

• region

• culture

• age

• literacy

• education

• class

• physical health

• cognitive health

• mental health

Deaf healthcare professionals and graduate students often work with

designate interpreters

True or False: Once certified, interpreters are competent to work in any setting, including legal, healthcare, education

False

Health Literacy

the ability to get information a person needs about one’s health, understand that info, and use that info to make informed decisions about one’s health and the care on receives

What general things should you know for healthcare interpreting?

• public or private healthcare system

• various medical specialties

• body systems

• various types of nurses, PAs, doctors, residents, techinicians

• uniform requirements (names tags)

HIPPA

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

Adaptive performance

how a person adjusts to changes and stress in the workplace

People who are highly adaptable tend to

• perform well

• have positive attitudes

• deal well with stress

Doctor-Patient Communication

structure and goals of the healthcare interview and how healthcare providers establish rapport with patients

Medical terminology

• medical conditions and diseases

• anatomy and body systems

• common drugs

• tests and procdures

• Greek and Latin roots, prefixes, suffixes

What are some reasons a lexical correspondents in a language pairing is lacking?

• young vs. old languages

• different syntactic structures

• far apart, historically

• modality

What is crucial for successfully navigating the linguistic and culture complexities of healthcare interpreting?

deaf-hearing teams; CDI or DI

In any given healthcare setting, what is the ultimate goal?

the patient’s health and well-being

What does this chapter’s author say is a must have before accepting work in the healthcare field?

supervised fellowship or practicum experience

What are the benefits of VRI, specifically as it relates to the healthcare setting?

• conducted quickly

• potentially more private (anonymous)

• allows for access to hard-to-reach specialists

What are the cons of VRI, specifically as it relates to the healthcare setting?

• tech failure

• poor picture quality

• screen is small or hard to see

• equipment not available

• patients might have physical limitations - can’t lift head to see screen, lift hands to sign, etc.

In 2006, the St. Catherine University CATIE Center identified knowledge domains needed for medical interpreting. Those are

• Healthcare systems

• Multiculturalism and diversity

• Self-care

• Boundaries

• Preparation

• Ethical and professional decision making

• Language and interpreting

• Technology

• Research

• Legislation

• Leadership

• Communication advocacy

• Professional development

Career lattice

a flexible framework for employee growth and development that allows for movement in multiple directions (up, down, sideways, and diagonally) within an organization, unlike the traditional, linear "career ladder" model.