Rosanna Balistreri shares insights on her presentation for the 2014 California Healthcare Interpreting Association (CHIA) Educational Conference, which focuses on interpreting across communication styles, paralanguage and body language.
ID Badges: Don't crowd precious real estate
In the last post I introduced the idea of a dress code for medical interpreters. There is one thing that all dress codes need: The ID Badge.
Good Book on Interpreting in Healthcare May Have Wrong Title
Beverly Treumann shares insights on her presentation for the 2014 California Health Care Interpreting Association's Educational Conference, which focuses on the content of the California Standards for Healthcare Interpreters: Ethical Principles, Protocols, and Guidance on Roles & Intervention.
Medical Interpreter Dress Code: Integrity at a Glance
Following a dress code is about more than just style. It's about professionalism and integrity at-a-glance, critical things for medical interpreters.
Improve ER Operations: Learn the Challenges for Interpreters in Emergency Services
Jason Roberson summarizes his presentation “Interpreting in Emergency Services: Challenges for Face-to-Face and Telephonic Interpreters,” which he'll present at the CHIA 14th Annual Educational Conference.
5 Things I Know About Interpreting
Rashelle LeCaptain shares five givens when it comes to interpreting in healthcare.
Healthcare Interpreter’s Guide to Webinar-based Learning
As a healthcare interpreter, you have developed strategies to be as prepared as possible to navigate all the twists and turns of interpreting in a medical environment. But when it comes to your own professional development, have you developed strategies to help you navigate the world of professional development?
So Many Conferences, So Many Conflicts – But Wait!
Conferences offer great opportunities for professional development and the ability to connect with industry colleagues and pioneers. However, scheduling conflicts can sometimes get in the way. Here's a simple tip to making the most of an event you're interested in but cannot physically attend.
Opportunity is Key to Closing the Gap
Hard work, a curiosity to know more, respect and honesty are the keys to creating opportunity for yourself and others. I've learned that finding opportunity is the key to finding success. Opportunity won't find you. You must be determined to find it. If you seek to improve your position in life there are a few things you'll need.
6 Steps to Creating a Great Workplace for Healthcare Interpreters
Anyone who manages healthcare interpreters knows that they are frequently faced with a number of stressful situations. As these stressors build up overtime, interpreters can become disengaged, disillusioned and burnt out. So what can we do to support professional healthcare interpreters and alleviate these stressors?
Treasure Box for the Healthcare Interpreter’s Senses
Healthcare interpreters’ senses are constantly bombarded with information. Sometimes this information is a cause for joy. Other times this information is a cause for sorrow. As part of an interpreter’s daily self-care practices, it is helpful to incorporate strategies that soothe and renew the senses.
Consistency Is Key When Interpreters Work with Medical Providers
Interpreters frequently express struggles with trying to get healthcare providers to use their services.. Many times the struggles are expressed only from the point of view of the interpreter. Very infrequently, is the perspective of the healthcare provider considered.
Doctors Don’t Want Surprises from Interpreters
Surprises are fun when they happen in the right context, like “Surprise! You won a new car!” In the wrong context, surprises are not at all fun. When it comes to working with healthcare interpreters, there should be no surprises. Surprises are just plain confusing.
Consider this. . .
If Interpreter D always interprets in the first person and Interpreter E always interprets in the third person, and Interpreter F always switches the voice at random during the interpretation, the medical team will be confused.
If Interpreter A uses always uses simultaneous and Interpreter B always uses consecutive and Interpreter C switches at random during the interpretation, the medical team will be confused.
If Interpreter G never sight translates anything and Interpreter H always sight translates everything, and Interpreter I sometimes sight translates some things, the medical team will be confused.
If I am the medical team and on any given day I work with Interpreter A, Interpreter B, Interpreter C, D, E, F, G, H, and Interpreter I in order to care for my patients, I don’t have the time or the patience for surprises from interpreters.
If, on the other hand, my experience with working with a variety of interpreters representing a variety of language pairs is reasonably consistent, then I can focus my efforts on caring for the patient. That is a relief!
If the thought of working with an interpreter brings a sense of relief, and not a sense of anxiety, the medical team is more likely to move from the high-stress state of I have to call an interpreter, to the more peaceful state of I want to call an interpreter.
Let’s start working toward eliminating the surprises and make it easier (and dare I say pleasant) for the medical team to work with the interpreter. A few ways to get started:
- Learn the protocols of the medical interpreter.
- Put those protocols into action on the job.
- Work to build performance consistency among all the interpreters in your hospital, including staff and contract interpreters.
- Collaborate with department supervisors to monitor performance for consistency.
- Look for consistency gaps; identify the cause; implement a solution; evaluate for effectiveness; repeat as needed.
Are there challenges and obstacles to these steps? You better believe it. But if we are serious about building relationships with medical teams, we must get beyond the obstacles. When we deliver interpreter services consistently, it will be a lot easier for medical teams to look favorably on working with interpreters. Until then, working with interpreters is a crapshoot, at least from the experience of the medical team.
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Interpreter Self-Care: Being affected by what you do
Prior to becoming a healthcare interpreter, I was informed of the many challenges that healthcare interpreters face in their field — the emotionally charged encounters; the unpleasant sights, sounds and smells; the odd hours and long shifts. I knew of all these and other challenges ahead of time, and, as such, was able to identify and respond to them reasonably well. I also knew that working in the field of healthcare would have an impact on me personally, but I was a little surprised about the self-discoveries I made.
Motivators Matter
Motivators are powerful. In the professional realm they carry you through the rough days and drive you to reinvest your efforts in the work before you with vigor. But how can you tell if the inherent rewards of your chosen profession align with your personal motivators?