Helping healthcare practitioners to work with language interpreters
A team of researchers at the University of Otago, Wellington has just launched a unique on-line eLearning module to
provide realistic and practical guidance for clinicians working with spoken language interpreters in primary health
care.
With growing numbers of people in New Zealand with limited English proficiency (both migrants and refugees), primary
care practitioners need to make the most of interpreters who are available to help, especially in medical situations.
The freely available module was created by a team led by Jo Hilder, Ben Gray and Maria Stubbe from the Applied Research
on Communication in Health Group, (ARCH) at the University of Otago, Wellington.
Based on New Zealand research, the module is designed specifically for New Zealand clinicians, particularly those in
primary care. There will be slightly different needs for other forms of care, such as mental health care, in-patient
care and emergency department care.
The materials are based on a programme of research since 2009 about interpreters in primary care. The new module aims to
educate practising clinicians and medical students so that they are more aware of the need for interpreters, and more
confident and prepared to work with them.
“While the availability of professional interpreting services has improved in recent years, these services are still
under-utilised,” one of the authors Jo Hilder says.
The module is suitable for use by any practising health professional or student, although mainly targeted at primary
health care. It features a toolkit of flowcharts and tables that highlight what to consider when making decisions on the
best approach for a given situation and the pros and cons of the different interpreting options.
“We have used authentic video footage from real interpreted consultations with both doctors and nurses as illustrations
(with full consent of the participants).
The module covers important considerations for health professionals when conducting interpreted consultations, including
practical things like seating arrangements and modifications that might be needed for better communication with the
patient, and the extra care and skill required if the use of family members is being considered as an option.
Although the module focuses mainly on interpreting spoken languages, it also provides some information on interpreting
NZ Sign Language for deaf patients. This resource is available online or from the ARCH Group website.
ENDS