It is becoming common practice for the medical staff at many hospitals to use sign language interpretation to diagnose and treat patients. There are two basic interpretation types commonly used by healthcare facilities – medical or speech-language interpreters or video interpreters.
In medical situations, a patient needs to communicate using both voice and visual communication. The optical communication helps the patient to understand their physical surroundings. It is often interpreted as a visual image, while verbal communication enables the patient to understand the language the health care professionals use for communication.
The visual or sign language interpretation is usually an option when a person is experiencing hearing loss or hearing problems. It is also sometimes used for patients who are unable to speak or have difficulties understanding spoken language. Also, people with a vision impairment may be required to have sign language interpretation services when they have problems understanding spoken words. A hearing-impaired patient may also require a sign language interpreter to communicate with his or her health care professional. The sign language interpreters translate spoken words into visual signals.
Things to Know
Hire Professionals
When you need sign language interpretation for hospitals, it is crucial to choose a reputable sign language interpreter for your medical facility. You should check to see if the staff has the proper training to interpret and use this type of communication device.
Get Clear Interpretations
You will want to select an interpreter who will understand and speak clearly to deliver clear interpretations for your patients. A promising sign language interpreter will be able to provide clear interpretations. It may take several sessions before a patient can comprehend the sign language phrases used in the interpretation.
Quick Service
Doing a quick translation from a sign language phrase to spoken words is another essential skill of a good sign language interpreter. They must also be able to read through the patient’s body language before they provide the correct interpretation. You want the person you choose to make their translations as easy as possible.
Hire Well-mannered Staff
Also, make sure the interpreters are friendly and respectful to the patient and the medical staff. This is essential for the patients. If they are rude to staff members or the other patients, they will not be willing to do their job correctly and provide you with accurate interpretation.
Proper Certifications
A good sign language interpretation for hospitals should be a member of the ASL (American Sign Language Association). This organization ensures that the interpreters that they recommend are legitimate and members of the organization. They should be licensed and certified to offer sign language interpretation services.