Shocked tonight (hospitals and lack of translators)

[amo_mea_filiis.]

My son got into a fight with a boy yesterday. Not a big deal in the long run. Today the school sent the other boy home to get checked. He’s got a big black eye.

 

I went to check on him today and that’s how I found out he was sent to the Er. I asked his mom if I could come see how he was and she said yes.

 

(The above is just the background. Appropriate action has been taken as far as the fight goes! My shock is below)

 

Her and I were talking and the X-ray tech comes to get the kid and just starts rattling off what he’s doing and that’s when I realized no one had any clue that mom doesn’t speak English! And kid can’t translate! His English is terrible. He’s got the words, but not understanding, so he can sometimes get by, but he should not have passed in a medical situation.

 

I ended up staying (kiddo’s fine), but even after telling them they need a translator, I still had to translate! They never brought in a translator. I had to tell them to get the discharge papers in Spanish as well as sit with the nurse to explain Motrin dosing.

 

In all this, none of the staff ever questioned who I was, yet they’re rattling off discharge instructions while I’m typing into google translate.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

It’s been a reeeeeaaaaallllly long day, so if I didn’t make sense, work with me. Lol

[Liz CA]

Very unprofessional. Where they thinking you are a translator? When I still worked as a translator, most of the calls came from hospitals and urgent care clinics.

[StephanieZ]

That's insane!!! Please consider making a report to the hospital administration. That's a really serious problem!

[Ailaena]

Spanish isn't a problem here - nor any "big" language - but less popular languages have that same issue. It's terrifying to think that people are in the emergency room with loved ones and have NO IDEA what is happening, do not understand they have choices, and cannot consent to treatments.

 

Sure, there's a list of interpreters to call, but sometimes decisions need to be made quickly or the patient's family doesn't know they can ask for an interpreter, or they pretend they know what's going on. Even with an interpreter it could be pointless if dialects are vastly different, or interpreters have no medical background and it's so... Frustrating just isn't a strong enough word.

 

Im so glad you were there to help.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

Oh I am calling tomorrow.

 

They couldn’t have thought I was a translator because I told them to find someone and they saw mom and I conversing though google translate. Meaning, they spoke, I typed, handed to mom.

 

I know there’s a phone service or something that would have been available!

 

If he’d had any injuries, I would have pushed it more. But the biggest problem was honestly trying to explain the ibuprofen dosing and possibly using Tylenol between if needed.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

That’s the thing, it was “just†Spanish! Not some obscure language! None of the docs had a medical translating app?

 

What bugged me most was that somehow kid squeaked by as translator.

 

The staff didn’t even realize when the injury had occurred! I corrected a lot.

 

I can’t imagine how scary it would be to not be able to speak to the staff! :(

 

They didn’t even have one of those “point to your language†signs.

[MedicMom]

Are you someplace with a big Spanish speaking ppopulation? There are no translators here. There is a translation service they subscribe to but it’s all done over a phone and takes forever. Sometimes if there’s a fluent nurse on duty somewhere in the hospital they’ll call him/her, and twice I’ve translated for a Russian speaking patient. But usually they use the 800 number service.

[Junie]

I was sitting in an ER waiting room one time when I saw a deaf acquaintance leaving the ER.  She was obviously upset.  Apparently they were unable to get an ASL interpreter for her.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

Not a big Spanish population at all (we’re still working on just allowing other colors; forget other languages!) but the only other language around here is Spanish.

 

The treating doc just looked so confused. The younger PA stepped in to get the Spanish papers.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

With technology, shouldn’t this be unacceptable?

 

I pulled up google translate. Couldn’t they take the time to do it?

 

Our ESL teacher doesn’t even speak anything other English.

[momacacia]

Not a big Spanish population at all (we’re still working on just allowing other colors; forget other languages!) but the only other language around here is Spanish.

 

The treating doc just looked so confused. The younger PA stepped in to get the Spanish papers.

Sounds like a small town, maybe also a small hospital? And without a large Spanish population...I think it's understandable. They should definitely consider technology, which would be a lot less expensive than keeping translators on staff for every possible language that comes in.

 

Professionally, they really should have had you translate medical privacy laws/regulation basics and get the mom's consent before running the info through you.

[Rosie_0801]

Don't you have a phone a translator service?

[2ndGenHomeschooler]

I have a friend who does this kind of translating over the phone and in person. She had to pass a test proving her fluency in English, Creole, and medical terminology. She said they have a very difficult time finding translators who are fluent in all three. She also works only the hours she wants so there are times a translator is needed but she’s not available. She works full time and has three kids and is simply not available all the time. Hospitals can’t afford to hire full or even part time for translators they’d only need occasionally. Around here there’s a huge Spanish speaking population so they’re much more equipped for Spanish. If you live in an area with few people who speak languages other than English it doesn’t surprise me that a translator may not have been available. It’s sad but not terribly surprising. Hopefully your recent experience will inspire them to come up with some viable options for the next time this situation occurs.

[Lanny]

Of all the languages in the USA where a hospital has some employees who speak a Foreign Language, Spanish would be at the top of the list.  Probably had it been a more serious issue, they would have called a phone translator service.  Surprising that nobody in the E.R. had even a limited ability to speak Spanish.

[TravelingChris]

The fact is that compared to a lot of other countries, USA is a horrible place to be if you don't speak English.  As to dosing, it is less important to be precise with ibuprofen but it is super important to be precise with tylenol since that is one you can easily overdose with extremely dire consequences.  In fact, if acetaminophen was going up as a new drug now, I am sure it would be prescription only since it is one of the most dangerous drugs on which to overdose and it doesn't take very much to overdose compared with other drugs.  It is certainly a much more dangerous drug than most of my prescription drugs.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

Professionally, they really should have had you translate medical privacy laws/regulation basics and get the mom's consent before running the info through you.

I didn’t even think of that! I think because the doc came in and started talking to the kid so fast, it didn’t even occur to me.

[prairiewindmomma]

This is not only a medical one, but a legal one.  A friend of mine is a public defender in a city with a high % of immigrant workers.  He also has had to use google translate and other applications when he can't find a qualified translator.  (He also says that a number of qualified translators aren't fully fluent.)

[Ravin]

They should have used a translation service, and should have standard instructions available for things like dosing instructions, to provide written in the person's language, along with releases they need to sign. Where I live it's standard for everything on paper to be presented in English and Spanish from the outset. Of course, that only works if the person is literate.

 

Children are NOT supposed to be relied on as translators in medical settings, though it's arguably less problematic when it's for the child's care and treatment than if it's for an adult's. The services are in place because they are set up to abide by privacy rules.

 

Public defenders in the county where I live usually rely on court translators to talk to clients. There can be problems when they need to talk to them outside of scheduled hearing times/days, for anything other than Spanish (for which a staff person can usually be scrounged up who is fluent). In the office where I work, my coworker is fluent in the local language (Navajo), so clients more comfortable with it we usually assign to her. Sometimes I'll pull her in to translate a recording of a court hearing for me or to talk to a witness who isn't fluent in English (usually elderly folks). The judges are bilingual, but there aren't any official court translators so if there was to be a trial with a non-English speaking witness and a non-Navajo speaking prosecutor, we'd have problems. 

 

 

[creekland]

I agree with you and everyone else that what you experienced is wrong, so hopefully your report might get some protocol in place.

 

That said, I'm really, really glad you were there for them.  Hopefully that helped put them at ease and made them feel more welcome.

 

Can you follow up with them too?

 

And I hope your son is watching your example because I doubt some of those he sees at school are worthy of emulating.

[J-rap]

Wow, that's pretty crazy!  Even if they knew you could speak Spanish, how could they have trusted you to know it well, and it get all of the important information correct?  This type of stuff is going to happen more in more even in communities that never had these experiences.  

 

But I don't think I'd trust Google Translate either.  Aren't there telephone translation services?  It would be so easy to just pick up the phone, request the language you need, and have a telephone translator be the go-between.  

 

 

[amo_mea_filiis.]

I called the hospital and got the nurse supervisor, who said this is great for risk management, who I left a voicemail with.

 

This is the second time I’ve gotten up their butts to make others more aware. First was when my legally consent able teen tried to get labs and was refused. Now everyone in that hospital knows what to do if a 14+ kid walks in alone. Lol.

 

At a minimum, all staff need to offer print materials in Spanish. Thankfully mom is Spanish literate. The whole family is at least enough to community because we type into translate and pass the phone back and forth.

 

My son is not in regular public! He’s cyber schooled.

 

I will be following up with them again. I plan to have them over for pizza soon. I’m going to find someone who speaks Spanish, or get a good conversation app.

 

My son likes this kid and his brother. What caused the fight was the kid repeatedly throwing this other kid to the ground (mine and hurt kid are 13, other kid is 10) and not laying off. Mine put him in a headlock (this group of boys wrestles and play fights daily) which usually ends the battle. It didn’t and kid was still trying to get at other kid. So my genius brought his knee up a bit too forceful and gave the kid a big shiner. Thankfully that was all it was. My son spent the afternoon in tears because he didn’t want to hurt him but didn’t know how to get him to stop.

 

To add to it, mine can’t stand the 10 year old who is a serious trouble maker. He’s been suspended from school twice this year. Mine only got involved because the younger kid is no match for the hurt kid by a very long shot.

 

This all started between hurt kid and other kid over a SCOOTER! A push scooter.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

Wow, that's pretty crazy! Even if they knew you could speak Spanish, how could they have trusted you to know it well, and it get all of the important information correct? This type of stuff is going to happen more in more even in communities that never had these experiences.

 

But I don't think I'd trust Google Translate either. Aren't there telephone translation services? It would be so easy to just pick up the phone, request the language you need, and have a telephone translator be the go-between.

Had there been a fracture or any serious after care, I would have insisted. But it was just bruising with no school restrictions.

 

I don’t fully trust translate apps, so I made sure to use simple words, no contractions, etc.

[luuknam]

The fact is that compared to a lot of other countries, USA is a horrible place to be if you don't speak English.  

 

 

I dunno... I'm pretty sure that in most other countries, if you speak some foreign language other than English you're likely to be out-of-luck in small town hospitals in areas with little diversity. Like, when I was an exchange student in Thailand, I once got mystery pills from a doctor (admittedly not a hospital), because the doctor's English was very minimal and his Dutch was non-existent, and I remember being surprised at all the "point at your language" signs in US pharmacies and the like (none of which have my language, of course)... I don't remember ever seeing such a sign in NL (I enjoy reading such signs while standing in line waiting, since it gives me something to do... of course, I don't understand half the languages on the signs, but still... I would've noticed the signs if they were there). 

 

So, yeah, they should have a translator service they can call and stuff... but I don't think other countries are better, on average. 

Edited November 7, 2017 by luuknam

[J-rap]

Had there been a fracture or any serious after care, I would have insisted. But it was just bruising with no school restrictions.

 

I don’t fully trust translate apps, so I made sure to use simple words, no contractions, etc.

And of course you did the only thing you could do given the situation! 

[Lanny]

Had there been a fracture or any serious after care, I would have insisted. But it was just bruising with no school restrictions.

 

I don’t fully trust translate apps, so I made sure to use simple words, no contractions, etc.

 

The Translation Software and Apps have improved greatly, some of it is apparently amazing, but DO NOT trust it.  Do not give a speech before the UN with it.

 

When DD was a baby, a late and dear friend used one of those translation apps to translate something he had written to us and he sent it to us. I read the email and almost had a heart attack, I was laughing so hard.  I went to get my wife and got her to go to the computer to read it. Her response was the same. She probably memorized parts of it. It was so mangled, from what he wanted to say.

 

Regarding dosis of medicines:  After I moved here, I had to take some kind of test/examination where I had to ingest a certain amount of liquid medicine before the test.  I think part of the instructions was about ounces, part about mL and part about CC. At least 2 of those measurements   When I was in the hospital before they started the test, I was afraid I had not taken the correct amount of the medicine that was required.  They got an American Nurse who was working that morning and she assured me it was OK, in U.S. English.  After speaking with her, I went ahead and they did the examination. 

 

Here, if someone came in and only speaks English, I'm sure they could find an English speaker to translate for them.

 

Where this would REALLY be dicey would be if an E.R. physician was trying to get information about Medical History from a patient and there is a language barrier and the doctor is in the dark about any possible pre-existing issues.  

 

P.S.

OP i am glad things between your DS and the injured boy are OK. The 10 year old sounds like a brat...

 

ETA: Here, I believe all of the textbooks in the Medical Schools are in English. They cannot wait until they are translated into Spanish. Same with neighbors who are Electronic Engineers.  Their textbooks were in English.  They might not speak with me in English, but they can certainly read/write English.  Many of the doctors here have studied in the USA and they go to conventions there, so they have some understanding of English...

 

ETA #2:  Where we lived before, our next door neighbors were both doctors. One of their sons was in Medical School and was swamped and one of his assignments was to translate something from English into Spanish.   My wife and I bailed him out on that one and we vowed NEVER to translate anything for anyone in the future and certainly not something from a medical textbook.  We spent many long hours on that. I don't think he slept much when he was going to Medical School.  

Edited November 7, 2017 by Lanny

[Tap]

Please don't flame me for this....it is a legitimate question.

 

If you don't speak the language and are going to the  hospital, why not take a way to translate along with you?  Why isn't it her responsibility to take a person, ask for a translator service, or take a computer along with her?  Even if someone couldn't go with her, simply a note saying "I don't speak or read English. I need a human or electronic Spanish translator please."

 

If this situation presented itself in pharmacy, we would try to make our instructions as simple as possible. Especially if it was as simple as 2 pills every 6-8 hours. (not actual medical advice) If the boy seemed to get the basics of what we were telling him, we would point out  the phone number on the receipt, so they know how to get a hold of us, and let them go. Most people who don't speak English bring someone to translate, or give us a phone number of a friend to call.  In pharmacy, they are given everything in paper format, so they can have it translated when they get home. Even if they don't have a computer, most have a friend or way to get the info if they really want it. 

[mom2scouts]

In my area there is not a large Spanish speaking population, so many hospitals would never think to provide materials or translation in Spanish. We are much more likely to need someone who speaks Burmese or Arabic due to our immigrant population, Chinese due to our large population of Chinese scholars at several local universities, or even "Swiss-German" because of a large Amish population that uses our hospitals. I'm not sure what would work best for smaller hospitals that need translation in a variety of languages.

[luuknam]

Here, if someone came in and only speaks English, I'm sure they could find an English speaker to translate for them.

 

ETA: Here, I believe all of the textbooks in the Medical Schools are in English. 

 

 

Yes, but what about *any* other language, other than Spanish (because it's Colombia) or English (because it's the global lingua franca)? If someone came in speaking, I dunno, Russian or Chinese or w/e, what would happen (I'm not even going to ask about more uncommon languages)?

Edited November 7, 2017 by luuknam

[momacacia]

I'm curious how easy it is to find an English speaker or medical instructions in English in a Mexican hospital? You are probably more likely to find an English-speaking doctor since English is an international business language and better educated types (like Drs) have likely studied it some, but I suspect you'll have a hard time finding a designated translator for English on staff at many or any hospitals in other countries. Or is this something they just do in France, Greece, Russia and Thailand?

[prairiewindmomma]

I'm curious how easy it is to find an English speaker or medical instructions in English in a Mexican hospital? You are probably more likely to find an English-speaking doctor since English is an international business language and better educated types (like Drs) have likely studied it some, but I suspect you'll have a hard time finding a designated translator for English on staff at many or any hospitals in other countries. Or is this something they just do in France, Greece, Russia and Thailand?

 

In my admittedly limited experience in Mexico, it's pretty easy to find an English speaker in a Mexican hospital. Many of the doctors learned English in school, and are pretty close to fully bilingual.  My US friend actually went to English speaking medical school in Guadalajara. Likewise, through most of Europe, most doctors speak English.

 

I don't expect to find who speaks Kazakh or Icelandic in a small town rural hospital, but there are 41 million native Spanish speakers in the US.  Even in my previous small, Midwestern, rural hospital there were people who spoke Spanish.

[Lanny]

Yes, but what about *any* other language, other than Spanish (because it's Colombia) or English (because it's the global lingua franca)? If someone came in speaking, I dunno, Russian or Chinese or w/e, what would happen (I'm not even going to ask about more uncommon languages)?

 

Russian or Chinese would be a stretch here.  Probably French or Portuguese would be easier to find. 

 

We can usually understand  (more or less) people from Brazil and communicate with them.   French has a lot of things related to Spanish, as does Italian, so those languages would be the ones most apt to be understood here. But for sure, English is a language many doctors (and others) here speak quite well. Others, can read or write English but don't want to speak, because of their pronunciation.  

 

Depending upon the university here, and the Major, their educations may be entirely with English language textbooks from the USA. 

 

We have issues with people from Spain   but we can usually understand them and v.v.

[Lady Florida.]

That would upset me to the point of contacting hospital administration. I'm in an area with a fairly good size Spanish speaking population so I would think there is probably someone on staff who could translate. Even at that I'd expect the hospital to designate someone, perhaps a nurse or other staff member, and not just check around to find the nearest Spanish speaking employee. To expect a child* and some outsider (because technically that's what you were - an outsider to that family) to be the translators is unprofessional.

 

*I could understand letting an older child, teen or even adult child translate as long as they had a good grasp of both languages but the situation you describe sounds different.

[Liz CA]

Please don't flame me for this....it is a legitimate question.

 

If you don't speak the language and are going to the  hospital, why not take a way to translate along with you?  Why isn't it her responsibility to take a person, ask for a translator service, or take a computer along with her?  Even if someone couldn't go with her, simply a note saying "I don't speak or read English. I need a human or electronic Spanish translator please."

 

If this situation presented itself in pharmacy, we would try to make our instructions as simple as possible. Especially if it was as simple as 2 pills every 6-8 hours. (not actual medical advice) If the boy seemed to get the basics of what we were telling him, we would point out  the phone number on the receipt, so they know how to get a hold of us, and let them go. Most people who don't speak English bring someone to translate, or give us a phone number of a friend to call.  In pharmacy, they are given everything in paper format, so they can have it translated when they get home. Even if they don't have a computer, most have a friend or way to get the info if they really want it. 

 

It usually is up to the person to ask...because it has happened that people have offered translation services and the person took offense as in "My English is good enough."

If it is apparent that the person cannot understand English, the hospital personnel should be able to contact an agency who then connects the foreign language speaking person with a translator.

This has happened several times to me, especially during certain times of year when more tourists were in the country. When it's a medical situation, people understandably get very nervous and concerned and just hearing someone speak their language usually has a calming effect. Sometimes, hospital staff could not even communicate that they had me on the line, they just handed the phone to the person and I introduced myself. One time, someone guessed the language wrong and we had to get a different interpreter. ;)

 

Here in CA, I used to work for an agency that employed translators fluent in many different languages and many of the phone calls came from outside CA.

Edited November 7, 2017 by Liz CA

[prairiewindmomma]

FWIW, I now live somewhere where nearly everyone has some familiarity with Spanish. My doctors and dentists and specialists are all bilingual (some of them trained in Mexico), and even when I go to the grocery store, all of the labels are bilingual.  I get frustrated with the "English only" attitudes---the first European language spoken in this country was Spanish (the missions in California, Florida, and what is now Texas). If we wanted to speak the native language of the US, we should all be learning Sioux or Na-Dene or Tsalagi or something else. 

[creekland]

I called the hospital and got the nurse supervisor, who said this is great for risk management, who I left a voicemail with.

 

This is the second time I’ve gotten up their butts to make others more aware. First was when my legally consent able teen tried to get labs and was refused. Now everyone in that hospital knows what to do if a 14+ kid walks in alone. Lol.

 

At a minimum, all staff need to offer print materials in Spanish. Thankfully mom is Spanish literate. The whole family is at least enough to community because we type into translate and pass the phone back and forth.

 

My son is not in regular public! He’s cyber schooled.

 

I will be following up with them again. I plan to have them over for pizza soon. I’m going to find someone who speaks Spanish, or get a good conversation app.

 

My son likes this kid and his brother. What caused the fight was the kid repeatedly throwing this other kid to the ground (mine and hurt kid are 13, other kid is 10) and not laying off. Mine put him in a headlock (this group of boys wrestles and play fights daily) which usually ends the battle. It didn’t and kid was still trying to get at other kid. So my genius brought his knee up a bit too forceful and gave the kid a big shiner. Thankfully that was all it was. My son spent the afternoon in tears because he didn’t want to hurt him but didn’t know how to get him to stop.

 

To add to it, mine can’t stand the 10 year old who is a serious trouble maker. He’s been suspended from school twice this year. Mine only got involved because the younger kid is no match for the hurt kid by a very long shot.

 

This all started between hurt kid and other kid over a SCOOTER! A push scooter.

 

I'm glad you added more information (because my mind defaulted to the occasional issue we have at school and that's not nearly as good).  Your son sounds like a wonderful lad.  I hope your pizza night goes over really well!

 

I dunno... I'm pretty sure that in most other countries, if you speak some foreign language other than English you're likely to be out-of-luck in small town hospitals in areas with little diversity. Like, when I was an exchange student in Thailand, I once got mystery pills from a doctor (admittedly not a hospital), because the doctor's English was very minimal and his Dutch was non-existent, and I remember being surprised at all the "point at your language" signs in US pharmacies and the like (none of which have my language, of course)... I don't remember ever seeing such a sign in NL (I enjoy reading such signs while standing in line waiting, since it gives me something to do... of course, I don't understand half the languages on the signs, but still... I would've noticed the signs if they were there). 

 

So, yeah, they should have a translator service they can call and stuff... but I don't think other countries are better, on average. 

 

I can't speak for hospitals, but I'm pretty sure the Custom's Agent we had in Jordan didn't understand what I was saying when answering the basic question of "Why are you coming to our country" and I answered, "We're visiting my son.  He's doing a study abroad."  He asked twice and I tried to rephrase my answer, but in the end, I'm pretty sure we got our passports stamped mainly because we didn't look like terrorists.

 

One can not expect the world to know English - even if they've had it in school.  Tourist areas usually are fine, but not everyone is going to know an abundance of languages out there - I know I'm only good at English and can get by in French.  I know a few phrases of Spanish.  Only three words of Arabic...  I'm glad we were able to go to Jordan while my son was there to translate for us!  (But of course, he wasn't able to be with us for customs.  We only got to see him AFTER we were granted permission to be in the country!)

 

We did use google translate a few times when my son was in his classes and not with us.  If we kept it to words more than phrases, it seemed to do ok.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

I spoke with risk management, and she’s going to bring it up at this week’s meeting. They’ll make sure all staff are trained in getting the discharge papers (hopefully other stuff as needed) printed in whatever languages the program has. Im not sure what else, but she sounded like she would do something, and not just let it go.

[luuknam]

FWIW, I now live somewhere where nearly everyone has some familiarity with Spanish. My doctors and dentists and specialists are all bilingual (some of them trained in Mexico), and even when I go to the grocery store, all of the labels are bilingual.  I get frustrated with the "English only" attitudes---the first European language spoken in this country was Spanish (the missions in California, Florida, and what is now Texas). If we wanted to speak the native language of the US, we should all be learning Sioux or Na-Dene or Tsalagi or something else. 

 

I did not get the impression that this incident happened in an area originally settled by the Spanish. And just because the original European settlers should've learned the local languages but didn't, doesn't change that it's the right thing to do. 

 

One can not expect the world to know English - even if they've had it in school.  

 

 

I don't. I was just saying that the odds are not too bad for being able to find someone who knows some minimal amount of English, but expecting random other foreign languages... I don't know that there are many countries that have translation services available for any random language in their hospitals (obviously, translators for languages from neighboring countries or w/e might be relatively easy to come by too). It's just not something that I think the US is worse at than most other countries. 

[creekland]

I don't. I was just saying that the odds are not too bad for being able to find someone who knows some minimal amount of English, but expecting random other foreign languages... I don't know that there are many countries that have translation services available for any random language in their hospitals (obviously, translators for languages from neighboring countries or w/e might be relatively easy to come by too). It's just not something that I think the US is worse at than most other countries. 

 

:iagree:  I wasn't actually disagreeing with you when I quoted your post.  I was expanding upon it.  The odds of knowing English (well) aren't as great as some expect.  The odds of knowing "less common" (for the area) languages would even be less - wherever one goes.

[Donna]

Professionally, it goes against healthcare privacy laws for them to discuss the boy's medical issues with you present without the mother's consent. They should have had you translate that prior to discussing anything about his discharge in front of you. 

 

In our state, there is translation phone line we are able to call if we are in need of a translator and are not able to provide one for the patient and/or caregiver.

[justasque]

Of all the languages in the USA where a hospital has some employees who speak a Foreign Language, Spanish would be at the top of the list.  Probably had it been a more serious issue, they would have called a phone translator service.  Surprising that nobody in the E.R. had even a limited ability to speak Spanish.

 

FWIW, there are a few areas in the US where the top language needed would be French, northern Maine being one of them.

[TechWife]

Professionally, it goes against healthcare privacy laws for them to discuss the boy's medical issues with you present without the mother's consent. They should have had you translate that prior to discussing anything about his discharge in front of you. 

 

In our state, there is translation phone line we are able to call if we are in need of a translator and are not able to provide one for the patient and/or caregiver.

 

In the hospital I volunteer in, patients and parents sign a form stating that if they choose for someone to be in the room while a care provider (MD, RN, PT, etc.) is in the room that you are giving the care provider permission to speak freely in front of them. It is also the practice for them to ask for privacy and get a verbal consent to speak freely at the time. 

 

These forms are available in multiple languages and are given to the parent or patient in the language of their choice. 

 

FWIW, we have in hospital translators and we have access to a video translation service if the translator can't be there. The video translation service also has more  languages than we have translators available. 

[Donna]

In the hospital I volunteer in, patients and parents sign a form stating that if they choose for someone to be in the room while a care provider (MD, RN, PT, etc.) is in the room that you are giving the care provider permission to speak freely in front of them. It is also the practice for them to ask for privacy and get a verbal consent to speak freely at the time. 

 

These forms are available in multiple languages and are given to the parent or patient in the language of their choice. 

 

FWIW, we have in hospital translators and we have access to a video translation service if the translator can't be there. The video translation service also has more  languages than we have translators available. 

 

Exactly. There are ways to obtain consent but no discussion of the patient should have occurred without the hospital staff knowing who the OP was and obtaining consent.

[Lanny]

I'm wondering if the hospitals here have on-staff, in house, Translators. I doubt it. That includes the wonderful, large, U.S. style, Private  hospital, about 20 or 30 minutes from where we live, depending on traffic.  If someone went there who only speaks English, they could easily find doctors and others who speak English.  Other languages possibly spoken by some  might include French and German, but might not...

 

In the Public hospital, about 10 minutes from where we live, very small, I believe that at least some of the doctors would be able to speak English with a patient.

 

We do get tourists from France, Germany and many other countries and they have a higher possibility of being able to speak English, than do people here of speaking their languages.

 

There are a lot of French speaking Haitians in South Florida, and I imagine the hospitals there have quite a few staff members who can speak French with them.

 

Having on-staff , in-house  Translators seems like something only the very largest hospitals might be able to afford and to do that on a 24/7 basis, would be expensive, just in one language. To be able to do that in more than one language I think is not likely and that's where the Phone/Video Translation services might be worth their weight in Gold.

 

Imagine if someone came into your local hospital and they only spoke Cambodian or some other language. Unlikely anyone working in the hospital would be able to understand them.  Worse yet, the people working in the hospital might not be able to determine which language the patient was speaking.

[maize]

I'm wondering if the hospitals here have on-staff, in house, Translators. I doubt it. That includes the wonderful, large, U.S. style, Private hospital, about 20 or 30 minutes from where we live, depending on traffic. If someone went there who only speaks English, they could easily find doctors and others who speak English. Other languages possibly spoken by some might include French and German, but might not...

 

In the Public hospital, about 10 minutes from where we live, very small, I believe that at least some of the doctors would be able to speak English with a patient.

 

We do get tourists from France, Germany and many other countries and they have a higher possibility of being able to speak English, than do people here of speaking their languages.

 

There are a lot of French speaking Haitians in South Florida, and I imagine the hospitals there have quite a few staff members who can speak French with them.

 

Having on-staff , in-house Translators seems like something only the very largest hospitals might be able to afford and to do that on a 24/7 basis, would be expensive, just in one language. To be able to do that in more than one language I think is not likely and that's where the Phone/Video Translation services might be worth their weight in Gold.

 

Imagine if someone came into your local hospital and they only spoke Cambodian or some other language. Unlikely anyone working in the hospital would be able to understand them. Worse yet, the people working in the hospital might not be able to determine which language the patient was speaking.

This is why they have point to your language cards and call in or video translation services. There are services that provide Cambodian translation along with dozens of other languages. Edited November 8, 2017 by maize

[Alice]

This thread reminded me of one of my favorite stories from med school. I was doing my surgery rotation and we had a patient who spoke only a relatively uncommon language. ( It was a long time ago so I don’t remember what it was but not Spanish or any other Romance language or any Asian language. It might have been something like a regional dialect.) This was before translator phone services were easily accessible. As we were checking everything for surgery it became obvious that she couldn’t have truly consented as she didn’t understand any English. So we had to stop and postpone the surgery searching for a translator. In the end, the person they brought up was a tiny old woman who worked in the cafeteria who happened to speak the same language. The surgeon was about to blow a gasket at the delay and it just made me laugh that the person that saved the day was at the other end of the power spectrum in the hospital. 

[amo_mea_filiis.]

Exactly. There are ways to obtain consent but no discussion of the patient should have occurred without the hospital staff knowing who the OP was and obtaining consent.

I guess if someone is in the ER, on the chair next to patient’s bed, the doc or staff may not think anything of it.

 

In September when my son broke his hand, we ended up on the other side of the curtain of someone we know. We mutually just left of open and the PA spoke freely to both of us. PA was laughing because I scolded acquaintance about not coming in sooner and refusing to drink water, while she scolded my son for punching a wall. Lol

[amo_mea_filiis.]

In the hospital I volunteer in, patients and parents sign a form stating that if they choose for someone to be in the room while a care provider (MD, RN, PT, etc.) is in the room that you are giving the care provider permission to speak freely in front of them. It is also the practice for them to ask for privacy and get a verbal consent to speak freely at the time.

 

These forms are available in multiple languages and are given to the parent or patient in the language of their choice.

 

FWIW, we have in hospital translators and we have access to a video translation service if the translator can't be there. The video translation service also has more languages than we have translators available.

Hopefully the registration paperwork will also be made available in other languages.

[creekland]

I guess if someone is in the ER, on the chair next to patient’s bed, the doc or staff may not think anything of it.

 

In September when my son broke his hand, we ended up on the other side of the curtain of someone we know. We mutually just left of open and the PA spoke freely to both of us. PA was laughing because I scolded acquaintance about not coming in sooner and refusing to drink water, while she scolded my son for punching a wall. Lol

 

This is the way it's been almost anywhere I've gone.  Hippa certainly doesn't apply (in reality) to other patients as I know exactly what was going on with anyone in a bed or room next to me - and they knew mine too.  Considering I work in a public school (and am more well known than the average person around), I'm pretty sure this is how my school knew about my brain tumor before I actually announced it.  I had planned on keeping it under wraps for at least a little bit.  That plan was scuttled as soon as I walked in the door and got hugged by the first student I saw.  I've learned about a former pastor's wife surgery - and issues from that surgery - in the same manner.  I have no idea if she wanted others to know or not.

 

It's another reason I'm now super careful regarding what I share - and have given up on keeping some things private.

 

I'd be far less concerned with someone I'm allowing in my room hearing something.

[Xahm]

I was visiting a teenage co-worker, someone on the acquaintance end of things, who had broken her pelvis in a horrible accident, when the Dr came in and gave her the good news she would still be able to have kids, though she might need a c section. That was weird for me, but she'd been in the hospital several days at that point and seemed used to it.

 

When my mom worked neo natal in the nineties, they had discharge instruction papers in a few languages. One bilingual mother read the Spanish one and informed them they had it written in a different dialect than was common in the area. The big problem with that was that, where it was supposed to tell the mothers to burp the baby by patting, it actually instructed them to beat the baby after every feeding.