Co-workers acting as translators

Nurses General Nursing

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nurz2be

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I feel this is a HIPAA violation, although the practice is VERY common. We have translator phones, but we also have a lot of bilingual employees (in every department). What is your take on using co-workers as translators? Does it matter about the topic (such as asking teaching versus asking are you too cold)?

I would like to add this. My husband was born here in the states but his parents were born and raised in Colombia, South America. They speak VERY fluent English and Spanish. I do want to point out something that you might not think about.

I am also a nursing student so I am learning body parts and functions all the time. If I ask my husband something like, "How do I say myocardial infarction in Spanish?" He looks at me and says, "Well, I don't think there is a word for word translation, explain to me what it is and I can tell you how to best say it. Now, I ask my in-laws who know Spanish inside and out and their reply is, "unless you are exposed to medical Spanish and use those words constantly you either forget them or they don't translate verbatim." As with ANY language it is a use it or lose it or at least fumble for words type of situation. There are TONS of medical words that we use in English that DO NOT translate verbatim but have to be manipulated to have a similar meaning. The reason I bring this up is to say that UNLESS you are using a translator that speaks medical Spanish consistently, like a hospital translator or someone who knows MEDICAL Spanish (or other language), I WOULD NOT use them. Period. Ultimately whatever information they get from whomever is still on you. If that information is tainted in any way the nurse, or original person needing the translation can and will be held responsible in the end.

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