How to communicate with patient who has a language barrier?

[beauty1216]

Just a few days ago, we lost a resident. I feel especially sad for this resident because she was foreign, and could not speak our language. Out of nowhere, she got sick on us and died within a matter of an hour. Of course she always moaned and said things in her language, but we could never understand her. We had a communication chart, but she never used it. She would just throw it at us. The first couple of weeks of her arrival, family would come in and see her. Not long after, they stopped & it was impossible to reach someone by phone.

It just burns me up that the family left her and did not bother check on her given the circumstances.:angryfire:angryfire:angryfire

I cannot begin to imagine what kind of isolation a person must feel when they are surrounded by people who cannot understand their wants and needs. It must get worse when you don't have family to come in and check on you. I know she suffered up until her death, and this one really upset me because I know enough was not done for her because no one knew what ailed her. She would get misc. tests like a chest & hip x-ray's-with negative results.

I just needed to vent. How do you cope, or should I say, help a resident deal with language barriers where you are?

[JSCOOBY]

I am a hospice nurse and have dealt with this same, frustrating issue. You might check with a nearby college or university's foreign language department for assistance, as well as local churches; my patient was Vietnamese and found a local church that was willing to help. Also, AT&T has a translation service available which I have used in the past.

Just a few days ago, we lost a resident. I feel especially sad for this resident because she was foreign, and could not speak our language. Out of nowhere, she got sick on us and died within a matter of an hour. Of course she always moaned and said things in her language, but we could never understand her. We had a communication chart, but she never used it. She would just throw it at us. The first couple of weeks of her arrival, family would come in and see her. Not long after, they stopped & it was impossible to reach someone by phone.

It just burns me up that the family left her and did not bother check on her given the circumstances.:angryfire:angryfire:angryfire

I cannot begin to imagine what kind of isolation a person must feel when they are surrounded by people who cannot understand their wants and needs. It must get worse when you don't have family to come in and check on you. I know she suffered up until her death, and this one really upset me because I know enough was not done for her because no one knew what ailed her. She would get misc. tests like a chest & hip x-ray's-with negative results.

I just needed to vent. How do you cope, or should I say, help a resident deal with language barriers where you are?

[Ohmygosh]

This is truly a very sad situation...sorry that happened to you.

We currently have a person in our unit who is from a middle eastern country and speaks no english. Thankfully the person does have family members who have provided us with a few translations for some basic questions. Even though I feel extremely uncomfortable trying to say these words in my "southern drawl", I feel its my duty to my patient to attempt to communicate with him/her.

While I dont have a solution for your situation...I am sure that you have come to the right place for some excellent suggestions. Come ALLNURSES....this problem deserves some suggestions.

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

There is a translation line you can use for patients who have communication barriers. We have had people from all over the world and were successful in using it. We had a little lady from Poland and used it with her. Dont know the number off the top of my head but ill see if i can get it.

You call the line from the room (may have to call from the desk and transfer the call into the room), then you can have the operator speak with the patient in their language and in turn they can communicate the patients needs etc back to you. It really is a godsend.