Sooo...I had a patient the other day who spoke NO English. At least she didn't let on if she did. You'll understand why I say this in a moment. I used the phone translator to communicate with the patient and while it was extremely helpful, it was also extremely awkward! I would look at the patient and talk to the translator as if I were talking directly to the patient. For example, instead of saying, "Can you ask her if she needs anything?" I would say (while looking at her) "Do you need anything?" I was just trying to make a tough situation a little more intimate. It didn't work. She didn't look at me EVER. Whatever...I made it through the shift A-okay.
Fast forward a couple of days....I had another patient who I didn't even need the phone translator for. It was a little difficult to communicate, but not so much that I couldn't do my job. She understood simple questions and I used gestures, etc. At one point her family was there and they would say "thank you" and usually "gracias" at the same time. When this patient was alone (and when her family was there) I would walk in and ask her questions like, "Do you need anything? Would you like me to get you a toothbrush?" or more important questions like, "Are you having any pain? How would you rate it from 0-10?" She had NOOOO PROBLEMO anwering my questions. She would say, "No, I'm okay," or "Not bad. 3-4 maybe." heavy accent, but it was clear she understood and I had no trouble understanding. Fast forward....her daughter shows up. It's a little girl (maybe 12) who speaks perfect English along with fluent Spanish. From the moment the daughter arrived, all of the mother's English/communication STOPPED. I would ask, "are you having any pain?" and the girl would start speaking in Spanish to her mother. The mother in turn would respond to the girl who would then speak to me. I found that SOOOO weird!! I can understand translating obviously when it's necessary, but being as though this lady clearly understood and communicated with me half of the day, I fully expected that she would answer me directly and instruct her daughter of her ability to do so that she would stop translating for and IMO hindering her mother. Here's an example...I mentioned earlier that I had asked the patient when she was alone (and when her adult visitors were present) "how would you rate your pain" and she would answer immediately, "not bad. 3-4 maybe." I asked the SAME question with the daughter present and the daughter spoke up, "are you talking about the board?" because we have a board with the smiley faces to help patients rate their pain. She then pointed to the board and started speaking in Spanish to her mother and then her mother responded to her in Spanish. Then her daughter told me, "she said it's the second one on the board." Okay, so when she was alone she was able to understand and without hesitation say "3-4" but now she needs a translator to use gestures and translation to say "the second one on the board"? What happened to 3-4 without all the back and forth? I don't get it. Why do you think this mother would stop communicating with me and allow this unnecessary translating once her child was present? It was truly odd to me as a mother. I almost felt it was rude and expected her to say to her daughter (even in Spanish) that she could speak for herself because she COULD and DID. By the way, she and her family spoke to each other in Spanish the whole time I was in the room (which I also found a little rude) but they never attempted to speak or translate for her and they were adults. What am I missing?
I agree that it is important to learn to speak the language of the country you are in, but recognize that some people have limited resources to do that. I don't think that trying to negotiate a crisis situation in a foreign languate is the best option for practicing your language skills.
I guess that if I were to think of an example that you might understand, is to tell you to count all primary numbers backwards starting from one hundred while trying to drive your car through miles of hairpin turns on a mountain pass with your kids screaming at each other in the backseat. Yes, if you put your mind to it you could do it while hanging out with your friends, but it's awhole different scenario when your life is at stake.
I think if you don't speak the language of the country you live in that the best way to learn that language and become proficient is through practice. I felt like allowing someone to translate scenarios that she was capable of doing successfully took those opportunities away. It was a YOUNG woman. If she plans on living the rest of her life here, I think it would be a good idea to speak English to the best of her ability when she's able, but that's just my biased opinion.
But you're missing the point. Your patient lives here and has not mastered English, she feels more comfortable conversing in her own language, has an interpreter she trusts, AND she's in the fricking hospital, not her high school English class. You can wish it was something different all you want, but this is what it is. You can think what you want about this woman, but she is under no obligation to speak to you in *your* language just because it makes life nice for you.
Thanks for the responses. I was afraid it might turn ugly, but it didn't - YAY!
To the poster who said something about being familiar with people from cultures I frequently deal with, this isn't a frequent situation. I rarely have patients who speak anything other than English, and when I do, it's Spanish. Even then, we have the telephone translator, but in this case it wasn't needed. That's why I found the situation to be odd. She was able to communicate with me (without translation) but "allowed" her child to translate questions/comments we had discussed previously and successfully several times. I think if you don't speak the language of the country you live in that the best way to learn that language and become proficient is through practice. I felt like allowing someone to translate scenarios that she was capable of doing successfully took those opportunities away. It was a YOUNG woman. If she plans on living the rest of her life here, I think it would be a good idea to speak English to the best of her ability when she's able, but that's just my biased opinion.
I work in an area where people speak every imaginable language but English. I understand what you are saying as far as practicing English but that is really a political opinion and its fine & dandy if they're out socializing. I would prefer my patients NOT practice their English or attempt to master it while they are in the hospital. Thats a recipe for disasters. Maybe you thought she understand everything you said, but the fact that she had her child discuss already previously discussed topics with you is indicative that she feels she missed out on something you said and used the child to clarify. Don't assume that someone understands you just because they are nodding yes or even repeat back to you what you just said. Many people nod their heads to relay to you that they recognize the fact that you are speaking not that they actually understood anything you said.
mazy
932 Posts
I agree that it is important to learn to speak the language of the country you are in, but recognize that some people have limited resources to do that. I don't think that trying to negotiate a crisis situation in a foreign languate is the best option for practicing your language skills.
I guess that if I were to think of an example that you might understand, is to tell you to count all primary numbers backwards starting from one hundred while trying to drive your car through miles of hairpin turns on a mountain pass with your kids screaming at each other in the backseat. Yes, if you put your mind to it you could do it while hanging out with your friends, but it's awhole different scenario when your life is at stake.