Nurses will not only need to learn how to communicate effectively with non- or limited English speakers, but will need to become comfortable with the use of interpreters.
Suggestions for Addressing the Issue
Hospitals need to devise training and development programs designed to reduce cross-cultural communication barriers. Obviously healthcare personnel cannot be expected to learn to speak every language fluently. However they need to learn the basics of the languages that they encounter most often. Hospitals also need to work more closely with interpreters and have interpreters for every language they may encounter available on-call.
Summary
The population of America is becoming increasingly diverse, with more and more patients coming into healthcare facilities with little or no understanding of the English language. Accordingly, there is a critical need for improved communications between non-native English speaking patients and their healthcare providers.
Executive Summary
This paper addresses the problem of communication barriers between health care professionals and patients that speak no English or limited English. It discusses how these language barriers can negatively effect the patient, including not understanding what the health care provider is telling them; not being able to explain to the health care provider their symptoms or concerns; and the frustration patients may feel due to communication problems that may prevent them seeking treatment altogether. The paper then discusses how the lack of optimum care that occurs as a result of language barriers can negatively impact society as well, in terms of both an increase in communicable diseases as well as rising health care costs.
The impact of language barriers on
Suggestions for addressing the situation include ongoing training and development for nurses to assist them in not only learning other languages, but also to help them learn to work with professional interpreters. Hospitals need to have a comprehensive database of interpreters on call to deal with limited or non-English speaking patients whenever possible.
Ultimately, overcoming the communication problems between health care providers and their patients who are not fluent in English is of critical importance to the health care profession, as well as to all of society. Therefore action needs to be taken to reduce these language barriers in the most effective and cost-efficient manner possible.
References
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