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POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL
SURGICAL NURSING UNIT / Section I
SURGICAL SERVICES / General SS.005.5

SUBJECT: Interpreter Services NU.105

TITLE:Interpreter Services

POLICY:

StanislausSurgicalHospital identifies non English speaking patients during the preadmission screening or during the admissions process.

  1. StanislausSurgicalHospitalensures that non-English speaking patients receive effective notice concerning:
  2. Benefits
  3. Services
  4. Written material concerning waivers of rights
  5. Consent to treatment
  6. All language translationaids are provided, without cost, to the person being served on a 24-hour basiseither on the premises or accessible by telephone for medical and non medical issues
  7. Use acertified foreign languagemedical translator for discussion of all Informed Consent or other consent issues to:
  8. Ensure error-free communication
  9. Protect the confidentiality of patient information and privacy
  10. It is considered inappropriate and unsafe to use family members or friends as translators for medically relatedissues except where the patient after being informed of the availability of the interpreter service chooses to use a family member or friend who volunteers to interpret
  11. Inform patients that the services of a qualified interpreter are available to them at no additional charge
  1. For issues that do not require a Certified Medical Translator, the Hospital Human Resources Department maintains a current list of all qualified employees fluent in languages other than English (see Attachment A)
  2. For immediate interpretation needs, contact the Nursing Managers for available Stanislaus Surgical Hospital staff
  3. If Hospital translators are not available, use Language Line Services

Procedure:

Language Line services provides instantaneous:

  • Telephone interpreters
  • Dispatched interpreters
  • Written translations

When a Certified Language Medical Translator is needed, follow the procedure listed below to set up a conference call

  1. While on the line with the patient, press on the phone
  2. On the same line, dial the number for
    Language Line Services: 1-800-752-6096
  3. An automated answering system will answer, prompting you to:
  4. Dial “1" for Spanish or
  5. Say the language if other than Spanish
  6. Enter the six-digit client ID number: 295011
  7. Enter the four-digit access code for theDepartment:
  8. Laboratory1134
  9. Surgical Nursing Unit (SNU)2687
  10. Operating Room4398
  11. PreAdmissions5942
  12. Admitting6935
  13. PreOperative/ PostOperative Care Unit (PACU)8724
  14. After a brief delay of about 30 seconds, a human interpreter answers the line, at which point you may consult privately
  15. Press the key to connect in a three-way conversation
  16. The staff member who coordinates the conference call translatordocuments in the Medical Record:
  17. Patient’s decision to use a certified foreign language medical translator
  18. Presence of a translator on the premises or by telephone
  19. Name of the interpreter
  20. Content of the discussion between the translator and the patient
  21. Each occasion the interpreter was used

Attachment A

Foreign Language Employees
8/24/2015

ARABIC

/ Esther Barkho
Angelena Paulis

ASSYRIAN

/ Esther Barkho
Angelena Paulis

CAMBODIAN

/ Chan Chea
Raksa Hem
Donee Nguon-Pheng
Hellen Vath

LAOTIAN

/ Kham Sivongxay

GREEK

/ Esther Barkho

HINDU

/ Puspa Kumar
Brijmala Narayan
Soni Prasad
Saras Ram
Karen Sagar
Indra Singh

KOREAN

/ Vicki Dulay

PORTUGUESE

/ Sandra Reis

PUNJAB

/ Puspa Kumar
Brijmala Narayan
Saras Ram
Karen Sagar
Indra Singh

RUSSIAN

/ Vera Nickelsen

SPANISH

/ Jose Ceja
Michele Colin
Angelica Espinoza
Carolina Garcia
Susan Gonzalez
Sylvia Gonzalez
Esther Perez
Sandra Reis
Karina Ruiz
Ruben Martinez
Gilbert Alvarado

VIETNAMESE

/ Tham Dullano
Cali Pham

Original Date: 02-2001

Revision Date: 3-Sep-15[7]Revised by: K Darnell, Rn Manager Crsc, Endoscopy, PharmacyLast saved: 9/3/2015 10:31:00 AM Last saved by Kelsey Holder

Approved by Governing Board: 17 – April - 2014