Allied Health Community Media Scenario

Allied Health Community Media Scenario

Grand Canyon University: Transcultural Healthcare

Another form of communication that may be used to provide patient education could be a translator, when little or no English is spoken by a patient. A translator can be provided by the hospital. Some hospitals do provide such phone systems that translates many languages by typing in codes to the phone system. The system is called Cyracom. There are other companies that do the same services.

To access a patient’s understanding and comprehension of discharge instructions, it is best to ask questions and have the patient reiterate the answers back to you. You many also use pictures due to the fact some patients may not read well. You can also demonstrate what they are to do at home as well. If the patient does not speak English, don’t forget to use a translator or a version of a Cyracom phone.

How will the actions of the staff members approach the patient will give either a negative or positive impact patient care and the patient care experience. Body language, facial expressions, and a calming, friendly voice to sooth the nerves of the patient’s anxiety will overcome many awkward and fearful moments in medicine. A friendly smile can mean a lot during a traumatic experience. You should always reassure your patient that things are going to be fine and everybody is there to help them. You can also ask if there is anybody you can call, such as a loved one for the patient to reassure them that somebody knows they are getting medical care.

Proper ethical values and decisions made by the staff member would better align with the proper education policy if an actual translator is involved rather than a family member to translate. Risk Management and a supervisor should be involved to discuss and take control of the situation to make sure all areas of patient care are discussed. An incident report should be reported and filed. The patient should not be left alone and the reason for the delay in discharge should be addressed.

References

Singleton K, & Krause EMS. (2009). Understanding cultural and linguistic barriers to health literacy. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 14(3), 2. Retrieved from https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=105146465&site=ehost-live&scope=site