NR 576 Week 3 iHuman Reflection - Language barriers

Consider how client needs and available resources impact your selected treatment plan. How would you provide education and other resources for your client? As healthcare takes on a more patient-centered approach among a diverse multicultural population, there is an increased need for providers to be more expansive to achieve effective communication. Patient satisfaction, care quality, patient safety, and improved patient outcomes can be directly affected by the existence of language barriers (Al Shamsi, et al, 2020). Suppose your client and/or his wife spoke a primary language other than English. What resources would you use during your assessment? If my patient and/or his wife spoke a primary language other than English, I would utilize HIPAA-compliant interpreter services. Communication with patients in their primary language not only ensures that the patient understands the information as intended but also helps to build trust, and comfort, as well as improve patient outcomes through compliance (Espinoza & Derrington, 2021). What available resources are available in your current clinical placement site for clients who have limited English proficiency? In my current clinic placement, I am uncertain if there are interpreter services in place. In fact, a considerable percentage of the patient population seen are non-English speakers. My preceptor is fluent in 3 languages and so far, there have not been any encounters where communication is compromised due to language barriers. Essentially, effective treatment plans require effective communication using the patients’ primary and preferred language. References Al Shamsi, H., Almutairi, A. G., Al Mashrafi, S., & Al Kalbani, T. (2020). Implications of Language Barriers for Healthcare: A Systematic Review. Oman medical journal,35(2), e122. Espinoza, J., & Derrington, S. (2021, February 1). How should clinicians respond to language barriers that exacerbate health inequity? Journal of Ethics | American Medical Association. Retrieved March 24, 2023, from- assn.org/article/how-should-clinicians-respond-language- barriers-exacerbate-health- inequity/2021-02