Using Family Members as Medical Interpreters: An Explanation of Healthcare Practitioners’ Normative Practices in Pediatric and Neonatal Departments in Australia

Abstract

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2016), both international tourism and migration of people with low English proficiency (LEP) to Australia are increasing. Thus, healthcare practitioners (HPs) increasingly use interpreters to communicate with patients with LEP. Although qualified interpreters are the most suggested and policy-endorsed mechanism for communicating with patients with LEP, family members (FMIs) are also used as interpreters.This study investigated a) when do health professionals consider it appropriate to use FMIs and b) what characteristics of family members health professionals believe make them suitable to act as FMIs. As part of a larger project examining the decision-making processes of HPs regarding interpreter use, 69 HPs from neonatal and pediatric departments in one hospital in Queensland Australia were interviewed. Results indicated HPs thought the appropriateness of using FMIs depended on the type of information, such that it was either completely acceptable (e.g., explaining some basic, or non-medical information) or completely unacceptable (e.g., confidential information or consent). However, in an emergency, when no other options were available, FMI's were used. The characteristics of suitable FMIs included age, level of English proficiency and medical understanding, and the relationship between patient and FMI. Results were to some extent consistent with Queensland government policies but there were notable differences, including using children and regarding FMIs as first preference. Improving HP's knowledge of policies may increase their confidence in their practice and appropriate use of FMIs, thereby improving their care delivery to patients and families with LEP.

Prevalent practices amongst healthcare professionals in paediatric settings in using medical interpreters for families with limited national language proficiency: A narrative scoping review

“…(2017) Thematic and hermeneutic analysis n=1 (12.5%) Kynoe et al. (2020) Phenomenological analysis n=1 (12.5%) Stephen (2021) Thematic analysis n=1 (12.5%) Pines et al. (2020) Framework analysis n=1 (12.5%) Williams et al.…”

“… Awareness of guidelines on interpreter-use was highest amongst nurses. Pines et al. (2020) Australia To investigate (a) when healthcare professionals consider it appropriate to use family members as interpreters and (b) what characteristics of family members healthcare professionals believe make them suitable to act as interpreters.…”

Communicating Reproductive Coercion in the Context of Domestic and Family Violence: Perspectives of Service Providers Supporting Migrant and Refugee Women

“…Despite policies that state that qualified interpreters should normally be used, and free access to telephone interpreters in health consultations (Phillips, 2010), research suggests there is a significant underuse of qualified interpreters in police and health encounters (Atkin, 2008;Gray et al, 2011;Wakefield et al, 2015), with family members frequently used instead (Atkin, 2008;Pines et al, 2020) often because it is more convenient (Diamond et al, 2009). Gray et al (2011) found that family members were used in 49% -83% of general practice consultations.…”

The perceptions of translation apps for everyday health care in healthcare workers and older people: A multi‐method study

“…Family members or bilingual colleagues are often used to interpret in healthcare situations in lieu of a trained professional interpreter (Gray, Hilder, & Donaldson, 2011). Family members may be suitable in some aspects of healthcare translation (Hilder et al, 2017;Pines, Jones, & Sheeran, 2019); however, they are at risk of being exposed to highly sensitive information (Nielsen, Abdulkadir, Lynnerup, & Sodemann, 2019) and may not be able to adequately translate technical medico-legal phrases or words (Attard et al, 2015). There are similar challenges when bilingual colleagues are used (Ali & Johnson, 2017).…”