Interpreters in hospitals on a MANDATORY basis.

G'day Everyone.

I was doing some thinking in the last few hours as I'm watching a friend's convo who's being a patient advocate for a friend of mine while he's in the hospital. My friend, who is a patient in a local hospital, doesn't have a sign language interpreter when it's really needed. Especially in a critical situation. That concerns me very much.

Every time I watch discovery channel on TV about "Trauma in the ER" and watch how various interpreters who are on the hospital staff, are easy to summon to the ER to translate language from English to whatever what language is needed to be spoken in an emergency situation.

You know, that got me seriously thinking. When I was in the hospital 2006, I didn't have an interpreter. Though many times I requested for one. It was a scary situation of hearing many of the different UNRECOGNIZABLE sounds through out the hospital ward. My mom argues I should be able to do without one (an interpreter). But when you are a patient, you are in a different world. You are not the same person. I needed an interpreter and wasn't given one till the day I was about to be discharged. I was disgusted. My first stop after I got home? I jumped in my car (against my mom's wishes) and went to the nearest church where I thanked God for allowing me to live in this life awhile longer.

It was last year when my mom was unable to communicate and she had to be rushed to the hospital. My sisters came, but unable to interpret for me. So, when I asked for an interpreter so I could keep up of what's going on, we weren't given one until just before my mom got transferred. I get the feeling of left out of being able to help make a decision with my family for my mom's care. It hurts when you don't get asked for an opinion of what can be done. Though my mom is ok, she does see my point of view in the value of having an interpreter for me.

This past year (from last Christmas to this past June), I had a friend that lived in MD that got suddenly sick. From what I understand of, he had interpreters from time to time. But I do doubt that he ever really knew of what was going on around him before he passed away.

So it got me thinking of why can't a hospital have a Sign Language interpreter on their staff on duty every day 24/7? From what I hear, most hospitals CONTRACT the interpreter for the deaf duty out to an independent agency on a daily basis. Some are not even available on an emergency basis! They say "we must have 24-48 hour notice!". BUT a patient's life hangs in balance daily. Interpreters for the deaf make communication clear and important. Especially for the doctors and nurses.

Well, in the most part of everything that happened in my life and in my friend's life, here's one advice I want to advocate out there:

If you are a deaf patient that is going into the hospital for any reason, make sure interpreters are arranged. Even if the hospital is suppose to arrange for interpreters for the deaf for you. Don't let it verbally agreed upon, get it a signed statement that interpreters will be provided. It is important that you have communication flowing between you, your doctor, and nurses. Even if none isn't provided, you still need to be supplied with paper and a note pad and placed close by so that you use it and you get to keep those notes.

I don't want to see any more hospital deaths involving deaf patients. I had two died this year. I pray my friend, who just had surgery today, gets well and gets out of there alive. Remember to thank your interpreter who's there for you. They play an important role in our lives.

Semper FI.

Update: Jamie Berke sent over this link for my readers. Credit goes to her.
http://deafness.about.com/od/legalrights/a/medinterpreters.htm

and she's got a personal note going on : http://berkeoutspoken.blogspot.com/2008/12/why-do-some-deaf-get-more-interpreter.html

Thanks Jamie!