Answer :

MINIMISING THE LANGUAGE BARRIER WHEN COMMUNICATING WITH CLIENTS

Introduction 

In order to provide individualised care for patients, it is important to effectively understand the issues encountered by patients. In this context, it is important to ensure significant level of communication, which poses to be a difficulty in case the patient is a non-English speaker. Hence, in the present research paper, the two areas that have been considered include minimisation of language barrier and provide assistance in improving communication skill with patients. It is highly essential to overcome this problem in order to provide effective individualised care. The present study will diagnose ways for improving the communication with clients of non-English speakers. In order to conduct the research, a proper investigation on associates of hospital is necessary. 

Rationale 

Communication possess to be a critical aspect for providing effective nursing care since it is the major way of acquiring understanding regarding the requirements of the patients. Moreover, in order to relieve them from their ailments, it is important to convey the importance of the provided treatments and the other necessary requirements to ensure treatment success. Therefore, it is essentially important that focus is rendered on reducing language barriers within communication and thereby improve the quality of services being provided. Hence, the reasons for the selection of the topic included improving the quality of nursing practice and enhancing the knowledge regarding the potential communication barriers that tend to be associated while communicating with non-English speakers. 

Research Question 

• Can a proper communication tool be helpful for minimising the barrier of language occurred between nurses and the clients?  

Research Objective 

To find out the proper communication tool for decreasing the language barriers 

Interlinking with another discipline 

The research is conducted to make sure that there is a free language barrier environment within the hospital. The present study can be effectively interlinked with communication psychology. The communication tool can be helpful to find out ways that can be helped for minimising the language problem faced by nurses and emergency physicians while handling any Non-English speaking patients. In ability to convey information tend to create negative psychological impact. Hence, the context of communication psychology can be benefited from the present research study. Moreover, there are types of language barriers and thus the proper use of a communication tool is highly beneficial. The proper selection of communication tool can be helpful for building a strong relationship between clients and nurses. Nurses will be helped by the communication tools for performing their daily jobs.

Listing of Sources 

Two listing sources are as follows: 

• https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/role-universal-health-literacy-precautions-minimizing-medspeak-and-promoting-shared
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4825530/

Data collection method 

In order to get the result, there is a requirement of highlighting the appropriate method which can be helpful to find out the relevance for proper analysis. Hence, for the collection of data, there is the use of literature review. The literature review is selected because it is highly helpful to showcase the importance of the previous research regarding the language barriers occurred in a hospital. Apart from the literature review, the selection of a systematic approach is done because it helps to collect the data which are relevant to the research questions. 

Systematic Approach

Statement of Objective 

The objective of the study is to identify and analyse the communication tool which can be helpful for minimising the language barriers. 

Data Collection 

According to Hsieh (2015), the facility of using professional interpreters in healthcare settings is an underutilised aspect. The perception regarding the benefits of having professional interpreters present in the premises still remains unclear. On the other hand, the opinions of Zamanzadeh et al. (2014) reflect that nurse patient communication tend to be influence by a multitude of factors and hence require attention in order to facilitate communication. In the view of Fatahi et al. (2015), incomplete information in radiology request form poses to be significant issue in communication between radiologist and clinicians. It has the potential to increase costs associated workflow. According to Lum et al. (2015), proficiency of English language is a critical aspect and has presented the challenges that are encountered in relation to oral communication using English language. 

Data Evaluation 

The opinions of Hsieh (2015) are presented in relation to the use of professional interpreters in healthcare settings and the factors that influence the process of choice. It has significance in being utilised as a communication tools for reduction of language barrier. Hence, it has close relevance to the present research topic and this therefore included in the present study. On the other hand, the view of Zamanzadeh et al. (2014) demonstrates the factors that can help for influencing communication between clients and nurses and hence can be considered for inclusion. It is due to the fact that in order to mitigate language barriers it is important to have knowledge regarding factors that impact the communication process. The findings of Fatahi et al. (2015) does not hold any relevance to the present study since the context of communication is between radiologists and clinicians in written format and is therefore subjected to exclusion. The views of Lum et al. (2015) highlights the importance of English proficiency for nurses which is not the issue identified in the present research context and hence is excluded. 

Data Analysis 

The findings of Hsieh (2015) reflect that selection of interpreters is significantly dependent on alliances of care along with the objectives related to therapeutic context. Moreover, functional complexity and impact on time are also considered vital. On the other, the views of Zamanzadeh et al. (2014) reflect that there are potentially three factors that tend to impact communication between nurses and patients. It includes culture that prevails within the care environment and patient-centred approach. These factors can also be deemed to be significant in the context of current study. 

Findings

Based on the analysis that has been undertaken, it can be stated that the studies conducted by Hsieh (2015) and Zamanzadeh et al. (2014) has demonstrated significant relevance to the current study and hence have been subjected to inclusion. On the contrary, the study of Fatahi et al. (2015) and Lum et al. (2015) have been excluded since relevance to the present research study cannot be established. 

Discussion regarding Relevance

The work of Hsieh (2015) has rendered focus on the utilisation of professional interpreter in the care environment and the various factors that tend to influence the choice of interpreter. The present research study focuses on identifying a communication tool that is capable of reducing language barriers while nurses communicate with non-English patients. Hence, role of professional interpreter holds significance and knowledge regarding influential factors are also important. 

Summary

Prioritisation of Information

The above presented summary, it can be stated that the articles by Hsieh (2015) and Zamanzadeh et al. (2014) have demonstrated relevance and hence is being considered for completing the remaining of the article. 

Comparison of two articles

Conclusion 

The research is based on the service of the patient's who are basically belonging to a non English background. An effective way regarding communication between nurses and patients should be established as misunderstanding can happen due to lack of seriousness among the parties. Hence, it can be concluded interpreter can be deem to be a significant option while considering the context of utilising a communication in order to reduce language barrier for facilitation of communication. Moreover, knowledge regarding the factors that needs to be considered while making the choice is also crucial along with information regarding communication barriers. 

Impact of Conclusion

During communication with patients nurses should be attentive. The lack of communication increase risk of committing error regarding the medication and it leads to a complications. The prescriptions are also written in English; hence it is difficult to understand for those who do not know English. However, a proper training to nurses regarding communication can decrease the risk of committing error by patients. Language barrier is affecting negatively almost every health care system. Moreover a primary care unit of bilingual staff along with professional interpreters will decrease the error in medicating and treatment of patients. Professional interpreter is capable of conveying the exact information without the meaning lost in translation. Hence, it can result in providing improved level of service by the nurses. Therefore, these factors will affect patient's satisfaction as well as the safety of the patient. It will improve communication skill between patients and physicians. However, only the language barriers do not always affecting the medical error, though they can be account for more cautious treatment as well. 

Utilization of information at workplace

The knowledge of communication barrier aids in minimising the issue by hiring bilingual staffs, and it improvement of service can be ensured in terms of saving the time, minimizing error in communication, this is the proper way to diagnosis. The strategy is to have a professional interpreter in the hospital during the communication, there can be a universal language codes which is known to both the parties. The hospital should have taken care of the thing that the written language which is provided by the doctors is understandable to the patients. Above all, the nurses should be more patient and concern with the clients. They should also try to carefully understand the issues and problems faced by the patients.

Reflection 

Being a nurse it is very difficult to face this kind of challenges while communicating with a non English patient. By handling this kind of patients I have learnt how to make them understand the treatment details. Regarding the medicine and test they cannot understand the language most of the time. That is why it affects our hospital’s reputation. Till now no mortality record has been recorded in this hospital for the communication gap. I tried my best to communicate with patients in their comfortable language but it is not possible all the time to communicate in regional languages. It is due to the fact that support of professional interpreter can provide me the necessary support in developing individualised care for the patient along with ensuring patient satisfaction. 

Scope of further research 

There have been a number of scopes for the further research in this area. 

1. To investigate the mortality recorded in a hospital due to the communication gap.
2. To investigate whether the written prescription are understand by the patient's.