communication errors with hearies to deafies

[deafmedicalpoet]

I found there are about 1 too many people that are hearing that treat deafies when they have an interpreter or call by relay as a third person. I am getting that half the time and I am getting sick of it and having to response that the are speaking right to me. its like crazy!! here are a few examples:

A deaf person is in the ER with chest pains and minor abrasion to stomach region.

Here are a few actions that could happen:

The nurse tells the interpreter that the deaf person will need a heart monitor and several tests to see whats wrong with the heart, but they will clean the abrasion up as well. The deaf person is right in the room and tells them excuse me I am here and if you want to talk to me. please do it to me and not the interpreter /or the interpreter will tell the nurse to tell the patient and then they will interpret it./or the interpreter will translate in 1st person to the deaf person, but still tell the nurse that future talks will have to be directed on the patient not them because they are only there to interpret what is being told. / or write 100% what is being told to the deaf person and ignore the interpreter.

What can be done the best?? I have hit this several times and it ticks me. What about when they can't get an interpreter for over 15 minutes, but they refuse to write things down or find a way to make them clarify what they are stating?

How about relay calls?

you call an office lets say a doctors office because you moved, but they never had a deaf patient before you. here is a example that might happen:

please dial xxx-xxx-xxxx ga


RELAY OPR ####(F or M) DIALING
(xxx)-xxx-xxxx...PLS HOLD...
RING 1....2....3 ANS (F or M) HI
THIS IS SO AND SO OFFICE
(EXPLAINING RELAY)... GA


hi this is (someone's name) I am
calling to get an appointment with
so and so doctor ga


OK, HOW DOES (HE or SHE) SPELL
LAST NAME? AND MAY I HAVE DATE
OF BIRTH AND THE REASON FOR THE
APPOINTMENT? GA


The call continues like that unless that person calling tells them they are speaking directly to them. Also some places need numbers for interpreters!! This is another thing that happens often to me!

What is the best to do about these and also why do people do these things because its getting annoying to me and I don't know if it is to anyone else but it is to me. Any suggestions?? I would really appreciate it!

Deafmedicalpoet

 

[diehardbiker]

As what Keith Wann said about these people,.... They are HC people!


He mean HC as Hearing CAN'T!

 

[shel90]

OH I try not to let it get to me but I do remind the person or persons that I am here and pls to refer me to the first person. Sometimes, they correct their mistakes or they continue to do it. I dont know what is the best way to really wake people up other than having a full blown temper tantrum screaming in the halls saying "I AM A PERSON and TALK to ME LIKE I AM HERE!!!!" There were times I felt like doing that. LOL!

One time I did a practicum teaching in a hearing class of 15 students with an interpreter. The regular teacher had no experience working with deaf people and she would always refer me in the 3rd person while talking to me. She would face the interpreter and say "Pls tell her that she needs to come in at blah blah" I told her that I am here and to talk to me as if I am here and she would nod her head. Well, the students picked up on that cuz they would start going up to the terp for any questions about the lesson as if I wasnt there. I told the students that I am the teacher not the terp but they kept doing it. They also referred me in the 3rd person all the time and I started a point system in which I deducted points for referring me in the 3rd person. I hated doing that but they wouldnt listen and kept at it. That was the worst.

 

[Angel]

ADA laws required that all hospitals and medical services should have TDD devices available for deaf patients to call for an appointments or have questions related to their health or informations etc...None of the deaf patients should be making a call through a relay services, Hospitals and medical services should know the ADA laws, I know my children's clinic doesn't have TDD devices either, even they said that not a lot of deaf patients made call directly to a TDD, only from a relay service....


For interpreters, I've been through that a million of times myself, as tell her this, ask her this, or that blah blah blah, most of the time I don't say anything or not letting it bother me, but I've seen interpreters telling them "speak to the deaf person, not to the interpreter"...

 

[nightcrickets]

well, you know, as a deaf person who use oral communication, It is actually hard to talk to someone who doesn't look at you. I mean if you are busy looking at the interpreter, It makes them feel like they are talking to a wall. Hearings are used to looking at each other when they communicate. ....unless they are working on something or driving

 

[Southern]

Yeah I can see how that is annoying but in normal conversation you aren’t used to some one talking to you for some one else. The same thing though happens with two hearing people from different countries and a translator is used the person talking to the translator would say ask him this or that. When a Deaf friend was in the hospital there wasn’t a terp available and I stood in, (yikes!) The doctors and nurses talked to my friend directly and I interpreted and back and forth. They never said, ask him this ask him that. Maybe I was around brighter professionals I don’t know…..

 

[deafsqrrl]

It happens all the time- Believe me!

I have been using an interpreter most of time on my job. Many hearies almost always assume it is an interpreter that they deal with, NOT me. They often give
paperwork or whatever to the interp, NOT me. It is SAD, but I try to get the hearie to look directly at me and it helps sometimes.