Sign Language in Hospitals

Should doctors have a very basic knowledge of some sign language?

  • Yes

    Votes: 13 59.1%

  • No

    Votes: 9 40.9%
  • Total voters
    22
  • Poll closed .
VamPyroX said:
What if it's an emergency and the doctor needs to know right now? It would be better to use some sign language while waiting for a certified interpreter?
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Of course. I believe that some doctors need to know very basic skills. i.e. hurt, pain, yes, no, where, sore, help, and name a few.
 
Yes they should.

But I think everyone should learn to sign fluently from youth. Why would people chose to not be able to communicate with some others? Especially those with whom a cultural bond is shared (At least on a regional level).
 
webexplorer said:
The main reason is that the hospitals do not want the interpreters to stand up all day awhile they are paid when no deaf patient show up for nothing. I can understand that. But, what about ER? I think that a least that it should provide two interpreters at each hospital. It is very controversial issue for years.
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Within 25 miles of my house there are 12 emergency rooms. So, 2 terps at each hospital, working 12 hour shifts, no days off, would require 24 terps. Since most (if not all) the terps in my area are currently employed where would we find 24 more terps? Some hospital ER's might not have any deaf patients show up for the whole year. Do you really expect them to pay two interpreters to do nothing? Do you actually believe interpreters want to do that kind of "job"? Let's be real.
 
Reba said:
Within 25 miles of my house there are 12 emergency rooms. So, 2 terps at each hospital, working 12 hour shifts, no days off, would require 24 terps. Since most (if not all) the terps in my area are currently employed where would we find 24 more terps? Some hospital ER's might not have any deaf patients show up for the whole year. Do you really expect them to pay two interpreters to do nothing? Do you actually believe interpreters want to do that kind of "job"? Let's be real.
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What would you suggest for a better way? I thought that every state requires the hospitals to provide the interpreters for hearing impaired so I was wrong.

I had NO interpreter when I was in the ER and the hospital for three months. I had a Staph aureus infection in my heart. My Mom is the only one that interpreted for me almost the whole times. I had a hard time to communicate with her because I use my voice in my family. My family knows sign language, but it was a very different situation in the hospital.

Actually, there was a male nurse at the Intensive Care. He has two little deaf children. He knows sign language very well. I was told that he is very involved with deaf culture which surprised me. But, he worked only during the weekends. He was very helpful because I had a tube in my throat for oxygen and was not able to talk at all. My strength was so weak, and it was very difficult for me to write it on the pad. My sign was also weak at that time. The A-Z letter on the chart was not successful. It was a last resort for me to use my sign language.

I can understand that it is impossible for any interpreter to stay up a whole day at the hospital. Normally, most interpreter services require two weeks advance. My deaf friend gave me a card after I got out of the hospital. The card states that if I have an emergency and needs an interpreter right away, I never knew about it. I never saw this card before or I don't see it on a billboard or a lecture about it. I am just disappointed about it.

Last month I invited my two deaf friends to attend a lecture at the hospital about the allergy. We went there, and we had an interpreter there. The hospital paid her $300 for two hours (I think). A few weeks ago, we had another lecture, and my friends did not want to go there. I had to cancel it right away in the same day which upset me. Of course, it was very rude but it wasn't my fault. I guess that the hospital paid the interpreter.
 
jillio said:
Pen and paper.

And emergencies are a good reason for all hopsitals to have a staff terp, rather than having to call one in.
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I know that pen-&-paper would be good. I was talking about IF the doctor knows some sign language.

Suppose a deaf guy comes in with pain. The doctor could simply sign, "Where does it hurt? Here? *poking one part* No? Here? *poking another part*" "Yes!" "Ok, nurse... help me! He needs his appendix removed!"
 
webexplorer said:
What would you suggest for a better way? I thought that every state requires the hospitals to provide the interpreters for hearing impaired so I was wrong.
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You are right that the hospitals must provide terps for the patients. But that doesn't mean they have to keep terps on staff, on site, 24/7. The hospitals can contact terps on an as needed basis.


I had NO interpreter when I was in the ER and the hospital for three months. I had a Staph aureus infection in my heart. My Mom is the only one that interpreted for me almost the whole times. I had a hard time to communicate with her because I use my voice in my family. My family knows sign language, but it was a very different situation in the hospital.
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You mean the hospital refused to provide you with an interpreter? You should have at least had a terp during the doctor's rounds with you every day.


I can understand that it is impossible for any interpreter to stay up a whole day at the hospital. Normally, most interpreter services require two weeks advance.
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Really? I almost never get two-week advance notice for hospital assignments. Anything more than 48 hours notice is "regular" rate for my agency. Anything less than 48 hours is "emergency" rate. It's at least a 30-minute drive for me to most of the hospital ER's, so I usually can't get to the ER in less than one hour (get dressed, drive down there, park, find the patient). Once I rode in the ambulance with the deafie to the ER. Another time I went straight from church to the ER.


Last month I invited my two deaf friends to attend a lecture at the hospital about the allergy. We went there, and we had an interpreter there. The hospital paid her $300 for two hours (I think).
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Wow!


A few weeks ago, we had another lecture, and my friends did not want to go there. I had to cancel it right away in the same day which upset me. Of course, it was very rude but it wasn't my fault. I guess that the hospital paid the interpreter.
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If there was less than 48 hours notice of cancellation.
 
many million doctors in USA and countries who learn sign languages in fluently not same in american because doctors speak with different languages that not so easy!

IF doctors is deaf need have interpreter or not that hard for that!

you have opinion for that?
 
Reba said:
You mean the hospital refused to provide you with an interpreter? You should have at least had a terp during the doctor's rounds with you every day.
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No, they don't know how to find one, and they do not have a telephone number to call an interpreter service. I'm not joking. It's one of big hospitals in Hartford. I had no energy to explain them how to find one when I was in the IC.
 
webexplorer said:
No, they don't know how to find one, and they do not have a telephone number to call an interpreter service. I'm not joking. It's one of big hospitals in Hartford. I had no energy to explain them how to find one when I was in the IC.
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Hartford! That's home of the American School for the Deaf! What's going on there?

Your community might need some pro-activity. Don't wait until an emergency happens. I don't know who the deaf leadership is in your community but someone needs to take the bull by the horns and get this situation straightened out. Someone there needs to contact each hospital ombudsman or disabilities rep and explain the ADA requirements, and give them a current list of phone number contacts for interpreting services. Then the hospitals need to train their staff members, particularly the people who are the initial contacts with the patients, on how to get interpreters when needed.
 
VamPyroX said:
What if it's an emergency and the doctor needs to know right now? It would be better to use some sign language while waiting for a certified interpreter?
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I agree, there's a time when an interpreter cannot be available for an emergency I prefer if the doctor knows some basic signs until an interpreter is available.
 
VamPyroX said:
What if it's an emergency and the doctor needs to know right now? It would be better to use some sign language while waiting for a certified interpreter?
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Yes, I agree. Or maybe nurse knows some sign language.
 
Reba said:
Hartford! That's home of the American School for the Deaf! What's going on there?

Your community might need some pro-activity. Don't wait until an emergency happens. I don't know who the deaf leadership is in your community but someone needs to take the bull by the horns and get this situation straightened out. Someone there needs to contact each hospital ombudsman or disabilities rep and explain the ADA requirements, and give them a current list of phone number contacts for interpreting services. Then the hospitals need to train their staff members, particularly the people who are the initial contacts with the patients, on how to get interpreters when needed.
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You have a good point. I talked one deaf woman about it, but I realized that she has poor communication with hearing people especially finding a job. Her parents never taught her to be prepare in a hearing world. I am lucky to know what's going on except the hospital situation. I am not resident of Connecticut, and I visited my Mom in her state when I was so sick.

I really think that Connecticut has a very poor service for hearing impaired people. It seems to me that many deaf residents of CT failed to meet their demands because they do not even try to affirm themselves to support deaf communities. I have met some deaf people in some places, and I was shamed that they are not really smart. I really cannot understand myself what I am seeing them. i.e. They did not introduce their name, they do not have normal communication. Again for example, I talked about $3.00 per gallon for the heating oil, and they have no idea what I'm talking about. $3.00 is a lot for most of us. (etc.)
 
If doctor know some sign language then good for them but my doctor doesnt know none at all.

I was in the hospital for hysterectomy last week and i required a terp and they had provided me one with no problem. Last time I had surgery and i required one and they were ugly. I told them if they wouldnt get me one then i will SUE them as it is ADA law etc. They didnt believe me till i got them the paper on ADA law. they said no. i said yes! i had to give them name and service to where they can get the terp service. Now they have terp on call if a deaf patient come in for emergency care and the terp come in and interpret for the patient. I think that is great cuz i was the one who got them up and running to get terps on call etc. :)

This time they remember me from last time and were happily to get me one with no problem. The former director was not there. The new director is in, that explains. LOL! Anyway i had terp and got thru the surgery with understanding what they will do to me and it went well. :)
 
Aleser said:
I think that- at best- it's dangerous for medical professionals to have a "so-so" grasp of ANY language and attempting to use that to communicate with the patient.

If there's one thing I've learned, both in my roles as a patient who might see more days inside a hospital than outside in a year, and as a brilliant idiot who offers even their spare time doing volunteer surgical support- it's that any person, nurse, doctor, lady cleaning the hallway WILL be used as an interpreter.

It's dangerous. It leads to miscommunication and mistakes that can seriously harm or take a life. That's why I believe that ANY medical center with an emergency room or urgent treatment center SHOULD have a trained interpreter on staff, 24/7- no excuses. I've never had the misfortune of a truly severe admission where instant contact was essential to maintaining my wellbeing, and I seriously hope it doesn't happen soon with the conditions of hospitals- goodness knows I can wait hours, or sometimes a day+ as a "somewhat well" patient before someone bothers to "call that one place that one nurse on that one floor said something about that deals with deaf people"

Leave it to the pros, folks.
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trained interpeter on staff 24/7, do you realized how many deaf can come in and use them. But what about there was no deaf ppl come in so what is that person gotta do while waiting for the deaf patient come in. That would be waste of time. Using pen and paper could be good but some may not understand the language of what the deaf person are trying to say. I have seen some deaf ppl have a horrible english written. It can be dangerous and confusion.

If they have any basic ASL and use it while trying to reach on called interpeter that can be very helpful.

One time I went to the hospital boy it was very difficult for me to understand the doctor cuz he has an accent and I had a hard time understand him. Later I found out there was a screen where you can get interpeter. Damn that hospital why didnt they get it. I went back in and yelled at them.


So basic is good but to start the process instead of waiting for the intepeter in case of an emergency that what happened to one deaf lady here in NH. She ended up staying in the hospital longer then they thought cuz of miscommunication.
 
webexplorer said:
You have a good point. I talked one deaf woman about it, but I realized that she has poor communication with hearing people especially finding a job. Her parents never taught her to be prepare in a hearing world. I am lucky to know what's going on except the hospital situation. I am not resident of Connecticut, and I visited my Mom in her state when I was so sick.

I really think that Connecticut has a very poor service for hearing impaired people. It seems to me that many deaf residents of CT failed to meet their demands because they do not even try to affirm themselves to support deaf communities. I have met some deaf people in some places, and I was shamed that they are not really smart. I really cannot understand myself what I am seeing them. i.e. They did not introduce their name, they do not have normal communication. Again for example, I talked about $3.00 per gallon for the heating oil, and they have no idea what I'm talking about. $3.00 is a lot for most of us. (etc.)
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True there and I went thru with my ex roommate who have a horrible language and having me to explain to her all the time. Also had to explain to her like a baby talk. Sigh
 
Schermy said:
Hope this link works

abc7chicago.com: Program helps deaf patients 3/20/08
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Hey Schermy, thank you so much for posting that link! Very helpful as a reference for my writing. It is interesting that they mentioned a need for the doctor to be familiar with the deaf culture and not just sign language. That is a good point and one I have not really looked into. How a doctor would feasibly achieve that effectively, I am not sure - reading about it would not really be sufficient. We do have lectures on cultural and religious awareness, but this makes us "aware of" rather than competent in understanding the way of life or the community.

What the lady said about pen and paper causing misunderstandings, I also found that very interesting, and not what I would have expected. I guess something must be lost if you are not communicating exactly face to face.

I must admit, I have had some problems finding out written opinions on the matter, if anyone knows of any good resources, I would be so grateful for your help. I am sure there is a lot out there, it's just I must be looking in the wrong places!

Thank you guys for your input into this thread, your different opinions and experiences are most valued.:bowdown::ty:
 
pm04slb said:
Hey Schermy, thank you so much for posting that link! Very helpful as a reference for my writing. It is interesting that they mentioned a need for the doctor to be familiar with the deaf culture and not just sign language. That is a good point and one I have not really looked into. How a doctor would feasibly achieve that effectively, I am not sure - reading about it would not really be sufficient. We do have lectures on cultural and religious awareness, but this makes us "aware of" rather than competent in understanding the way of life or the community.

What the lady said about pen and paper causing misunderstandings, I also found that very interesting, and not what I would have expected. I guess something must be lost if you are not communicating exactly face to face.

I must admit, I have had some problems finding out written opinions on the matter, if anyone knows of any good resources, I would be so grateful for your help. I am sure there is a lot out there, it's just I must be looking in the wrong places!

Thank you guys for your input into this thread, your different opinions and experiences are most valued.:bowdown::ty:
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Knowing sign language and being familiar with the culture are things that go hand in hand. There can be plenty of misunderstandings with pen and paper. If the doctor uses a word the person doesn't understand and they are too embaraced to ask what it means, if they write short quick notes and only breifly explain what's going on, alot can be missed. I think it's great that Mt. Siani has this program going on!!
 
from what I hear from my three siblings who involved work for hospital with knowledge of sign language skill because of me. However, they were able to simple communicate with only during emergency. These patients told them that they were very relief for have SL to pick up to respond quickly. Because it's not possible for get interpreter ASAP Like someone told so.

Otherwise, the non-emergency such as expert as not seriously matter on life. It depend how it charge much amount as interpreter service fee that can require for hospital to pay an interpreter.
 
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