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Placement Fail interpreter missing during assessment. Who’s at fault?

Placement Fail interpreter missing during assessment. Who’s at fault?

Hello,

I need help. Today I failed a clinical placement in physiotherapy. Long story short, I was attempting to ask a patient to stand even though the patient was partial weight bearing the affected limb. The problem is however this patient did not speak English and no interpreter was booked and it was difficult to give direct communication. A member of staff was able to partially translate the session. I did not have a chance to explain the patient’s weight bearing status before my supervisor interrupted

NHS policy states:

Professionals and primary care staff may use their language and communication skills to assist patients in making appointments or identifying communication requirements, (language brokering) but should not, other than where immediate and necessary treatment is required, take on the role of an interpreter unless this is part of their defined job role and they are qualified to do so. Staff trained and used as interpreters must be covered by indemnity insurance (where clinical staff are bilingual they should use their professional judgement to decide whether they
are able to competently communicate with the patient).

Could I please get some advice. As a student was the session fair to complete? At the time it was very difficult for me to explain to the patient because of the language barrier
Original post by Blackzon1798
Placement Fail interpreter missing during assessment. Who’s at fault?

Hello,

I need help. Today I failed a clinical placement in physiotherapy. Long story short, I was attempting to ask a patient to stand even though the patient was partial weight bearing the affected limb. The problem is however this patient did not speak English and no interpreter was booked and it was difficult to give direct communication. A member of staff was able to partially translate the session. I did not have a chance to explain the patient’s weight bearing status before my supervisor interrupted

NHS policy states:

Professionals and primary care staff may use their language and communication skills to assist patients in making appointments or identifying communication requirements, (language brokering) but should not, other than where immediate and necessary treatment is required, take on the role of an interpreter unless this is part of their defined job role and they are qualified to do so. Staff trained and used as interpreters must be covered by indemnity insurance (where clinical staff are bilingual they should use their professional judgement to decide whether they
are able to competently communicate with the patient).

Could I please get some advice. As a student was the session fair to complete? At the time it was very difficult for me to explain to the patient because of the language barrier

I have three questions.

1. Why did you fail? (I assume the placement isn't simply marked as a "fail" with no explanation.)

2. You say, "I did not have a chance to explain the patient’s weight bearing status". Would that not have been one of the first, most important, pieces of information to relay? I'm curious as to what communication preceded that, given that you say "A member of staff was able to partially translate the session". What sort of back and forth conversation took place which precluded the topic of the patient’s weight bearing status being raised?

3. Given the NHS policy on translation, which you have quoted, what do you think the correct approach would have been? Presumably the treatment you were attempting to provide was not "immediate and necessary", meaning that the staff member who "was able to partially translate the session" should not have done so. Would the "correct" approach simply have been to decline to provide treatment until "Staff trained and used as interpreters must be covered by indemnity insurance" were made available?
Reply 2
In response to your answers.

1.

I Failed on safety. As unsafe practice.

2.Yes you are correct in saying this. However it was extremely difficult to get this patient edge sitting to the Sara Steady and her pain levels trying to directly translate to this lady while leading the session was difficult especially as a student.

1.

The lady was a day one post operation. When I walked into the room I had no idea she didn’t speak English. It was not fed back to me, not even by my clinical educator. I didn’t know this was an option or even a necessity to patient until i ask my mother (who is a fully qualified OT practice manager) that if a patient does not speak the common younger they are entitled to an interpreter. Shouldn’t my educator done a better job at organising this especially as I’m a student?

Original post by Blackzon1798
In response to your answers.

1.

I Failed on safety. As unsafe practice.

2.Yes you are correct in saying this. However it was extremely difficult to get this patient edge sitting to the Sara Steady and her pain levels trying to directly translate to this lady while leading the session was difficult especially as a student.

1.

The lady was a day one post operation. When I walked into the room I had no idea she didn’t speak English. It was not fed back to me, not even by my clinical educator. I didn’t know this was an option or even a necessity to patient until i ask my mother (who is a fully qualified OT practice manager) that if a patient does not speak the common younger they are entitled to an interpreter. Shouldn’t my educator done a better job at organising this especially as I’m a student?


It does sound like you've been hard done by to me. My guess is that event the clinical educator didn't know that the patient didn't speak English. Do you have any right of appeal?
Reply 4
Original post by DataVenia
It does sound like you've been hard done by to me. My guess is that event the clinical educator didn't know that the patient didn't speak English. Do you have any right of appeal?


I’m not sure it happened yesterday still trying to find out. I think I can make a complaint to university though I’m planning to sort it out this weekend.

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