Virtually every hospital faces at least some issues in working with immigrants who don't speak English. That's particularly true in states that face a particularly large flow of new immigrants, like California. Hospitals there are responding with new programs to meet the steadily increasing demand.
At UC Davis Medical Center, for example, they're handling the problem by establishing a special program designed to connect bilingual nurses with patients who need them. Under the center's Transcultural Linguistic Care Nurse Program (known as TLC), bilingual nurses conduct admissions interviews, interpret for physicians and work with patients. These nurses add to the medical center's existing capabilities, which include use of hired interpreters, translating phone services and the use of non-clinical bilingual staff members. To date, only five nurses have been assigned to the program, but hospital executives hope to add more.
To learn more about these programs:
- read this piece from the Sacramento Bee
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