Communications Specialist I

Job Description

Consistently provides service excellence to all patients, family members, visitors, volunteers, and co-workers.

Under the direction of the manager, the incumbent serves as a medical interpreter for patients and staff and supports the operations of the department, in the consecutive, simultaneous, and sight translation modes.

• Provides consecutive interpretation face to face, over the phone, and by video in all clinical settings, in line with national interpreter standards of practice and code of ethics.
• Relays medical information between speakers of two different languages in compliance with all office and hospital policies and procedures, particularly relating to patient confidentiality and informed consent, passing performance of competencies listed in the IMIA and NCIHC Standards of Practice, and the Code of Ethics.
• Assists department with on-the-job training and mentoring of interpreter internships.
• Responds and schedules requests for interpreters and effective communications services.
• Helps facilitate successful delivery of services to linguistically diverse consumers.
• Provides interpreting services between patients and clinicians during in-person and tele-interpreting, both written and orally.
• Provides written/site translations such as In-Patient discharge instructions, patient forms, medication instructions, medication schedules, and administrative translations (i.e., letters to patients, documents, and patient materials).
• Arranges for interpreter services for patients and assists with the coordination of translation needs, as necessary, including the use of the phone lines and video units.
• Selects appropriate mode of interpretation for each situation. Interprets with highest degree of accuracy and completeness in consecutive, simultaneous, and sight translation modes.
• Self-corrects, understands own linguistic limitations, seeks clarification, and accepts correction.
• Picks up cues from encounter participants regarding the level of understanding and/or need for clarification.
• Understands language as an expression of culture, recognizes the underlying assumptions of each party about medicine, the encounter, the illness, etc.; uses this understanding to empower patient and provider to better understand each other.
• Intervenes as intercultural mediator when communication is compromised by culture-bound messages.
• Projects a positive attitude about the department and the hospital and offers services to ensure a positive experience and avoids generalizations and stereotyping.
• Addresses concerns raised during or after an encounter by encouraging the provider to make appropriate referral and/or assisting with making an appointment with the right resource and booking interpreter as needed.