First off I want to thank everyone who came to our workshops. Raven and I really put our heart and souls in to our 'first' workshop and appreciate all the people who came and supported us. Also we appreciated all the feedback, if we end up doing this workshop again or doing a more advanced workshop with just scenarios and discussion we will be sure to incorporate the improvements. The point is to keep on learning and being engaged in the process. "Fear always springs from ignorance." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
I wanted to address the question first and foremost of the scenario. I have constantly been thinking and going through Ruggiero's steps which for people who didn't attend the workshop are:
STEP 1: Study the Details of the Case
STEP 2: Relevant Criteria
STEP 3: Determine Possible Courses of Action
STEP 4: Decide which Actions are MOST Ethical
So if we apply this decision making process to the following situation:
When working as an ASL/English interpreter in a medical setting, the medical professional asks about the use of certain street drugs, stressing the procedure will be fatal if the patient has used street drugs at any time in the preceding six months. Although the patient denies any drug use and signs a wavier to permit the procedure, the interpreter has personal knowledge that the patient has used street drugs during the time period stated. What would you do…??
We should be able to come out with similar answers in our profession. What I had struggled with the most was the fact that the answers were so different and peoples views were so strong one way or the other. This does a disservice to our profession and the people who we are interpreting for, Deaf community and stakeholders. The answers ranged from just interpreting the message and allowing the doctor to ask more questions, removing yourself from that situation and asking for another interpreter, telling the patient that it is important to tell the doctor what's going on, to telling the doctor what you know about this persons drug use since it is your obligation to save their life, some others said the patient might not have understood the question and to expand on the concept so you can be sure the message was clear, and some other views were that it's the person's decision if they wanted to die or not, not the interpreters.
I have gone through the steps myself and have come up with my most ethical answer. I'll post this later on during the week, but ask you now to do this activity yourself and please post your comments, vlogs, etc. etc. on this topic. Would love an in-depth discussion about this from the Deaf community, interpreting community, and stakeholders. THANKS!
Cartwright, Brenda E . Encounters with Reality: 1,001 Interpreter Scenarios. Silver Spring, MD: RID Press, 1999. 4th floor and ETRR, HV2402 .C37 1999.
I wanted to address the question first and foremost of the scenario. I have constantly been thinking and going through Ruggiero's steps which for people who didn't attend the workshop are:
STEP 1: Study the Details of the Case
STEP 2: Relevant Criteria
STEP 3: Determine Possible Courses of Action
STEP 4: Decide which Actions are MOST Ethical
So if we apply this decision making process to the following situation:
When working as an ASL/English interpreter in a medical setting, the medical professional asks about the use of certain street drugs, stressing the procedure will be fatal if the patient has used street drugs at any time in the preceding six months. Although the patient denies any drug use and signs a wavier to permit the procedure, the interpreter has personal knowledge that the patient has used street drugs during the time period stated. What would you do…??
We should be able to come out with similar answers in our profession. What I had struggled with the most was the fact that the answers were so different and peoples views were so strong one way or the other. This does a disservice to our profession and the people who we are interpreting for, Deaf community and stakeholders. The answers ranged from just interpreting the message and allowing the doctor to ask more questions, removing yourself from that situation and asking for another interpreter, telling the patient that it is important to tell the doctor what's going on, to telling the doctor what you know about this persons drug use since it is your obligation to save their life, some others said the patient might not have understood the question and to expand on the concept so you can be sure the message was clear, and some other views were that it's the person's decision if they wanted to die or not, not the interpreters.
I have gone through the steps myself and have come up with my most ethical answer. I'll post this later on during the week, but ask you now to do this activity yourself and please post your comments, vlogs, etc. etc. on this topic. Would love an in-depth discussion about this from the Deaf community, interpreting community, and stakeholders. THANKS!
Cartwright, Brenda E . Encounters with Reality: 1,001 Interpreter Scenarios. Silver Spring, MD: RID Press, 1999. 4th floor and ETRR, HV2402 .C37 1999.
Comments
Step 2: Relevant Criteria didn't resonate with me, are you saying focus only on relevant criteria within the scenario? Thats how I proceeded, I just didn't feel qualified to know whats relevant for both an interpreter and a medical professional.
If I understand the scenario correctly, a patient is hiding the fact that they used street drugs and these drugs will conflict with a procedure to be done.
Is this an emergency situation where the answer needs to be known right now? If yes, is the patient even cognizant of what is going on and the conflict between the drugs?
Does the interpreter know this person? If so, there is a conflict of interest if they are trying to protect the patients privacy or if they don't like them and could care less if they die?
Ultimately, I feel the interpreter should provide both interpreted information and then confidentially express the background information to the medical professional. The doctor can only make the best decisions when they have the necessary information.