Final Written Exam - Medical Interpreting

It is appropriate for you to translate the Patient Bill of Rights for the hospital while waiting for the patient to come out of surgery.

• True

• False

After an evaluation to determine eligibility for SSI, the social worker (who asked for the interpreter, but was not present) from the workman’s comp insurance agency asks you to tell her what happened during the evaluation. You should tell her you cannot answer her questions.

• True

• False

If an interpreter is accidentally exposed to an infectious disease, it would be appropriate to:

• Ask for a tetanus shot.

• Request reimbursement for your treatment.

• Ask the provider for instructions on how to appropriately deal with the exposure.

• File a complaint with the hospital.

If you are interpreting at the Public Aid Office and the representative asks about the patient’s income and you know they are working but the patient lies and says they are unemployed, you should keep the information to yourself and not tell the representative the patient is lying.

• True

• False

When a doctor repeats her question to the patient and the interpreter knows the answer, the interpreter should:

• Answer the question for the doctor since the interpreter knows the answer.

• Tell the doctor that the interpreter has already interpreted the question and the patient did not answer it.

• Interpret the question to the patient and let the patient answer it again.

• Clarify with the patient the correct answer and then inform the doctor of the answer.

Which of the following is NOT part of the interpreter’s role?

• Referring the patient to another doctor because the doctor is being rude to the patient.

• Checking for understanding of the patient.

• Clarifying a term the interpreter does not understand.

• Providing the doctor with cultural information relevant to the patient’s complaint.

You should always interpret slang or foul language because the provider needs to know the emotional state of the patient.

• True

• False

The interpreter is in the waiting area with a patient who has advanced dementia, her husband who also has early stages of dementia, and her caregiver. When the nurse calls the patient’s name, the caregiver and husband make no move to accompany the interpreter and patient to the examination room. In this situation, the interpreter would MOST APPROPRIATELY:

• Ask the nurse whether the caregiver should accompany the interpreter and patient to the examination room.

• Accompany the patient to the examination room, leaving the husband and caregiver in the lobby.

• Ask the caregiver to accompany the patient to the examination room and instruct the husband to remain in the lobby.

• Ask the husband to accompany the patient to the examination room and instruct the caregiver to remain in the lobby.

On your way to reception to make a follow-up appointment with the doctor, the patient tells you that she’s actually having regular chest pains. Since the doctor seemed in a hurry, she didn’t want to mention it and take up any more of his time. What would be the BEST course of action for the interpreter to take?

• Ask the patient how severe the pain is and if she wants to go to the Emergency Room.

• Do nothing since the patient didn’t mention it to the doctor.

• Encourage the patient to share the information with the nearest healthcare provider.

• Ask the patient if she has someone she can call to take her home.

If a doctor asks for your phone number because his patient is going to deliver over the weekend and the agency will be closed when he tries to call for an interpreter, it is appropriate for you to give him/her your phone number due to the emergency nature of the situation.

• True

• False

It is appropriate for you to promote yourself as a freelance interpreter while on assignment at the hospital.

• True

• False

If a patient asks the interpreter for the name of a good acupuncturist, which principle in the National Code of Ethics should guide the interpreter’s actions:

• Accuracy

• Cultural Awareness

• Advocacy

• Role Boundaries

A doctor asks the patient how long he’s been sick. The patient answers that it started when he argued with his neighbor and he believes his neighbor “gave him the evil eye.” The doctor looks confused and repeats the question, stating that he believes the patient misunderstood his question.

• Interpret everything, add nothing.

• Skip the information about the ‘evil eye’ because it is not relevant to the patient’s health care.

• Tell the patient the doctor might be insulted by his primitive belief, and encourage the patient to give the doctor the date of when he became ill.

• Interpret everything, then ask the patient to clarify for the doctor what the "evil eye" is.

A patient is having trouble breastfeeding and asks you if you know where she can get help. You know of an excellent organization called La Leche, which works with nursing mothers. What should the interpreter do?

• Ask the patient if she would like to discuss her concerns with a nurse.

• ​​​​​Remind the patient that the interpreter cannot give advice and leave.

• Look up the number to La Leche and offer it to the patient.

• Give the patient the free hospital brochure on nursing a baby.

The role of the interpreter includes:

• Giving advice to clients only when asked.

• Providing cultural information to the doctor.

• Sharing information with family members.

• Simplifying terms for patients.

A patient becomes distressed when a nurse tries to take away a traditional healing object from that patient, which principle in the National Code of Ethics should FIRST guide the interpreter’s actions:

• Accuracy

• Cultural Awareness 

• Advocacy

• Respect

The intent of the principle of Professionalism in the NCIHC National Standards of Practice is to:

• Ensure that interpreters continue to develop their understanding of the content and context in which they interpret and continue to sharpen their skills.

• Ensure that interpreters always strive to act in a manner that maintains the integrity of their work and upholds the values and ethical principles of their profession.

• ​​​​​​Ensure that the patient and the provider remain at the center of the health care encounter.

• ​​​​​​Provide transparency in the service that is being provided, and avoid potential conflicts of interest.

An interpreter should interpret the spirit of the message, mimicking the patient’s gestures, and tone of voice.

• True

• False

If a doctor uses a word you believe the patient will not understand, it is appropriate for you to explain the term to the patient.

• True

• False

A patient comes to his appointment with family members. During the encounter family members begin discussing the patient’s treatment plan amongst themselves. An interpreter should:

• Tell the doctor to interrupt the family members and have them speak one at a time.

• Ask the family to discuss the treatment plan at home.

• Attempt to simultaneously interpret everything the family says, or ask family members to take turns speaking.

• Not interpret what is being said because the family members are not speaking to the doctor.

If during an encounter a patient asks the interpreter for advice on whether or not to sign a consent form for a life-saving intervention, which principle in the National Code of Ethics should guide the interpreter’s actions:

• Impartiality

• Confidentiality

• Cultural Awareness

• Advocacy

What is the goal of all interpreters?

• To ensure patients are satisfied when they leave the hospital.

• To facilitate understanding of the information discussed in the medical encounter.

• To ensure that patient has understood everything discussed in the medical encounter.

• To ensure a good health outcome for the patient.

To protect oneself from exposure to an infectious disease an interpreter should:

• Always read all posted signs before entering a patient's room.

• Always interpret from the doorway or from behind a curtain.

• Always vigorously wash hands before entering a patient’s room.

• Always request gloves and a mask before entering a patient’s room.

The daughter of the patient for whom you are interpreting has stated that her mother does not need an interpreter. The interpreter should:

• Interpret the request to the doctor and leave the assignment.

• Interpret the request to the doctor and tell the doctor that the daughter is not qualified to interpret.

• Interpret the request to the doctor and if the doctor says it is okay for the daughter to interpret, ask the doctor if the interpreter can remain in the room.

• Interpret the request to the doctor and if the doctor says it is okay for the daughter to interpret, leave the room.

It may be appropriate for you to discuss your interpreting assignment with someone outside of the healthcare encounter, if you do not provide the patient’s name, or other identifying information.

• True

• False

Which of the following actions would constitute Advocacy?

• Informing a patient of his right to lodge a complaint.

• Asking the provider if the interpreter can check the patient’s understanding because the patient looks confused.

• Intervening in an interpreted session because of a perceived cultural misunderstanding.

• Asking the receptionist to look again for an appointment next week, even though she says there are none, because the doctor specifically requested a 7-day follow-up.

When is it appropriate for an interpreter to intervene during the interpreting process?

• When the patient states that he doesn’t understand something.

• When the patient discusses cultural information with which the doctor may not be familiar.

• When the interpreter doesn’t agree with what the doctor is telling the patient.

• When the doctor is being rude to the patient.

While helping the patient schedule his follow-up appointment, the patient states he will not follow his doctor’s advice on not smoking while wearing a nicotine patch. Which principle in the National Code of Ethics should guide the interpreter’s decision-making process?

• Advocacy

• Beneficence

• Respect

• Accuracy

Constipation (translation):

C-section (translation):

Chemo (translation): ________

Aneurysm (translation):

Infusion (IV) (definition):

Infusion (IV) (translation):

Constipation (definition):

Over-the-counter (definition):

Over-the-counter (translation):

C-section (definition):

Wheezing (translation): 

Culture (v) (translation): 

Sterile (definition): 

Sterile (translation):

Aneurysm (definition):

Cervix (definition):

Cervix (translation):

Power of attorney (definition):

Power of attorney (translation):

Polyp (definition):