Dayton Children's is a client of Vocalink and one of the interpreters who have consistently worked with the hospital in this particular case is Fern Leland. An independent contractor working with Vocalink, Leland illustrates the fundamental role interpreters play in getting medical care to families with limited or no knowledge of English. We asked Leland to share some of her thoughts with us, in the wake of this article in the Dayton Children's website. These are her words:
I had not realized how many people are not able to communicate with medical staff and how important that communication is to the patient's well being (before I started working as an interpreter). It is challenging using your mind going back and forth from one language to another and at the end of many a day I go home mentally exhausted and at the same time energized. It has changed my life. Of all the different jobs that I have had this is my favorite one. For me it is very rewarding to be able to help patients and their families in their time of need with medical staff.
(Interpreting is not a) job for everyone as it is often fast paced, and can be difficult however it is never boring. Interpreters need to have a specialized vocabulary and be familiar with colloquial terms and sayings in both languages. As an interpreter you have to be capable of putting your emotions aside, interpret everything you hear, refrain from giving advice or expressing your opinions, be able to accurately interpret from one language to another, and respect the privacy and confidentiality of each interaction.
In emotional situations (like Benjamin's) it is easy to forget your impartiality and go into an advocate/social worker mode but I find it helps me if I visualize putting my emotions into a box and closing the top. Later when I am not interpreting I can let my emotions come to the surface. There are times when you have to give very bad news and other times when you get to give good news. In my experience there is more good news than bad.
It is extremely important for non English speaking residents to have interpreting services available to them. In addition to interpreting the words, interpreters must be able to relay concepts and ideas and be sensitive to cultural issues. If individuals do not have an interpreter present there can be important information that is not communicated or is delivered incorrectly and the results in many situations could be detrimental to that individual.
Benjamin, as part of its biblical origin, also means "last born" or "youngest son". Like Fern Leland, many independent contractors working with Vocalink interpret for many other Benjamins and their families, at Dayton Children's and other medical facilities across Ohio and beyond. Dayton Children's placed the story of Benjamin Hernandez in their "Success Stories" section and we are pleased to celebrate this and many other stories as part of our continued success in helping to break barriers through language, interpreting the spoken word with clarity.
Anyhow. Anywhere.