RLF MED INTERPRETER/TRANSLATOR I - SPANISH

Company: Stanford Health Care
Location: Palo Alto
Posted on: June 8, 2021

Job Description:

If you're ready to be part of our legacy of hope and innovation, we encourage you to take the first step and explore our current job openings. Your best is waiting to be discovered.

**This is a Stanford Health Care job.**

**A Brief Overview**

The primary purpose of the Medical Interpreter/Translator is to provide consecutive and simultaneous interpretation and translation services to all Stanford Health Care departments for patient care. To this end, the Medical Interpreter/Translator acts as part of the appropriate health care team and makes communication possible across language barriers while maintaining patient confidentiality. Performs a variety of concise and accurate verbal interpretation and translation services in conjunction with medical, nursing and other health care staff via video conferencing, phone, and in-person to assist non-English speaking patients and their families receiving care within the Stanford Health Care system.

The work of a Medical Interpreter/Translator requires providing direct assistance to patients and their families, health care providers and other staff, fluency in English and one or more required languages, as well as the awareness, knowledge and skills needed for effective and efficient language interpretation in health care settings, including:

Understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a health care interpreter/translator;

Basic knowledge of common medical conditions, treatments and procedures;

Insight into language and cultural nuances for specific communities; and

Application of interpreting skills in English and language of service.

Level Descriptors:

This career-banded job description describes three levels of Medical Interpreter/Translator as defined by the attached document, "Professional Advancement Levels for SHC Interpreter Services," as adopted by the Department of Guest Services.

Positions in this career band may be flexibly staffed at the I or II level; however, initial appointment will be made at Level I.

When an employee in Level I meets the minimum qualifications for and demonstrates that they possess the required knowledge, skills and abilities required of Level II, they may be promoted at the sole and non-grievable discretion of management without needing for there to be a vacant position or to go through the requisition (recruitment and selection process). A limited number of positions will be available at Level III (lead), to be determined by management, which will be filled by requisition open to qualified internal candidates only.

Medical Interpreter/Translator I: This is the entry and first journeyperson level.

Medical Interpreter/Translator II: This is the second journeyperson level.

Medical Interpreter/Translator III: This is the advanced and work-lead level.

**Locations**

Stanford Health Care

**What you will do**

+ Participate as a neutral party in the role as conduit of information that must flow between Stanford Health Care staff and the international or domestic patient/visitors.

+ Ensure that information pertaining to the patient's outpatient services, hospitalization, (i.e. advance directives, consents from treatment, diagnosis and prognosis, treatment plan, follow-up appointments and Health Care Education) are accurately communicated and assess the patient's/family's comprehension of such information. Advises physician, nursing and other patient care staff of any need for clarification. Ensures that the patient's/family's questions/concerns regarding this information is to be appropriately addressed and documented.

+ Assist physicians, nurses and other health care professionals in interpreting information to clients on fact of diseases, disease prevention and follow-up, laboratory test results, immunization, and general health care; interprets provider's diagnosis and recommendations.

+ Translate correspondence, medical histories, medical consent forms, medical procedures and instructions, legal documents, manuals, brochures and other pertinent documents as needed.

+ Provide interpreter/translation services for patients and their families, including one-on-one and in group settings, via video conferencing, phone and in-person, and convey the exact message as opposed to summarizing the information in a way that is subjective and provide required documentation.

+ Maintain accurate daily records on all requests for service as well as the provision of services. Maintain accurate and timely documentation within program database. Make notations in the patient's chart indicating the origin of the request for interpretation or translation, the nature of the service provided (such as interpreting treatment orders or pharmacy instructions), and an assessment of the patient's understanding and level of acceptance of the information.

+ Promote customer satisfaction related to Stanford Health Care services; notify manager of any issues that may be problematic for patients or Stanford Health Care staff.

+ Train doctors and hospital staff in protocol for accessing Interpreting Services.

+ Participate in continuing education programs and competency training to enhance professional role.

+ Ensure that all policies and procedures related to process, service, and employee work rules are followed.

+ Ensure full access to hospital resources for non-English speaking patients and their families, including suggesting referrals to medical staff, clinical social workers, patient relations staff, chaplains, and other staff for patients and/or families who could benefit from their assistance.

+ Triages crisis interventions for non-English speaking patients and families.

+ Maintain confidentiality in all matters related to patient care and visitor issues on non-English speaking patients/families/escorts.

+ Participate in on call coverage to provide interpretation/translation services during non-business hours and business hours as assigned.

+ Performs other related and incidental duties as needed or assigned.

+ At the Lead level, in addition to all of the functions above:

+ Coordinates the training and testing of candidates for staff interpreter, agency interpreters and bilingual hospital staff.

+ Works with management to ensure ADA and national interpreter standards are met and complied with.

+ If the duty is not performed by the supervisor, the Lead is responsible for scheduling interpreters.

+ Assists with interviewing and hiring of new Regular and Relief Interpreters/Translators.

+ Participates and collaborates with other MI/T's, general orientation and training to the new hires in all areas pertaining to the role and responsibilities of the Medical Interpreter/Translator.

+ Assists manager and staff on quality improvement projects.

+ Assists manager on monitoring budget, usage and serv ices provided by Stanford Interpreter Services.

+ Performs administrative tasks as assigned by management, including, but not limited to: department Pager and Spectra Link phone administration, representing the department at meetings with other departments regarding Interpreter Services.

**Education Qualifications**

+ Bachelor's degree (or equivalent from foreign university) in interpretation/translation or a related field.

+ Bachelor's degree (or equivalent from foreign university) in another field (foreign language) and completion of medical interpreting certificate program.

+ Bachelor's degree (or equivalent from foreign university) in healthcare field (nursing, medicine, radiology, etc.) and English and foreign language skills.

**Experience Qualifications**

+ One (1) year of experience as a healthcare interpreter.

+ Hiring requirement: passing the Stanford Hospital medical interpretation and translation exam (80% passing grade).

**Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities**

+ Meet attendance, quality, and productivity standards, including covering hospital, ED and clinics as needed: day, evening, night and weekends.

+ Apply knowledge of English and target language medical terminology, grammar and syntax when using active listening/comprehension, short memory retention techniques and verbal fluency to bi-directionally convey messages accurately and completely between the two languages.

+ Interpret medical conversations in any clinic or hospital area; and to interpret in person, or using technology: phones, video-conference PC, and wireless conference interpretation equipment.

+ Use correct grammar, spelling and terminology to translate, proofread and edit English/target language documents, including hospital forms, patient education material, diagnostic/therapeutic consents, labs/pathology/radiology reports, medical research protocols, and other documents using computers and FLUENCY translation software at novice level.

+ Collaborate with colleagues, staff and clinicians across the organization.

+ Consistently treat everyone with courtesy, dignity, respect and professionalism.

+ Remain calm in stressful situations.

+ Demonstrate compassion: empathy for patients' physical or emotional needs; tolerance of emotionally disturbed patients, unpleasant sights and smells, open wounds, blood, vomit, urine, etc.

+ Work in a fast paced environment, walking/standing for extended periods of time.

+ Observe hospital safety protocols to prevent occurrences, or respond appropriately to an event of unplanned exposure to radiation, body fluids or infectious disease.

+ Observe interpretation professional ethics and standards.

**Licenses and Certifications**

+ None

**These principles apply to ALL employees:**

**SHC Commitment to Providing an Exceptional Patient & Family Experience**

_Stanford Health Care sets a high standard for delivering value and an exceptional experience for our patients and families. Candidates for employment and existing employees must adopt and execute C-I-CARE standards for all of patients, families and towards each other. C-I-CARE is the foundation of Stanford's patient-experience and represents a framework for patient-centered interactions. Simply put, we do what it takes to enable and empower patients and families to focus on health, healing and recovery._

_You will do this by executing against our three experience pillars, from the patient and family's perspective:_

+ Know Me: Anticipate my needs and status to deliver effective care

+ Show Me the Way: Guide and prompt my actions to arrive at better outcomes and better health

+ Coordinate for Me: Own the complexity of my care through coordination

**Equal Opportunity Employer Stanford Health Care (SHC) strongly values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination in** **all of** **its policies and practices, including the area of employment. Accordingly, SHC does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity and/or expression, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, or disability, or the perception of any of the above. People of all genders, members of all racial and ethnic groups, people with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Qualified applicants with criminal convictions will be considered after an individualized assessment of the conviction and the job requirements.**

At Stanford Health Care, we seek to provide patients with the very best in diagnosis and treatment, with outstanding quality, compassion and coordination. With an unmatched track record of scientific discovery, technological innovation and translational medicine, Stanford Medicine physicians are pioneering leading edge therapies today that will change the way health care is delivered tomorrow.

As part of our spirit of discovery, we also leverage our deep relationships with luminary Silicon Valley companies to develop new ways to deliver preeminent patient care.

Learn about our awards (https://stanfordhealthcare.org/about-us/awards.html) and significant events (https://stanfordhealthcare.org/about-us/our-history.html) .

Keywords: Stanford Health Care, Palo Alto , RLF MED INTERPRETER/TRANSLATOR I - SPANISH, Other , Palo Alto, California