Guidelines for working effectively with interpreters

Before the session: Pre-brief the interpreter:

• Introduce yourself and your role.
• Explain the purpose and objectives of the session.
• Identify a leader for the session if more than one health professional is attending.
• For face-to-face sessions, arrange an appropriate seating arrangement to facilitate the communication.
• Agree to use consecutive interpreting mode.
• Obtain the cultural background from the interpreter if necessary, for example if you wish to understand cultural issues when disclosing bad news to the client.
• If needed ask the interpreter about the cultural context in which the client is being given information and how best to give the information.

At the start of the session (Briefing): Setting ground rules with the patient and family:

• Introduce the interpreter and explain your role and the interpreter’s role to the client (include the fact that everything said in the session will be interpreted, i.e., no private discussions between parties during the session).
• Assure the client that the rule of confidentiality applies to both the practitioner and the interpreter.

During the session (Communicating):

• For face-to-face sessions, maintain eye contact with your client (if appropriate) not with the interpreter.
• Use the first person singular when communicating via the interpreter, e.g., “Mrs Wong, how do you feel today” and not “Please ask Mrs Wong how does she feel today”.
• Direct the questions/statements to the client or family, and not directly to the interpreter.
• Do not enter into direct conversation with the interpreter.
• Do not ask the interpreter for their opinion (except for cultural clarification).
• Pause at regular intervals for the interpreter to assimilate and interpret.
• Allow enough time for the interpreter to convey information (it may only take three words to explain but it may take more time for the interpreter to convey the information in their language).
• Use short sentences.

After the session (De-brief):

Clinicians can ask for a de-briefing to clarify any cultural issues, interpretation of words or concepts.