Provider's Guide ot Quality and Culture Quiz....

Taking the Provider’s Guide to Quality and Culture quiz really helped me understand myself in terms of my knowledge of cultural differences and beliefs. I honestly thought I had a clear understanding of what was expected of me when providing service in my profession. Turns out I knew some and didn’t know others. I actually scored a 12 out of 23 which wasn’t very good.

10. If a family member speaks English as well as the patient’s native language, and is willing to act as interpreter, this is the best possible solution to the problem of interpreting.
You chose: True   Review	Correct answer: False	Read more

An example I wanted to use was this. When I answered this question, I, honestly believed that if a family member speaks English as well as the native language, interpreting would be fine. I was actually surprised to find that the correct answer was false. I do understand that most healthcare providers prefer a professional interpreter but I believe that maybe having both would be helpful. I’ve actually had experience of bad interpreters who failed to correctly interpret what the doctor wanted to convey. In my case it was my mother who needed an interpreter to help understand what was being said to her and what she needed/wanted to know/ask. I felt that the interpreter who interpreted for my mother failed to explain clearly what the question was and that he did not understand what was being asked. And this is why I believe that a family member who speaks English as well as their native language can interpret. Sometimes not all professional interpreters know the exact words that are being asked or can they explain it in the native language. I’m not saying I knew how to explain clearly what was being asked, but being present at all my mother’s doctor visits and keeping myself updated with what’s going on with her really helped me help my mother in terms of interpreting. But I do understand that it is a violation of the Civil Rights Act for a family to interpret because they can instead of helping the patient, influence the patient different from what the healthcare professional may have in mind.

17. Which of the following is good advice for a provider attempting to use and interpret non-verbal communication?
You chose: d  Review	Correct answer: a	Read more

In this question I would have thought that hand gestures would be helpful in filling the gap. Again this is from secondhand experience. As stated above, I frequent my mother’s doctor appointments in which when there are times when I can’t go my sister would go. My sister and I are different so where I can speak fluently in my native language and English, my sister was fluent in English but not so much in my native language. That said, my mother told me of how she had to use hand gestures to convey what she wanted to tell her doctor because my sister didn’t either know the English word for what my mother was referring to or that my sister just didn’t know how to say it in English. After reviewing this answer this question, I realized that, as stated, a smile can mean a lot of things even unhappiness. In regards to this, it is helpful to understand that not all smiles are universal or that what we believe to be universal hand gestures are a universal language.

5. When taking a medical history from a patient with a limited ability to speak English, which of the following is LEAST useful?
You chose: b  Review	Correct answer: a	Read more

With this question, I thought that minimizing the patient’s response would be helpful, in which it was stated to be the least useful. I understand that having a language barrier can be frustrating and hard a time, but to ask the patient yes or no questions would be helpful in knowing what’s wrong with the patient. Looking at the review and from a different perspective, it does have a lot of loopholes where a patient may not be diagnosed properly. In limiting the patient’s answers to yes or no questions, the questions can go on for a long time and frustration may build up on both parties. In order to precisely diagnose a patient, one must be able to ask the patient questions that the patient can answer and describe why they have sought medical attention. Asking open-ended questions helps the healthcare professional understand more than simple yes or no answers and allows the patient to seek the proper attention needed.

9. Which of the following are the correct ways to communicate with a patient through an interpreter?
You chose: d   Review	Correct answer: d	Read more

I feel that most healthcare professionals don’t speak to the patient instead they speak to the interpreter and this, for me, makes it seem like the patient is just there and not involved in the conversation. Throughout all of my mom’s appointments there has only been one time when the healthcare professional looked my mother even when she was talking to the interpreter. This made me feel like my mother was the doctor’s priority and had my mother’s wellness in mind. It made her feel like she was important and was the main focus. Patients should always be the main focus and should always be given attention of the professional. I felt that this is how all healthcare professional should act when talking to a patient through an interpreter. There is the problem of language barrier but it doesn’t mean you ignore the patient and talk to the interpreter because the interpreter understands the language. Keeping eye contact and focus on the patient allows the patient to know and understand that their health and wellness is the healthcare professional’s priority. It helps the patient understand that yes they may have this language barrier going on but it’s not an unsurmountable obstacle and should not be an excuse to miscommunication. I’ve come realize that a lot of these questions I answered were really based on personal experiences I have witnessed or gone through as an outside party. This helps me understand and realize that not all situations and scenarios are and should be based on personal or second party experiences. Where one experience can be super bad there could be great experiences too. I’m glad I took this test because I really saw the bias that I had through my personal experience which clouded my ability to fully understand and take in scenarios properly. I hope to base less of what I feel and experience into what my answers and open my mind to what’s in front of me. This really opened my eyes to how different beliefs and culture differences can come in between communication.