Interpreter Telling You How To Do Your Job

2 This is the second time this has happened to me. Last night I was taking a patients vital signs. She had an interpreter with her that seemed to be very helpful. A little too helpful. I had just come on my shift and I took her blood pressure. I let her know through the interpreter that her blood pressure was very good however it was vastly different than what it was 4 hours ago and that I would let her nurse know and I may have to retake it. The interpreter interpreted and then turned to me and was telling me that "Well obviously she needs her blood pressure medication and should have it immediately!" Since he phrased it in the 3rd person and my patient was half asleep, I asked if that is what she said. He said "no, but I start medical school in the fall and I know a little bit.". I informed him that I am not an R.N. but I will let her nurse know and that it is good "you will be going to medical school in the fall because you clearly have a lot to learn." I let the nurse know and we had a good laugh over his behaviour but I have to wonder how ethical is it of the interpreter to tell me what to do?
A similar thing happened to me about a year ago. I was taking a set of vitals on a patient with an interpreter. When I was finished I asked "Is there anything you need right now?" and through the interpreter he said no and he would just take a nap until dinner came. As soon as I walked out of the room, the interpreter followed me down the hall and told me "You need to get him into a gown right now. He wants to go to sleep!".

Have any of you been in similar situations and what do you do?
Have not been in a similar situation but would think that if this person is in a paid position as an official interpreter, a report to their supervisor would be in order.

the interpreter stepped over their boundaries.

It's against the rules for an interpreter to speak for themselves in or change words in a conversation. They could lose their license. You should definitely report them. I guarantee you that the patient would have been very upset had they known.

I informed him that I am not an R.N. but I will let her nurse know and that it is good "you will be going to medical school in the fall because you clearly have a lot to learn." Fantastic comeback!:bowingpur

Kessadawn, why thank you. I'm finally starting to grow some balls.

If the interpreter is a family member, then the remarks are a family member advocating for the patient, and I'd bear with those remarks. Telling the interpreter you were going to inform the nurse is perfect.If the interpreter is an employee, if he is employed by the facility, then the remarks surely need to be addressed.

Whispera, in both instances the interpreters were employed by an outside agency that my hospital contracts with.

if they were employees, then they were outside their job description and it needs to be addressed if it interfered with the patients' care...

You should have said: "You aren't the boss of me!" Actually, I am going through the process of becoming an interpreter because I can't interpret to anyone without being certified at my facility. One of the first things I was told was that even though I am a nurse when I am interpreting for someone, I can not give ANY advice whatsoever. To the patient, patients' family, medical staff, nada. My role as an interpreter is to bridge the communication gap. That is all. Nothing more or less.ADD: It didn't post the end of my comment:If I can't do it as a licensed medical professional, he surely can't either. I would report him. He way overstepped his boundaries and could have brought harm to this patient. But I do think you handled it very well.

Good luck to you Chicookie!

My pet peeve is other branches of healthcare workers ordering the nursing staff around. The physiotherapist who walks the entire length of the ward just to inform a nurse in superior tones that "Mr Youknowwho needs a fresh jug of water" or the dietitian who sits and watches a patient throw up and instead of fetching an emesis basin calls the nurse.Heaven forfend they should help out the patients. It is beneath their professional dignity.The best one yet was a fellow nurse who works in one of the day clinics. My ward did her a favour by agreeing to care for her patient until his hospital transport arrived to take him home. She breezes onto my ward with this dear old gent and says "Oh he'd like a cup of tea and something to eat please" Being Sister of the ward I fixed her with my best icy glare and said sweetly "The kitchen is last on the left. Do feel free to use the facilities"

An interpreter is supposed to be (basically) invisible. They are the mouth and ears of the patient only. While interpreting, they can NOT add their own spin to either you or the patient. They can be fired for that... especially in a medical situation, where one slip could cause a life and death situation. He needs to be reported. (He should not even be discussing her medical issues i.e. about her bp meds...)