The other day I took a refugee friend to the doctor for follow-up to injuries she received in a recent car accident. I introduced myself as her friend, but the staff saw me as a translator. I only know about 2 words of Somali, so I cannot translate anything. It is a good thing that my friend and I have our own way of communicating, part English and part Charades. She speaks and understands some English, but things are so different in the doctor’s office. The staff at Campbell Clinic did so much to make our visit a good experience. The man in Radiology assigned a lady to take x-rays for us, and invited me to join them in case she had questions. I was able to explain some things to her a little better and helped her pose for her “pictures”. The doctor was very prompt and kind, showing us the x-rays and explaining everything very well. Thankfully the doctor confirmed that my friend had no broken bones and is healing appropriately. I was so glad my friend did not have to make her visit alone. I can only imagine being in a new country where I do not understand half of what is being said to me. Well, I actually have had that experience, but not in a doctor’s office where everything has importance. I am also thankful for doctors and other medical professionals who are kind and sensitive to the needs of refugees. I wish all refugees had a friend to walk with them through unfamiliar experiences and make things a little easier.
2 responses to “The Accidental Translator”
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The comment of half English half Charades had me LOL!
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Helping our refugee friends at the doctor’s office is very interesting. Often times, we take a Somali translator with us. What happens is, the doctor assesses the patient and offers his diagnosis or gives his medical advice. The Somali translator’s we usually use know some english because they may have had ESL training in their refugee camp before they arrived or may have been in the US a few years longer than the patient. They do not typically, however, have an education or cultural understanding of American doctors and hospital procedures. When the doctor offers his advice it most often confuses the Somali translator. Asha’s Refuge tries to be there to listen, support and advocate for our refugee friend in the medical office, surgery or emergency room. We often have to encourage the doctor to be patient with our friends. We will ask the doctor questions that our friends will not either know that they should ask or know how to ask. We often have to teach the Somali translator some basics about the human body. We have to teach the translator things like what the doctor’s plan of action will be, upcoming diagnostic tests, understanding referral orders, taking medication, or follow up care so that they as the translator will understand how to better translate the important information to the refugee patient or parent of the refugee patient. Taking our internationsal friends to the doctor is always quite the experience. (I didn’t even mention the part about helping them to find their way around these large hospitals and physicians offices to the doctor that they’ve got an appointment with.) Thanks Deborah!
Asha's Refuge 
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