Effective use of interpreters in health care: guidelines for nurse managers and clinicians

Abstract

Because of the rapid growth of the non-English-speaking population in the United States, nurses are increasingly likely to be called on to provide care for patients whose first language is not English. As a result, nurse managers may need to make interpreters available to health care providers in a variety of settings to facilitate effective communication and provide quality care. The purpose of this article is to present nurse managers and nurse clinicians with information that will enable them to work effectively with interpreters.