Effective use of interpreters by family nurse practitioner students: is didactic curriculum enough?

Abstract

Purpose: Nurse practitioners (NPs) care for patients with limited English proficiency (LEP). However, NP education for improving communication in interpreted encounters is not well reported. We report a single school study using standardized encounters within a clinical practice examination (CPX) to assess the adequacy of current curriculum.

Data sources: Entering family NP (FNP) students (n=26) participated in a baseline CPX case. They were assessed by standardized patients using the validated Interpreter Impact Rating Scale (IIRS) and Physician-Patient Interaction (PPI) scale, and by interpreters using the Interpreter Scale (IS).The case was re-administered to 31 graduating students following completion of existing curriculum. Primary outcome was aggregate change in skills comprising global IIRS, PPI and IS scores. Pre- and post-performance data were available for one class of 10 students. Secondary outcome was change in skill scores for this class.

Conclusions: Mean aggregate global scores showed no significant improvement between scores at entry and graduation. For 10 students with pre- and post-performance data, there was no improvement in skill scores for any measure. Skill assessed on one measure worsened.

Implications for practice: FNP students show no improvement in skills in working with interpreters with the current curriculum. An enhanced curriculum is needed.