Page 10 - October 2020 Ulupono

Seek First to Understand: Making Good Use of Interpretive Services
by Alicia Hatori, Risk Coordinator
The phrase “Seek first to understand” can be applied in many scenarios, one of which is when we are caring for a patient whose primary language is something other than English. In all areas of service, the accurate interchange of information between staff and patients is critical. But this is especially true in clinical settings.
Subjective data is what the patient tells us their symptoms are, including feelings, perceptions, and concerns. This kind of data is imperative, because it gives us the background as to why they came into the hospital and listening to them is critical to understanding the whole picture. A patient knows themselves better than we do, so listening to what ails them will ultimately make their outcome better. Listening allows us to better perform patient advocacy and connect them with the resources they need.
What should we do if in the course of our work we determine that our patients primary language for communication is not English and/or they have a limited ability to read, write, or understand English? Activate our language assistance provider, Cyracom by dialing 866-745-5010 from any hospital phone or by asking the Operator to connect you. (This information can be found in the Hospital Telephone Directory under “Interpreters”.)
Federal law and our policies obligate us to provide all patients with meaningful access to services. But it is a dedication to our mission to “Live God’s Love” and “Chase Zero” that motivates us to provide care with a “seek first to understand” mentality. We recognize that clear, accurate and compassionate communication forms the basis for a trusting caregiver-patient relationship and ensures the best outcomes for our patients.
Newsworthy
On Sept. 19, KHON2 TV reported on
the importance of getting the flu shot especially now in the middle of a pandemic.
KHON2 featured Adventist Health Castle's drive-thru flu shot clinic, letting the public know that the getting their flu shot is as easy as driving up and rolling down the window.
Trained staff and nurses administer the shots and wait times are about five to 15 minutes. The drive-thru flu shot clinic is at Castle in Kailua every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and every Tuesday and Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. through October or while supplies last.
Keep in Mind
You’re Empowered to Speak Up
If you are sick, please do not come to work. If you notice your colleague or a physician
is sick at work, tell them to call Employee Health immediately (or the house supervisor after hours) and go home. You are empowered to advocate for the safety of yourself, fellow associates, and our patients.
If the person is not following your advice, you need to go up the chain of command. First speak to your manager, then the infection preventionist, then the supervisor, and finally your director or administration. You will not get into trouble for this and have the full support of Castle’s Incident Command.
When we look at the effects an ill associate or physician may have on our department, ourselves, potentially our families and our high-risk patient population, we should feel empowered to do the right thing and speak up.
There are resources on the connect page under COVID-19.
Limited Notary Availability
Adventist Health Castle offers a comple- mentary notary service for patients and associates. Currently, our current notary service is limited and a 24-hour advance notice is required. Please call Administration at ext. 5142 to request notary services.
10 | ULUPONO - OCTOBER 2020