MUH Student Educational Session/In-service

Student: Miriam P. Kennetz, MOT/S

Topic: Serving Spanish Speaking Clients w/in the Acute Care Setting

1. Empathy is always key with EVERY client seen/treated in this setting. However, empathy
is crucial when treating clients that are non-English speaking/limited English speaking.
2. Speaking to a person in his/her language reaps many benefits
a. Language barriers result in poor understanding of diagnosis, treatment, and
medication instruction; poor understanding of and compliance with
recommendations for treatment and follow-up; a significantly greater likelihood
of a serious medical event; and lower patient satisfaction.
b. Interpreted LEP patients, compared to English-speaking and non-interpreted LEP
patients, had the shortest emergency department (ED) stays; had the fewest tests,
intravenous catheters, and medications; were more likely to follow-up in a clinic
and less likely to return to the emergency department; and had the lowest overall
charges. Physician–patient language barriers increased the cost of ED visits by an
estimated $38 per visit due to additional testing and longer ED stays. In the
inpatient setting, Spanish-speaking patients with a language-concordant provider
had lower costs ($92 per patient) than those without a language-concordant
provider
3. Common things to keep in mind when reading/speaking Spanish…

GENERAL REHAB:
-“Hello, how are you”? = “Hola, como estas”?
-“My name is…” = “Me llamo___”
-“I am with the speech, occupational, physical therapy dept.” = “Soy parte del equipo de
logopedia (speech), terapia ocupacional (OT), terapia física (PT).
-“Do you want to use the blue book for translation?” – “¿Quieres usar el teléfono azul para
traducir y comunicarnos?”

SPEECH:
-“Can you open your mouth, please”? = “¿Puedes abrir tu boca, por favor?”
-“chew what you have in your mouth” = “mastica lo que tienes en tu boca”.
-“swallow it” - “trágalo” or “pásatelo”
-“swallow test” – “prueba/examen de deglución” or “prueba/examen de bario”
-ice = hielo
-diet = dieta
-food = comida
-thinned liquid = liquido fino
-thickened liquid = liquido espeso
-solid food = comida solida
OT/PT:
-bed = cama
-hallway = pasillo
-rolling walker = andadera
-wheelchair = silla de ruedas
-chair = cilla
-nurse = enfermera
-cane = caña
-crutches = muletas

-“here is…” = “aquí esta”

-like this…” = “así”
-“can I touch/feel this?” – “¿puedo tocar aquí?”
-raise = alza
-up = arriba
-lower = baja
-down = abajo
-call light button – luz de llamadas de enfermería
-“I am going to raise/lower the HOB” = “Voy a elevar/bajar la cama”
-“Can you sit to the EOB?” = “¿Te puedes sentar en la orilla de la cama?”.
-“¿can you move your…?” = “¿puedes mover tu…?”
-“try to copy my movements” – “trata de copear mis movimientos”
-“let’s walk” = “vamos a caminar”
-“is that okay” = “¿está bien?”
-pain = dolor, duele (it hurts)
-headache = dolor de cabeza
-dizzy = mareado
-“Are you dizzy?” = “¿estas mareado (m)/mareada (f)?
-nauseous = nausea; vomit = vomitar
-“Do you feel nauseous?” = “¿Tienes nausea?”
-“Are you tired?” =” ¿estas cansado?”

-shoulder = hombro -arm = brazo

-leg = pierna -knee = rodilla
-foot = pie -finger/toes = dedos (de la mano) or (del pie)
-ankle = tobillo -heel = talón

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