QLexNursing

🔴Nonverbal cues such as facial expression, posture, and gestures are key to assessing the client’s understanding and emotional response, especially when using an interpreter.

🔴Focusing on the client’s body language keeps the interaction client-centered, showing respect and promoting therapeutic communication despite the language barrier.

🔴Observing nonverbal behavior helps the nurse detect confusion, distress, or disagreement, even if the spoken translation sounds appropriate.

🔴This practice supports the ethical principles of beneficence and respect, ensuring the nurse is truly evaluating the client’s comprehension and comfort level during teaching or assessment.

🔴It also reinforces the concept that communication is more than words, and the nurse must remain actively engaged with the client, not only listening to the interpreter.

Maintain eye contact with the interpreter when asking questions

🔴 Directing eye contact to the interpreter instead of the client can make the client feel ignored and reduce their sense of involvement in their own care.

🔴 The nurse should generally face and look at the client, using the interpreter as a bridge, not the main focus of the interaction.

Include medical terminology when discussing the client's condition

🔴 Using complex medical jargon is likely to cause misunderstanding, even when interpreted, and may confuse the client.

🔴 The nurse should use simple, clear language that the interpreter can easily convey and the client can understand.

Avoid asking the client personal questions

🔴 The nurse must ask relevant personal and health-related questions to obtain a complete history and assessment.

🔴 Avoiding personal questions would limit data collection and may compromise quality of care, as long as questions are asked respectfully and professionally.