The nurse is caring for a pregnant patient who speaks little English. Which action should the nurse take to make certain that the patient understands the plan of care?

Question

1. Write all of the instructions down and send them home with the patient.
2. Obtain a medical interpreter of the language the patient speaks.
3. Ask a housekeeper who speaks this language to interpret.
4. Use gestures and facial expressions to get the plan across.

Answer 1

2
Rationale 1: Writing English is not helpful, because verbal fluency usually develops before written fluency in language learners.
Rationale 2: Women of all cultures and all language backgrounds deserve quality prenatal care. When working with a woman who speaks little or no English, a trained medical interpreter should be obtained.
Rationale 3: Using family members, friends, or other staff to interpret could be problematic because few people understand medical terminology, and it can lead to confidentiality issues.
Rationale 4: Gestures and facial expressions can be misinterpreted across cultures, and might not present the information correctly.