Okuzeka
Nursing vocabulary · Talking to Patients and Families

Interpreter

Meaning in nursing, with examples

/ɪnˈtɜːrprɪtər/nounCommon term

In nursing, interpreter means: A trained person who translates spoken conversation between a patient and staff who do not share a language, in person, by phone or by video.

In Turkish: tercüman, sözlü çevirmen

How it is used

Hospitals use professional interpreters for consent, assessments and important news; many policies say family members, especially children, should not interpret medical conversations. Nurses 'book' or 'request' an interpreter and speak directly to the patient, not to the interpreter.

Example sentences

  1. I've booked a Turkish interpreter for 10 o'clock so we can explain the operation properly.

  2. We used a telephone interpreter to complete his admission assessment.

Common collocations

  • book an interpreter
  • professional interpreter
  • telephone interpreter
  • through an interpreter
  • informed consentA patient's agreement to a treatment or procedure, given freely after they have been told and have understood what it involves, its risks, benefits and alternatives.
  • reassureTo say or do something that makes a worried person feel calmer and less afraid.
  • admissionThe process of accepting a patient into hospital or onto a ward, including the first checks and paperwork.
  • next of kinThe person closest to a patient, usually a family member or partner, who is contacted first with news about them.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Talking to Patients and Families

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.