Interpreter - PRN

St. Josephs Medical Center • Houston, TX

7d

About The Position

The Interpreter serves as a medical interpreter for patients and staff under the direction of the Manager of Interpreter Services. The role supports department operations and relays medical information between speakers of two different languages using consecutive, simultaneous, or sight translation, as appropriate, for patients and family members who are limited English proficient, Deaf, or hard of hearing. Interpreting is provided face to face, by telephone, and/or by video, in accordance with hospital policies and procedures, particularly those concerning patient confidentiality and informed consent, as well as applicable medical interpreter standards of practice and codes of ethics.

The Interpreter helps reduce linguistic barriers, facilitates access to care, and serves as a cultural and linguistic resource for patients, families, and providers. The position also supports administrative operations, including phone coverage, appointment coordination, encounter documentation, data entry, basic iPad/IPOP troubleshooting, filing, photocopying, and assigned special projects. The listed schedule is PRN days, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., with rotating weekends.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.
• At least 40 hours of medical interpreter training.
• Strong linguistic skills, including understanding regional accents and linguistic styles and selecting an appropriate interpretation mode.
• Ability to interpret accurately and completely in consecutive and sight translation modes; self-correct, recognize linguistic limitations, seek clarification, and accept corrections.
• Ability to recognize cues indicating participants' level of understanding or need for clarification.
• Strong writing skills, preferably in English and the target language(s).
• Ability to recognize cultural assumptions affecting communication and to mediate intercultural communication appropriately without stereotyping.
• Ability to maintain awareness of personal values and cultural characteristics and acknowledge or withdraw from encounters when these may interfere with successful interpretation.
• Working knowledge of computer systems.
• Ability to follow applicable medical interpreter standards of practice and codes of ethics.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent.
• One year of experience in a healthcare setting as a medical interpreter, with strong medical vocabulary.
• National Board Certification for spoken interpreters.

Responsibilities

• Relay medical information between speakers of two different languages using face-to-face, telephone, and/or video interpreting.
• Reduce linguistic barriers for limited-English-proficient, Deaf, and hard-of-hearing patients and family members seeking care.
• Help facilitate delivery of services to linguistically diverse consumers.
• Explain hospital resources, office protocols, and limitations to clinicians and patients; make appropriate referrals; and serve as a cultural and linguistic resource.
• Follow hospital policies and procedures, including those concerning confidentiality and informed consent, and comply with medical interpreter standards of practice and codes of ethics.
• Work cooperatively as part of a team and follow hospital customer-relations and hospitality policies.
• Answer phones, take requests, call patients to confirm appointments, document encounters in the interpreter tracking system and EMR, enter data, and verify or schedule future appointments when necessary.
• Perform iPad/IPOP troubleshooting, filing, and photocopying.
• Use Outlook and other hospital software, and work on special projects as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Education Level: High school or GED