Subject Area
Health Care
Abstract
Effective and efficient health care is greatly influenced by communication between patient and provider. Federal laws require the use of a sign language interpreter (SLI) or other appropriate accommodations to ensure effective communication within the health care system for deaf children. Specialized training and certifications are available for SLIs choosing to specialize in the health care field. The training is typically geared toward SLIs working with adults rather than children. In addition, very few studies focus on the use of SLIs for children within health care settings. SLIs bring unique perspectives to their respective settings when referencing one’s skill set. This research aimed to identify correlations and differences between educational and medical SLIs’ strategies and abilities to recognize the unique job demands presented when working with deaf children in the medical setting. A qualitative interview study was conducted with both medical and educational SLIs as a means of accessing their practical knowledge of working with children. This article describes the correlations and differences between educational and medical SLIs’ strategies and abilities to recognize the unique job demands of working with deaf children in the medical setting.
Recommended Citation
Lombardi, M. E. (2023). Working with Deaf Children in Healthcare Settings. JADARA, 55(3), 25-51. Retrieved from https://nsuworks.nova.edu/jadara/vol55/iss3/3
