created by Karen Malcolm
The following are a series of ethical dilemmas that can be used in Interpreter Education Program. For more information on the context for how to use these, click here.
Dilemma 1
You have interpreted for a 15-year-old Deaf girl in various settings, and she recently confided in you that she was pregnant, and hadn’t told her mother yet because, “my mom will kill me! She doesn’t even know I’ve had sex yet.”
A few weeks later you are at the hospital where the girl is attending with her mother. She has been having back pain and she has been sent for an X-Ray. The technician asks the girl if there is any chance she might be pregnant. She glances up at her mother, then responds, “no, I’m not pregnant.”
Dilemma 2
You interpret for a Deaf couple. The wife has pancreatic cancer. The doctor tells them that they have exhausted all possibilities, and no other treatment is suggested at this point. He tells them to go home, and enjoy what time remains with their family. The couple leaves looking very happy and smiling. You have a strong sense that they did not understand that this was actually bad news.
Dilemma 3
You have been interpreting for a Deaf couple who are expecting their third child. They have had tests done that confirm the sex of the child is female. They start talking about this fact with the doctor, and it becomes clear that they want to abort the child because they already have two girls, and really want to have a boy. You find this very disturbing and are opposed to this kind of action.
Dilemma 4
A Deaf man with hepatitis has been told not to drink because it will worsen his condition. You see him at a community event, drinking quite a few beers. He approaches you and says, hey, remember the doctor told me to stop drinking, so I stopped drinking scotch and now I just have beer.
