The first step in a medical interaction generally happens at check-in and does not always include the Deaf patient. Most often, you need to check in at the appropriate desk to either locate the patient, or to be prepared to interpret for that patient’s registering. This video offers you the opportunity to practice what you would say for the check in. Nancy Niggley, who provides sample interpretations on this project, provides some perspective on what strategies she uses in handling these registration situations.
For this setting, you have received the following information from the referral service:

Appointment time: 3:30 PM
Name of Patient: Roger Brown
Name of Physician: Dr. Steven Riendl, a Cardiologist
Symptoms: Shortness of breath

Given this information, go ahead and practice your check in with the receptionist at the desk.

Checking In

Perspectives from an Experienced Interpreter

In this video, Nancy gives her strategy for checking-in at the desk in a way that facilitates getting the information she needs (whether the Deaf patient has checked in or not) by introducing herself in a specific order: “I’m an interpreter, here for appointment with Dr. _____, at (time) with (Patient’s name.)”

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