blind healthcare providers may encounter obstacles in accessing visual information and relying on their sighted colleagues for assistance. Overcoming these challenges necessitates a collaborative effort to enhance accessibility and implement inclusive communication strategies in the hospital environment.
respecting communication preferences. Practice active listening and use clarifying questions at all times. By implementing these strategies and techniques, healthcare providers can enhance communication, foster trust, and ensure the delivery of quality care to patients with disabilities or additional needs.
Suggested Reading 1
Angelelli, C. (2008). Medical Interpreting and Cross-cultural Communication. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Bailey, C. S., Dolby, K., & Campbell, H. M. (2002). The Canadian dictionary of ASL: University of Alberta. 2 Fung, C.-C., Richter Lagha, R., Henderson, P., & Gomez, A. G. (2010). Working with interpreters: how student behavior affects quality of patient interaction when using interpreters. Medical Education Online, 15(1), 5151. doi: 10.3402/meo.v15i0.5151 3 Gile, D. (1995). Basic concepts and models for interpreter and translator training. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 4 Hale, S. (2007). Community interpreting: Springer. 5 Janzen, T., & Korpiniski, D. (2005). Ethics and professionalism in interpreting. In T. Janzen (Ed.), Topics in signed language interpreting. Theory and practice (pp. 165-199). Amsterdam/ Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company. 6 Padden, C. (1996). From the cultural to the bicultural: The modern deaf community. Cultural and language diversity and the deaf experience, 79-98. 7 Padden, C., & Ramsey, C. (2000). American Sign Language and reading ability in deaf children Language acquisition by eye. (pp. 165-189). Mahwah, NJ, US: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers. 8 Wadensjö, C. (1998). Interpreting as interaction. London: Longman. 9 Whynot, L. (2022). Signed language interpreting and translation: Implications of modality,. In A. a. S. Ferreira, J.W. (Ed.), Introduction to Translation and Interpreting Studies: John Wiley & Sons.
Blindness poses unique challenges that can also hinder effective communication.
Each type of disability will require a personalized, strategic, and targeted approach. In general, and to begin, the healthcare provider should introduce themselves and speak clearly at all times. They should avoid using jargon, acronyms and complex medical terminology. Particular attention should be given to using appropriate body language, nonverbal cues and additional visual aids. Inquiring about a person’s individual communication preferences is a good place to start. For patients with low vision, using assistive devices and visual aids may be required. Ensure the rooms have adequate lighting but conversely, are not too bright or causing glare. Printed information with high contrast or large size fonts may be required as well as offering electronic copies to enable text-to-speech
processing. Conclusion
Effective communication with patients who have disabilities is crucial for providing patient-centered care. Healthcare providers should employ general strategies such as using clear language, establishing rapport, allowing sufficient time for processing and response, and
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WHAT DID YOU SAY?
UNDERSTANDING DIFFERENT DISABILITIES 83
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