Interpreters in the acute neurosurgery setting: a report on the study nurses’ perceptions of the impact of the program Neurological Assessment in Languages Other Than English’ (NALOTE).
The under-utilisation of professional interpreters for non- English speaking (NES) patients can affect the quality of their care and the accuracy and completion of neurological observations. This paper reports on a study that explored neurosurgical nurses' perceptions of using professional interpreters in a prescribed way, that is through the pilot program 'Neurological Assessment in Languages Other Than English' (NALOTE). The purpose of the study was to explore nurses' attitudes regarding their utilisation of interpreters and whether they perceived using professional interpreters had any effect on the accuracy of neurological observations.
Informed by an evaluative methodology, a semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect qualitative and quantitative data from 25 neurosurgical nurses at a major metropolitan hospital in Melbourne. After using the NALOTE Program, participants generally reported increased comfort when using professional bedside interpreters and perceived the accuracy of their neurological observations improved. Further research
in the form of a multi-centred, pre and post-test study of the NALOTE Program would add depth to the findings of this study. Additional in-depth qualitative investigations into the experiences of the interpreters and patients could contribute to future applications of the program.