American Sign Language Interpreter

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About Us

We're seeking breakthrough makers! Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was built on the belief that we can change lives. Today, in every role throughout our hospital, research institute and care network, the 22,000 members of our workforce are finding new ways - big and small - to make a difference for the patients and families we serve.

If you are ready to challenge yourself, be inspired and grow - no matter what your role - you just may be the kind of breakthrough maker who will thrive at CHOP.

About the Job
The ASL Interpreter provides professional services to Deaf and Hard of Hearing patients, families and the organization in order to appreciate and assist with the unique language and cultural needs of families as they seek and receive care in the CHOP environment. The Interpreter provides language services including medical and non-medical interpretation during the delivery of services and support to families throughout the entire treatment cycle.

What you will do

• Direct Services are provided by the Interpreter as a member of the Patient Care Services team in order to ensure appropriate language and cultural family centered care as families seek and obtain clinical services throughout their interaction with CHOP.
  • Identifies, assesses and responds to interpretation needs of patients and families as directed by the Manager.
  • Provides assessment of communication needs of signing, visual, gestural communication CHOP patients and caregivers in various medical settings, and provides recommendations for effective and communication access to care, and treatment provided by CHOP (including guidance for assigning other ASL interpreters, deaf ASL interpreters, and access to assistive technology as needed during an outpatient and more often, inpatient admission).
  • Performs sign language, visual gestural communication interpreting services in manner that is at the developmental level of the signing pediatric patient, and consistent with the developmental functioning of the pediatric patient. Requires understanding of overall child development and matching interpreting to the signing pediatric patient. Will include introducing and teaching the interpreting process to signing pediatric patients and their families.
  • Performs sign language interpreting services during the inquiry process with the team for families who are seeking care at CHOP.
  • Provides interpretation services to families during the process of scheduling initial visit and coordination of ongoing treatment.
  • Serves as a medical interpreter for patients and staff clinical encounters by providing accurate, skilled interpretations to facilitate effective communications between clinical staff and Deaf and Hard of Hearing families and/ or patients.
  • Relays information accurately and completely between patient, family and caregivers who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in compliance with hospital policies and procedures, particularly relating to patient confidentiality and informed consent. Adheres to the national standards of practice for ASL interpreters (Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, National Association of the Deaf, PA Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing).
  • Functions as a member of the interdisciplinary team and provides appropriate language services in the care planning for Deaf and Hard of Hearing patients and families. Presents assessment of needs as gathered from the child and/or family to assist other professionals in the overall treatment planning.
  • Serves as an interpreter for patient and family meetings during hospital stays as necessary. Works closely with support services (social work, child life, chaplaincy, etc.) in this regard to integrate Deaf and Hard of Hearing families into existing services.
  • Provides language services during the necessary coordination of including local transportation, lodging and accommodations, food, cultural family requests. Promotes a culture of hospitality and service both internally with CHOP departments and externally to existing and potential international families and clients.
  • Uses "Language of Caring" in interactions to promote family-centered care.
• Institutional Responsibilities:
  • Collaborates with professional colleagues in the development and implementation of visual gestural or signing pediatric patient and/or family language service initiatives as directed by the Manager when appropriate.
  • Upon request by supervisor, collaborates with interdisciplinary teams at CHOP in the development of language service policies, practices and programs that improve direct services and contribute to an "ideal culturally responsive patient experience".

Licenses and Certifications

• Deaf and Hard of Hearing Registered Sign Language Interpreter (Pennsylvania) - Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing (ODHH) - upon hire - Required and
• Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) Certification - Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) - upon hire - Required (NIC or CDI certifications can be accepted)

Education

• Bachelor's Degree Required

Experience

• At least four (4) years of experience as an ASL interpreter working with Deaf and Hard of Hearing community Required
• signing for children is preferred Preferred and
• signing for Deaf-Blind/ low-vision community is preferred Preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong American Sign Language skills, proficient visual gestural communication skills:
• knows sign language dialects common to eastern PA, northern Delaware and Central and Southern NJ
• selects appropriate mode of interpretation for each situation
• identify when team interpreting is necessary
• be able to work in an interpreting team
• interprets with highest degree of accuracy and completeness
• self-corrects, understands own linguistic limitations, seeks clarification and accepts correction
• picks up cues from encounter participants regarding level of understanding and/or need for clarification
• Strong cultural awareness competencies:
• understands language as an expression of culture, recognizes the underlying assumptions of each party about medicine, the encounter, the illness etc.; uses this understanding to empower patient and provider to better understand each other.
• avoids generalizations and stereotyping
• uses culturally appropriate behavior and is able to choose appropriate time to clarify or interject by respecting the goals of the encounter
• is aware of own personal values, beliefs and cultural characteristics which may be a source of conflict or discomfort in certain situations, is able to acknowledge these and/or to withdraw from encounters when these may interfere with successful interpretation
• provides cultural information and information on deaf and hard of hearing resources to CHOP providers upon request and as appropriate by the clinical encounter.
• Strong interpreting skills:
• explains role of the interpreter to patient and provider
• recognizes the complexity of the clinical encounter
• sets tone of the patient/provider encounter to manage spatial configuration and flow of communication to preserve accuracy and completeness, and to assess and address potential areas of discomfort for patient (age, gender of interpreter, no previous experience with interpreters)
• encourages and fosters direct communication between provider and patient
• maintains professional distance and integrity
• diffuses conflict between parties by remaining calm and impartial
• clarifies instructions, follow up steps in a diplomatic, effective manner
• Ethical competency:
• understands and abides by hospital policies on patient confidentiality, informed consent, non-discrimination and by interpreters code of ethics
• demonstrates knowledge of ethical practice standards of NAD and RID
• Interpersonal and customer service skills:
• projects positive attitude about the department and the hospital, and offers services to ensure positive experience
• works as a team with colleagues and providers
• addresses concerns raised during or after an encounter by encouraging provider to make appropriate referral and/or assisting with making of appointment with right resource and booking interpreter as needed
• Organizational skills:
• works well under pressure to manage stressful situations
• flexible to and handle often unpredictable changes
• sound judgment and confidence
• ability to handle multiple tasks
• detail-oriented and accurate

To carry out its mission, CHOP is committed to supporting the health of our patients, families, workforce, and global community. As a condition of employment, CHOP employees who work in patient care buildings or who have patient facing responsibilities must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and receive an annual influenza vaccine. Learn more.
Employees may request exemptions for valid religious and medical reasons. Start dates may be delayed until candidates are immunized or exemption requests are reviewed.
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