4. Equitable Practice
Principle: Interpreters treat all participants fairly, objectively, and without bias.
Objective: To ensure that participants are supported according to their individual social, interpersonal and communicative needs, regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, religion or creed, physical or mental health conditions, socioeconomic status, family status, language and communication needs, or any other aspect of identity.
Equitable practice requires interpreters to be aware of how their conscious and unconscious biases and attitudes can influence the assumptions they make about others who are different from themselves and, consequently, how they treat others.
Standards of Practice
4.1 Pay attention to the communication and interpersonal needs of the participants and adjust your interpreting techniques to support good communication.
Prompt: Am I aware of anything that might be impeding communication? How can I adjust to the unique communication needs of the participants?
Example: The interpreter adjusts to the patient's needs, finding additional communication support that allows the patient to more fully understand, such as, asking the provider to show a picture of the organs being discussed, switching to the patient's preferred term, adjusting volume of speech to be heard.
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4.2 Respond to indications that the language of interpretation is not the patient's preferred language.
Prompt: What language is the patient most comfortable speaking?
Example: Interpreters ask patients what their preferred language is, and inform the medical provider so that an interpreter for that language can be contacted. If an interpreter for the preferred language is not immediately available, the interpreter offers to do their best to assist until another interpreter is available.
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4.3 Strive to become aware of biases and consciously work to keep personal beliefs and values from influencing interpretations and behavior. They maintain objectivity even when they do not agree with the speaker's point of view.
Prompt: Am I keeping my beliefs and biases separate from the interpreted message, so that I maintain fidelity to the original message? Am I respecting the autonomy of the speaker to speak for themself?
Example: Interpreters remind themselves to respect the patient's right to autonomy, to act and speak for themselves. Even when interpreters disagree with the patient's perspective and decisions, they focus on fidelity to the message while interpreting.
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4.4 Disclose potential conflicts of interest to participants and withdraw, calling another interpreter to take over. Interpreters follow organizational guidelines when withdrawing from assignments.
Prompt: Could my continuing as the interpreter restrict the patient's comfort and freedom to disclose information to the provider? Could the medical organization use the telephone interpreting service they contract with so the interpreter would not be acquainted with this patient?
Example: Interpreters who cannot remain objective have an ethical obligation to withdraw from the assignment. If that is not possible because there is no other interpreter available to take over, the interpreter has an ethical obligation to abide by the principles of confidentiality and equitable practice.
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4.5 Prioritise the participants' communication needs, regardless of conflicting beliefs, difficult personalities, or any other circumstances. When no other interpreter is available, interpreters continue interpreting, striving to be objective.
Prompt: How can I ensure communication is accurate? What can I do to remain objective?
Example: Interpreters focus on the meaning of the message.