9. Advocacy

Principle

Healthcare interpreters engage in acts of advocacy when they perceive a danger of harm, injustice, or unfairness. The practice of advocacy within an interpreted session differs from the practice of advocacy outside of an interpreted session.

Objective

To prevent and/or remove harm upholding the value of non-maleficence.

Description

Advocacy is defined as

  • the act of supporting and speaking on behalf of another person, group, idea, or a way of doing something, and
  • persuading someone with the authority to act, to improve the situation or resolve a problem. This persuasion goes beyond simply informing those in authority that a problem exists.1

It is extremely unlikely for interpreters to need to advocate during interpreted encounters because healthcare providers share the values of beneficent and nonmaleficience, so they act in the best interest of the patient whenever possible. However, if a health care provider is aware of a potential for serious, imminent, avoidable harm but refuses to address it, the interpreter should advocate.

Advocacy in mental health settings is complex2 and requires special consideration.

Standards of Practice

9.1 Healthcare Interpreters may engage in an act of advocacy during an interpreted encounter in order to protect an individual when there is objective and verifiable evidence of risk for serious, imminent, avoidable, physical or emotional harm that remains unaddressed, even after it has been brought to the attention of the person who could correct the problem. 9.2 Interpreters may advocate outside interpreted encounters on behalf of a party or group to correct a pattern of mistreatment or abuse. 9.3 Advocate for working conditions that support quality professional interpreting.

  1. National Council on Interpreting in Health Care. (2021). Interpreter Advocacy in Healthcare Encounters: A Closer Look. p.13 ↩︎

  2. For a discussion of advocacy in mental health, see Interpreter Advocacy in Healthcare Encounters: A Closer Look Considering Advocacy in Mental Health Settings pages 31-33, and Additional considerations when the potential for harm is emotional, pages 41-42 ↩︎