How many languages are you supposed to know as an Occupational Therapist?

I hope I learned just enough, but probably not.

I used to conduct treatments in a skilled nursing facility located in a city with a diverse community. Well, just to name a few: I was treating patients from Mexico, Korea, Philippines, China, Taiwan, Russian, Hong Kong, India, and Armenia. These patients are the first generations. As a result, most of my patients do not speak English. If therapists are lucky, they can get translators to translate their commands and teaching concepts to the patients. However, frequently, there are no translators present.

The depth of the problem:

At that Skilled Nursing Facilities, the CNAs, or Certified Nursing Assistants, were my best translators because the CNS could be able to speak in the patients’ languages. However, these CNAs were not delegated to be translators: They were delegated to assist patients in their basic self-care needs. Therefore, they might not be the most reliable translators because they need to help other patients in the midst of the therapy treatment. If I want a translator in that skilled nursing facility, that is impossible.

I was on my own.

I am grateful to grow up in the years of iPhone and Smart Phones. To be born in this generations, I have the privilege to know to use my iPhone and Smart Phones wisely. I used my Google App translate with voice recognition. I can tell my patients what I would like them to do with almost perfect Spanish. However, is Google App the best?

No.

I asked a patient, who only speaks Spanish, on how difficult it is to go from her wheelchair to her bed. She commented, “Un poco” (which means a little in Spanish). When I asked the Google App to translated the sentence, the Google App translated as “Pokemon Go.”

Should I be "off to the gym?"

Well, besides misinterpreting what was said, the same patient, who was born way before the iPhone dynasty, had difficulty using the phone. When I asked her a question in Google App in perfect Spanish, she would immediately respond back to me.

“asjkdhakbd iwhfskdbnfkjshd”

I pointed and stabbed to my iPhone, begging her to repeat her sentence to my phone.

However, my phone said “Habla ahora,” meaning speak now. My patient looked beyond confused, answered “Blah. Blah. Blah.”

Well, the Google Translate App has yet to be user-friendly for all generations.

I decided to take a CEU called Spanish for Rehabilitation Professionals by Gregory Carvajal. Then, I came out speaking fluent Spanish with 100% accuracy.

No.

I came out speaking enough Spanish to conduct therapy. I spent less time texting and translating on my app. I slowly understand what my patient was telling me by extracting the important words. I discovered that she also had learning deficits and memory problems too. I get to know her better as a person. However, most importantly, we had a better relationship.

I always treated my patients as a family. I always hug my patients at the end of our sessions. Before I learned my Spanish, I hugged her, and she hugged me. However, after learning Spanish, she hugged and kissed me. I almost cried when she did that. I was promoted as an official member of her family. (Side note: People from the Spanish speaking culture sometimes gives hug and kisses when they see their families.)

So. How many languages shall I learn to become a successful occupational therapist?

Well, Google Translate and other voice recognition translation apps will still be my savior because there is no way I can learn all the languages in the world. I am not a translator. I am an occupational therapist, aiming to deliver innovative, quality, evidence-based therapy. Unfortunately, the language barrier is preventing me from a whole different game, assessing and treating patient’s cognitive functions. Language helps us to deliver our ideas from simple concrete ideas to the most abstract complex ideas. Before I know Spanish, I just thought that my patient has low endurance and weakness. However, I realized that my patient had other deficits after I know her language, and I discovered the deficits too late: She was only 2 days from discharge.

Conclusion. Which languages shall I learn as an occupational therapist?

I am an occupational therapist. I am taught by my professors at the University of Pittsburgh to conduct client-centered occupational therapy. Therefore, I will learn the languages that the majority of my non-English speaking patients speak. If the facility that I am serving, the majority of the patients speaks Tagalog, or the Filipino language. Tagalog would be a better investment for me than Spanish.

So which languages do you patient speaks and how do you overcome the language barrier?