CASLI Medical Interpreting 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A Deaf patient consistently uses Signed Exact English (SEE) rather than ASL. The CASLI-certified interpreter should:
- Insist on using ASL because it is the standard for medical interpreting
- Match the patient's preferred mode to maximize comprehension and communication (Correct answer)
- Inform the provider that SEE is not appropriate for medical settings
- Request a substitute interpreter trained specifically in SEE
Correct answer: Match the patient's preferred mode to maximize comprehension and communication
Interpreters must adapt to the communication preferences of the Deaf consumer, which may include SEE, contact sign, PSE, or other modes.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes the 'teaming' practice in extended medical interpreting assignments?
- Two interpreters splitting the patient population between them
- Two interpreters alternating active and monitoring roles to maintain accuracy over time (Correct answer)
- One interpreter working while another provides real-time feedback via text
- Two interpreters co-signing simultaneously for redundancy
Correct answer: Two interpreters alternating active and monitoring roles to maintain accuracy over time
Team interpreting involves regular rotation of active and support roles to prevent fatigue and sustain interpreting quality.
Question 3: A patient asks the interpreter to keep information confidential from the provider. The interpreter should:
- Honor the patient's request and omit the information
- Explain the interpreter's role does not permit selective omission and encourage the patient to speak with the provider directly (Correct answer)
- Agree and document the omission afterward
- Inform the provider outside the session without the patient's knowledge
Correct answer: Explain the interpreter's role does not permit selective omission and encourage the patient to speak with the provider directly
The interpreter's role requires complete message transfer; the patient must be informed of this limitation and guided to use appropriate disclosure channels.
Question 4: In a mental health evaluation, the provider uses idioms such as 'feeling blue' or 'climbing the walls.' The interpreter should:
- Translate the idioms word-for-word into ASL
- Render the intended meaning and emotional content of the idiom into equivalent ASL expression (Correct answer)
- Ask the provider to use only clinical DSM terminology
- Omit the idiomatic expressions as they may confuse the Deaf patient
Correct answer: Render the intended meaning and emotional content of the idiom into equivalent ASL expression
Effective interpreting requires conveying the pragmatic and emotional meaning of idioms, not literal signs that distort the intent.
Question 5: Which CASLI domain assesses an interpreter's ability to manage the physical environment of a medical appointment?
- Language competency
- Professional conduct and preparation (Correct answer)
- Ethical decision-making
- Cross-cultural communication
Correct answer: Professional conduct and preparation
Environmental management—including lighting, positioning, and line-of-sight—falls under professional conduct and preparation competencies assessed by CASLI.
Question 6: A Deaf patient refuses to use an interpreter and insists on communicating via written notes. Under the ADA, the healthcare provider must:
- Override the patient's preference and require interpreter use
- Document the patient's preference and provide the chosen auxiliary aid unless it would result in unequal communication (Correct answer)
- Proceed with written notes only if a qualified interpreter is unavailable
- Defer entirely to the interpreter's judgment about adequacy of communication
Correct answer: Document the patient's preference and provide the chosen auxiliary aid unless it would result in unequal communication
The ADA allows patients to choose their preferred auxiliary aid; providers must honor that preference when it achieves effective communication.
Question 7: During a cancer diagnosis disclosure, a Deaf patient becomes visibly upset and stops responding to the interpreter. The interpreter should:
- Continue signing the provider's words regardless of the patient's state
- Inform the provider that the patient appears to need a moment and pause, allowing the provider to respond clinically (Correct answer)
- Comfort the patient directly and reassure them
- Exit the room to give the patient privacy
Correct answer: Inform the provider that the patient appears to need a moment and pause, allowing the provider to respond clinically
Alerting the provider to the patient's non-responsiveness is within scope; providing emotional support is the provider's clinical role.
CASLI Medical Interpreting 4
A Deaf patient consistently uses Signed Exact English (SEE) rather than ASL.
The CASLI-certified interpreter should: