Professional Code of Ethics Flashcards

An interpreter overhears staff discussing a celebrity patient in the hallway and later tells a friend. Which ethical principle is breached?

Answer: Confidentiality

Any information learned in the course of interpreting work, even incidentally, must be kept confidential.

When an interpreter must clarify a cultural misunderstanding, the recommended practice is to:

Answer: Inform all parties that they are stepping out of the interpreting role and why

Transparency requires that any interpreter intervention be made known to all parties in the encounter.

A patient asks the interpreter, 'Which treatment option would you choose?' The best response is to:

Answer: Interpret the question to the provider and refrain from giving personal advice

Interpreters must not give personal opinions or advice, which would violate impartiality and role boundaries.

Which situation represents appropriate patient advocacy by a medical interpreter?

Answer: Raising concerns through proper channels when a patient is clearly denied language access

Advocacy is ethically appropriate only to address mistreatment or barriers to care, using proper protocols.

An interpreter makes an interpreting error and realizes it ten minutes later. What should they do?

Answer: Promptly correct the error with all parties present

Ethical practice requires interpreters to acknowledge and correct errors as soon as possible to preserve accuracy.

Under professional standards, how should an interpreter handle notes taken during a session?

Answer: Destroy them securely at the end of the encounter

Interpreter notes contain protected information and should be securely destroyed after the session.

Continuing education for certified medical interpreters supports which ethical obligation?

Answer: Professional development and maintaining competence

Ethics codes require interpreters to keep improving their skills and knowledge throughout their career, and NBCMI requires CEUs for recertification.