Nurses' Perceptions of Technology Used in Language Interpretation for Patients with Limited English Proficiency

Area of Science:

• Nursing Informatics
• Health Communication Technology
• Patient Care Technology

Background:

• Effective communication is crucial for patients with limited English proficiency (LEP).
• Technology plays a vital role in bridging language barriers in healthcare settings.
• The technology acceptance model (TAM) provides a framework for understanding user adoption of new technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate nurses' perceptions of telephone-based remote interpretation versus video remote interpretation (VRI) technology.
• To assess the impact of interpretation technology on nursing care, communication, and rapport with LEP patients.
• To determine the likelihood of VRI technology adoption in clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving 47 nurses assessing telephone interpretation and VRI systems.
• Utilized structured questionnaires to measure nurses' perceptions and collect demographic data.
• Incorporated open-ended questions to explore the qualitative impact of technology on nursing practice.

Main Results:

• Nurses demonstrated significantly higher positive perceptions and lower negative perceptions of VRI compared to telephone interpretation (P < 0.001).
• Qualitative data revealed that VRI technology improved communication efficiency and reduced time spent on interpretation.
• Nurses favored VRI due to its benefits in time management and enhanced patient-provider communication.

Conclusions:

• Nurses prefer VRI technology over traditional telephone interpretation due to improved communication and time efficiency.
• VRI is poised for successful adoption, likely increasing the utilization of professional language interpretation services for LEP patients.
• Implementing VRI technology can significantly enhance the quality of care for patients with limited English proficiency.