International journal of evidence-based healthcare
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Int J Evid Based Healthc · Mar 2013
Review Meta AnalysisRecognition of the health assistant as a delegated clinical role and their inclusion in models of care: a systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative evidence.
Assistants have been utilised worldwide in healthcare as a means to ensure the provision of adequate and efficient healthcare in the midst of increased pressures on health services for many years. This review aimed to synthesise available qualitative evidence regarding the appropriateness of strategies used to establish the health assistant role as a recognised delegated clinical role and to promote their inclusion in models of care. This review focused on how to make strategies appropriate for health assistants and professionals. Health assistants were defined as those who provide assistance and support to health professionals by whom they are directly or indirectly supervised in all healthcare and health education sectors. ⋯ Qualitative meta-synthesis was performed providing a unique perspective on the role of health assistants and strategies used to include them in models of care. These synthesised findings can be used to guide practice in healthcare organisations considering strategies for implementing the assistant role, or where assistants are currently utilised.
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Int J Evid Based Healthc · Mar 2013
ReviewWorking with interpreters: practical advice for use of an interpreter in healthcare.
The aim of this descriptive commentary is to improve communication in healthcare when an interpreter is used by providing practical advice to healthcare staff when they consider using interpreters. This descriptive commentary considered the issues of preparation and implementation of interpretation sessions to reveal the complexities and dilemmas of an effective healthcare encounter with interpreters. Using the design of a discursive paper, this article seeks to explore and position of what is published in the literature on the topic studied and on the basis of previous studies to provide practical advice on the use of interpreters. ⋯ Healthcare staff should choose an appropriate room and be aware of their own behaviour, appearance and attitude during the healthcare encounter. Good planning is needed, with carefully considered choices concerning the right kind of interpreter, mode of interpretation and individual preferences for the interpretation in order to deliver high-quality and cost-effective healthcare. Depending on the nature of the healthcare encounter, healthcare staff need to plan interpreting carefully and in accordance with the individuals' desires and choose the type of interpreter and mode of interpreting that best suits the need in the actual healthcare situation in order to deliver high-quality healthcare.