I N H E A LT H C A R E
N AT I O N A L C O U N C I L O N I N T E R P R E T I N G

••••
••••
••••
••••
••••
••••

NATIONAL STANDARDSOF PRACTICE
forInterpreters in Health Care

Funded by a grant from

National Council on Interpreting in Health Care
www.ncihc.org
September • 2005

CONTENTSCOMMITTEE ..............................................................................................................................ii
BOARD ......................................................................................................................................ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................iii
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................1
STANDARDS OF PRACTICE ......................................................................................................5
Accuracy ............................................................................................................................5
Confidentiality ....................................................................................................................6
Impartiality ........................................................................................................................6
Respect ..............................................................................................................................7
Cultural Awareness ............................................................................................................7
Role Boundaries ................................................................................................................8
Professionalism..................................................................................................................9Professional Development ..............................................................................................10
Advocacy ..........................................................................................................................10

GLOSSARY ..............................................................................................................................11© 2005 National Council on Interpreting in Health Care, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
The NCIHC National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Health Care is in the public domain and may be reproduced as is in its current
format under the copyright law of fair use. No changes may be made to the document except by the National Council on Interpreting in
Health Care. Persons seeking to use this document should contact NCIHC.

iCOMMITTEEPREPARED BY THE STANDARDS, TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION COMMITTEE
Co-Chairs
Karin Ruschke, MA
President, International Language Services, Inc.
Interpreter Trainer, Program Development Consultant
Shiva Bidar-Sielaff, MA
Manager of Interpreter Services/Minority Community Relations
University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics

Members
Maria-Paz Beltran Avery, PhD
Strategic Director, Education Development Center, Inc.
Member, Certification Committee of the Massachusetts Medical Interpreters Association
Bruce Downing, PhD
Associate Professor and Director of the Program in Translation and Interpreting
University of Minnesota
Carola E. Green
Interpreter, Translator, Interpreting Trainer
Project Coordinator, Vista Community Clinic
Linda HaffnerFreelance Consultant, Trainer, and Spanish Interpreter/Translator

BOARD
REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE NCIHC BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Wilma Alvarado-Little, MA, Co-chair of the Board
Maria Michalczyk, RN, MA, Co-chair of the Board
Elaine Quinn, RN, MBA, CST, DSA, Treasurer
Lisa Morris, MSTD, Secretary
Cynthia E. Roat, MPH, Chair of the Advisory Committee
Sabrina Morales, Co-chair of the Research and Policy Committee
Elizabeth Jacobs, MD, Co-chair of the Research and Policy Committee
Joy Connell, Co-chair of the Organizational Development Committee
Esther Diaz, MEd, Co-chair of the Organizational Development Committee
Julie Burns, MEd, Co-chair of the Membership and Outreach Committee
Marjory Bancroft, MA, Co-chair of the Membership and Outreach Committee
Shiva Bidar-Sielaff, MA, Co-chair of the Standards, Training and Certification Committee
Karin Ruschke, MA, Co-chair of the Standards, Training and Certification Committee© 2005 National Council on Interpreting in Health Care, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

ii

The NCIHC National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Health Care is in the public domain and may be reproduced as is in its current
format under the copyright law of fair use. No changes may be made to the document except by the National Council on Interpreting in
Health Care. Persons seeking to use this document should contact NCIHC.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This work was generously funded by The Commonwealth Fund and The California Endowment. We
would like to thank the project coordinators, Esther Diaz and Patricia Ohmans/Health Advocates, fortheir commitment to this project and Marjory Bancroft for her work on the Environmental Scan. We
would like to specially recognize the many interpreters and other individuals who participated in
our focus groups and responded to our survey, and the expert consultants who provided us withvaluable input.

© 2005 National Council on Interpreting in Health Care, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
The NCIHC National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Health Care is in the public domain and may be reproduced as is in its current
format under the copyright law of fair use. No changes may be made to the document except by the National Council on Interpreting in
Health Care. Persons seeking to use this document should contact NCIHC.

iii

INTRODUCTION
This introduction to the National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Health Care explains thecontext in which the standards were developed, describes the process of development, and suggests ways in which the standards can be used.
In 2004, the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care1 (NCIHC) published the National Codeof Ethics for Interpreters in Health Care. Development of the code of ethics followed an extensive
period of gathering input and counsel from working interpreters and their colleagues. Through asimilar consensus-building process, the NCIHC has now developed a set of standards of practicefor interpreters working in health care settings. This project built on the work in standards development at the individual state level, specifically on the pioneering work of the Massachusetts
Medical Interpreters Association (MMIA)2 and the California Healthcare Interpreting Association(CHIA)3. While we reviewed the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) standards of practice4
and received input from American Sign Language interpreters, our focus and expertise lies in spoken language interpreting and therefore these standards represent a consensus on standards for
spoken language interpreters.

WHAT ARE STANDARDS OF PRACTICE?
Standards of practice are a set of guidelines that define what an interpreter does in the performance of his or her role, that is, the tasks and skills the interpreter should be able to perform in thecourse of fulfilling the duties of the profession. Standards describe what is considered “bestpractice” by the profession and ensure a consistent quality of performance. For health care interpreters, the standards define the acceptable ways by which they can meet the core obligations of
their profession – the accurate and complete transmission of messages between a patient andprovider who do not speak the same language in order to support the patient-provider therapeutic
relationship.
As in all professions, the field of interpreting is guided by ethical principles. These standards forhealth care interpreters show how professional interpreters respond to ethical and other considerations in the performance of their duties. Standards of practice are concerned with the “hows” of
performance as compared with codes of ethics that focus on the “shoulds.” A code of ethics
provides “a set of principles or values that govern the conduct of members of a profession while
they are engaged in the enactment of that profession.”5 In other words, codes of ethics provide“guidelines for making judgments about what is acceptable and desirable behavior in a given
context or in a particular relationship”6 while standards focus on the practical concerns of what
the interpreter does in the performance of his or her role, offering “best practice” strategies forobserving the principles of the code of ethics in day-to-day practice.

1

A National Code of Ethics for Interpreters in Health Care. National Council on Interpreting in Health Care, 2004.

2

Massachusetts Medical Interpreters Association and Education Development Center, Inc. Medical Interpreting Standards ofPractice. Newton: EDC, 1996.
3
California Standards for Healthcare Interpreters: Ethical Principles, Protocols, and Guidance on Roles & Intervention; California
Healthcare Interpreting Association, 2002.
4
Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf; www.rid.org.
5

A National Code of Ethics for Interpreters in Health Care, National Council on Interpreting in Health Care, 2004.

6

See Footnote 5.

••••
••••
••••

© 2005 National Council on Interpreting in Health Care, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
The NCIHC National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Health Care is in the public domain and may be reproduced as is in its current
format under the copyright law of fair use. No changes may be made to the document except by the National Council on Interpreting in
Health Care. Persons seeking to use this document should contact NCIHC.

1

WHY ARE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS OF PRACTICE FOR INTERPRETERS IN HEALTH CARE NEEDED?
Health care interpreting is a distinctive and specialized area of practice. Interpreters working in healthcare facilitate communication between providers and patients or families who do not share a language.
Although in recent years health care facilities and agencies across the United States have made strides
in providing linguistically appropriate services, the lack of qualified interpreters continues to be abarrier to health care for limited English proficient (LEP) patients. There has been a lack of clarity andconsistency at the national level in defining the characteristics and competencies of a qualified healthcare interpreter, leaving interpreters and health care facilities, as well as other stakeholders, with little
or no guidance in identifying the performance requirements of the interpreter role. As a result, thequality of health care interpreting across the country is uneven and inconsistent, leading to a dangerous potential for incomplete and inaccurate communication. The clinical and financial ramifications are
documented in the research literature.
Nationally recognized standards of practice provide the necessary guideposts for improving the training of health care interpreters, helping to raise the quality and consistency of interpreting in healthcare. Just like medical protocols for physicians, these standards will provide guidance to interpreters
as to what is expected of them and what constitutes good practice.

HOW WERE THE STANDARDS DEVELOPED?
The NCIHC Standards, Training and Certification (STC) committee developed the National Standards ofPractice for Interpreters in Health Care by first commissioning an environmental scan of current
practices and existing published standards, both nationally and internationally.7 A series of seventargeted focus groups were then conducted across the country. After analyzing the focus group andenvironmental scan results, an initial standards document was drafted. The draft standards were
presented for feedback through a national survey of interpreters and those who work with them. The survey collected responses and comments from 632 interpreters and 141 non-interpreters.
In the survey, the question “Should this standard be included (in the professional standards of practicefor health care interpreters)?” was asked about each of the proposed standards. Each was approved forinclusion by a large majority of respondents, both interpreters and non-interpreters; almost all wereapproved by over 90% of respondents. This final document incorporates changes made by the STC
committee after careful consideration of all the input from survey respondents.

HOW ARE THE STANDARDS OF PRACTICE ORGANIZED IN THIS DOCUMENT?
There are 32 standards of practice grouped under nine headings. The headings show the relationshipof the standards to the nine ethical principles of the National Code of Ethics. Under each heading an
objective is stated defining the overall goal of that set of standards. In addition, each ethical principle
is restated in the corresponding section of the standard to show the relationship between the ethicalprinciples and the standards of practice.

7

Bancroft, Marjory. The Interpreter’s World Tour: An Environmental Scan of Standards of Practice for Interpreters. Prepared for
the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care. Woodland Hills: The California Endowment, March 2005

••••
••••
••••
© 2005 National Council on Interpreting in Health Care, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

2

The NCIHC National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Health Care is in the public domain and may be reproduced as is in its current
format under the copyright law of fair use. No changes may be made to the document except by the National Council on Interpreting in
Health Care. Persons seeking to use this document should contact NCIHC.

The standards are numbered consecutively for ease of reference. Each standard is accompanied
by an example, intended to clarify the practical significance of the standard by illustrating one
possible application. The examples are not comprehensive and should not be confused with thestandards. They simply suggest ways in which the standards may be applied. To keep the document
brief, only one example is given for each standard. When the standards are discussed in interpreter
training, we expect many other examples will be provided.
A glossary of specialized terms used in this document is included as Appendix A.

HOW TO USE THE STANDARDS
These standards of practice are intended to be used as a reference by interpreters and those whowork with, train, and employ interpreters. They are intended to guide the practice of all interpreters
and to acquaint non-interpreters with the standards recognized within the interpreting profession.
The standards of practice in this document should be taken as a whole. While each standard has
merit and can stand on its own, the full implication of each standard is best understood when seen
in its connection and interdependence with the other standards. Therefore, each standard should
be understood and practiced in the context of the whole.
It should also be understood that in every profession statements of ethical principles and standards of practice are concise summary statements of expectations and skills that a competentprofessional in that field should have. Having these documents does not eliminate the need fortraining and education. In fact, training is central to the continued growth and development of theprofession of health care interpreting.
Specifically, the standards should be used for:A. TRAINING .
Supervisors, trainers, and training organizations are encouraged to adopt and promote thesestandards and to incorporate them into their training for health care interpreters. For the purposes of training, the examples that accompany each standard should be discussed and manyother examples considered as further illustrations of good interpreting practice.

B. HIRING .
Hiring authorities can refer to these standards when interviewing or testing candidates for
employment as interpreters in health care settings.

C. PERFORMANCE MONITORING .
These standards can be used, with other criteria, as a basis for performance evaluation andon-going quality assessment of interpreting services.

D. DISCUSSION ON CERTIFICATION OF PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE .
These standards, together with the NCIHC National Code of Ethics, are intended to provide thebasis for discussion on the merits of a certification process to assess the qualifications ofinterpreters working or preparing to work in health care settings.

••••
••••
••••
© 2005 National Council on Interpreting in Health Care, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
The NCIHC National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Health Care is in the public domain and may be reproduced as is in its current
format under the copyright law of fair use. No changes may be made to the document except by the National Council on Interpreting in
Health Care. Persons seeking to use this document should contact NCIHC.

3

In conclusion, these standards are intended to provide a common base of understanding of theprofession, foster the consistency with which the profession is practiced, and improve the quality ofinterpreter services. They support existing policies in health care that focus on improving communication and access. As such, the standards benefit all stakeholders involved in the delivery of quality
health services to LEP patients: health care interpreters, the health care organizations who contract
their services, regulatory organizations that oversee quality control and risk management activities
within health care facilities, and the patients and providers who use their services.

••••
••••
••••
© 2005 National Council on Interpreting in Health Care, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

4

The NCIHC National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Health Care is in the public domain and may be reproduced as is in its current
format under the copyright law of fair use. No changes may be made to the document except by the National Council on Interpreting in
Health Care. Persons seeking to use this document should contact NCIHC.

STANDARDS OF PRACTICE
ACCURACYOBJECTIVE:
To enable other parties to know precisely what each speaker has said.

1.

The interpreter renders all messages accurately and completely,

Related ethicalprinciple:

without adding, omitting, or substituting.

Interpreters strive to render

redundant, irrelevant, or rude.

the message accurately,

For example, an interpreter repeats all that is said, even if it seems

2.

conveying the content and

The interpreter replicates the register, style, and tone of the speaker.

For example, unless there is no equivalent in the patient's language,

spirit of the original mes-

an interpreter does not substitute simpler explanations for medical

sage, taking into considera-

terms a provider uses, but may ask the speaker to re-express them-tion the cultural context.

selves in language more easily understood by the other party.
3.

The interpreter advises parties that everything said will beinterpreted.

For example, an interpreter may explain the interpreting process to a
provider by saying "everything you say will be repeated to the patient."
4.

The interpreter manages the flow of communication.

For example, an interpreter may ask a speaker to pause or slow down.
5.

The interpreter corrects errors in interpretation.

For example, an interpreter who has omitted an important wordcorrects the mistake as soon as possible.
6.

The interpreter maintains transparency.

For example, when asking for clarification, an interpreter says to allparties, "I, the interpreter, did not understand, so I am going to ask
for an explanation."

••••
••••
••••
© 2005 National Council on Interpreting in Health Care, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
The NCIHC National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Health Care is in the public domain and may be reproduced as is in its current
format under the copyright law of fair use. No changes may be made to the document except by the National Council on Interpreting in
Health Care. Persons seeking to use this document should contact NCIHC.

5

STANDARDS OF PRACTICECONFIDENTIALITYOBJECTIVE:
To honor the private and personal nature of the health care interaction and maintain trust
among all parties.
7.

The interpreter maintains confidentiality and does not disclose

Related ethicalprinciple:

information outside the treating team, except with the patient's

Interpreters treat as confi-

For example, an interpreter does not discuss a patient’s case with family

dential, within the treatingor community members without the patient’s consent.

team, all information learned

consent or if required by law.

8.

in the performance of their

The interpreter protects written patient information in his or her
possession.

professional duties, while

For example, an interpreter does not leave notes on an interpreting session

observing relevant require-in public view.

ments regarding disclosure.

IMPARTIALITYOBJECTIVE:
To eliminate the effect of interpreter bias or preference.

9.

The interpreter does not allow personal judgments or cultural

Related ethicalprinciple:

values to influence objectivity.

Interpreters strive to main-

words, tone of voice, or body language.

tain impartiality and refrainfrom counseling, advising,or projecting personal biases or beliefs.

For example, an interpreter does not reveal personal feelings through10. The interpreter discloses potential conflicts of interest, withdrawing
from assignments if necessary.

For example, an interpreter avoids interpreting for a family member orclose friend.

••••
••••
••••
© 2005 National Council on Interpreting in Health Care, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

6

The NCIHC National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Health Care is in the public domain and may be reproduced as is in its current
format under the copyright law of fair use. No changes may be made to the document except by the National Council on Interpreting in
Health Care. Persons seeking to use this document should contact NCIHC.

STANDARDS OF PRACTICERESPECTOBJECTIVE:
To acknowledge the inherent dignity of all parties in the interpreted encounter.

11. The interpreter uses professional, culturally appropriate ways of

Related ethicalprinciple:

showing respect.

Interpreters treat all parties

patient and provider.

with respect.

For example, in greetings, an interpreter uses appropriate titles for both

12. The interpreter promotes direct communication among all parties
in the encounter.

For example, an interpreter may tell the patient and provider to addresseach other, rather than the interpreter.
13. The interpreter promotes patient autonomy.

For example, an interpreter directs a patient who asks him or her fora ride home to appropriate resources within the institution.

CULTURAL AWARENESSOBJECTIVE:
To facilitate communication across cultural differences.

14. The interpreter strives to understand the cultures associated withRelated ethicalprinciple:

the languages he or she interprets, including biomedical culture.

Interpreters strive to develop

patients may useawareness of the culturesencountered in the performance of interpreting duties.

For example, an interpreter learns about the traditional remedies some

15. The interpreter alerts all parties to any significant cultural misunderstanding that arises.

For example, if a provider asks a patient who is fasting for religious
reasons to take an oral medication, an interpreter may call attention
to the potential conflict.

••••
••••
••••
© 2005 National Council on Interpreting in Health Care, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
The NCIHC National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Health Care is in the public domain and may be reproduced as is in its current
format under the copyright law of fair use. No changes may be made to the document except by the National Council on Interpreting in
Health Care. Persons seeking to use this document should contact NCIHC.

7

STANDARDS OF PRACTICEROLE BOUNDARIESOBJECTIVE:
To clarify the scope and limits of the interpreting role, in order to avoid conflicts of interest.

16. The interpreter limits personal involvement with all parties during

Related ethicalprinciple:

the interpreting assignment.

The interpreter maintains

information in conversations with a patient.

the boundaries of the professional role, refraining
from personal involvement.

For example, an interpreter does not share or elicit overly personal

17. The interpreter limits his or her professional activity to interpreting
within an encounter.

For example, an interpreter never advises a patient on health carequestions, but redirects the patient to ask the provider.
18. The interpreter with an additional role adheres to all interpreting
standards of practice while interpreting.

For example, an interpreter who is also a nurse does not confer with another provider in the patient's presence, without reporting what is said.

••••
••••
••••
© 2005 National Council on Interpreting in Health Care, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

8

The NCIHC National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Health Care is in the public domain and may be reproduced as is in its current
format under the copyright law of fair use. No changes may be made to the document except by the National Council on Interpreting in
Health Care. Persons seeking to use this document should contact NCIHC.

STANDARDS OF PRACTICE
PROFESSIONALISMOBJECTIVE:
To uphold the public’s trust in the interpreting profession.

19. The interpreter is honest and ethical in all business practices.

Related ethicalprinciple:
Interpreters at all times act
in a professional and ethicalmanner.

For example, an interpreter accurately represents his or her credentials.
20. The interpreter is prepared for all assignments.

For example, an interpreter asks about the nature of the assignmentand reviews relevant terminology.
21. The interpreter discloses skill limitations with respect to particularassignments.

For example, an interpreter who is unfamiliar with a highly technicalmedical term asks for an explanation before continuing to interpret.
22. The interpreter avoids sight translation, especially of complex or
critical documents, if he or she lacks sight translation skills.

For example, when asked to sight translate a surgery consent form,
an interpreter instead asks the provider to explain its content and theninterprets the explanation.
23. The interpreter is accountable for professional performance.

For example, an interpreter does not blame others for his or herinterpreting errors.
24 The interpreter advocates for working conditions that support quality
interpreting.

For example, an interpreter on a lengthy assignment indicates when
fatigue might compromise interpreting accuracy.
25. The interpreter shows respect for professionals with whom he or
she works.

For example, an interpreter does not spread rumors that would discredit
another interpreter.
26. The interpreter acts in a manner befitting the dignity of the profession
and appropriate to the setting.

For example, an interpreter dresses appropriately and arrives on time
for appointments.

••••
••••
••••
© 2005 National Council on Interpreting in Health Care, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
The NCIHC National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Health Care is in the public domain and may be reproduced as is in its current
format under the copyright law of fair use. No changes may be made to the document except by the National Council on Interpreting in
Health Care. Persons seeking to use this document should contact NCIHC.

9

STANDARDS OF PRACTICE
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTOBJECTIVE:
To attain the highest possible level of competence and service.

27. The interpreter continues to develop language and cultural

Related ethicalprinciple:

knowledge and interpreting skills.

Interpreters strive to further

terminology or regional slang.

their knowledge and skills,
through independent study,
continuing education, andFor example, an interpreter stays up to date on changes in medical

28. The interpreter seeks feedback to improve his or her performance.

For example, an interpreter consults with colleagues about a challenging
assignment.

actual interpreting practice.
29. The interpreter supports the professional development of fellow
interpreters.

For example, an experienced interpreter mentors novice interpreters.
30. The interpreter participates in organizations and activities that
contribute to the development of the profession.

For example, an interpreter attends professional workshops andconferences.

ADVOCACYOBJECTIVE:
To prevent harm to parties that the interpreter serves.

31. The interpreter may speak out to protect an individual fromRelated ethicalprinciple:

serious harm.

When the patient’s health,a life-threatening allergy, if the condition has been overlooked.

well-being or dignity is at

32. The interpreter may advocate on behalf of a party or group torisk, an interpreter may bejustified in acting as an
advocate.

For example, an interpreter may intervene on behalf of a patient withcorrect mistreatment or abuse.

For example, an interpreter may alert his or her supervisor to patternsof disrespect towards patients.

••••
••••
••••
© 2005 National Council on Interpreting in Health Care, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

10

The NCIHC National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Health Care is in the public domain and may be reproduced as is in its current
format under the copyright law of fair use. No changes may be made to the document except by the National Council on Interpreting in
Health Care. Persons seeking to use this document should contact NCIHC.

APPENDIX AGLOSSARY8ADVOCACY: Advocacy is understood as an action taken on behalf of an individual that goesbeyond facilitating communication, with the intention of supporting good health outcomes. In
general, advocacy means that a third party (in this case, the interpreter) speaks for or pleads thecause of another party, thereby departing from an impartial role.

CERTIFICATION: A process by which a certifying body (usually a governmental or professionalorganization) attests to or certifies that an individual is qualified to provide a particular service.
Certification calls for formal assessment, using an instrument that has been tested for validity andreliability, so that the certifying body can be confident that the individuals it certifies have thequalifications needed to do the job.

HEALTH CARE INTERPRETING: Interpreting that takes place in health care settings of any sort,
including doctor’s offices, clinics, hospitals, home health visits, mental health clinics, and publichealth presentations. Typically the interpretation occurs during an interview or encounter between
a health care provider (doctor, nurse, lab technician) and a patient (or the patient and one or morefamily members).

INTERPRETER: A person who renders a message spoken or signed in one language into a second
language. (See Professional Interpreter)

INTERPRETING: The process of understanding and analyzing a spoken or signed message andre-expressing that message faithfully, accurately, and objectively in another language, taking thecultural and social context into account. [Within the language profession, the term translation isrestricted to the process of converting written messages.]

INTERPRETING ASSIGNMENT: A period of time during which an interpreter performs his or her
duties. An interpreting assignment may involve multiple encounters with patients and providers.

LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY (LEP): The inability to speak, read, write or understand theEnglish language at a level that permits an individual to interact effectively with health careproviders and social service agencies.9

PARTIES:

Individuals present during an interpreted encounter.

PROFESSIONAL INTERPRETER:

Those who abide by a code of professional ethics.

REGISTER: A stylistic level of language used by a speaker. A speaker’s choice of register
is generally adapted to a particular topic, the parties spoken to, and the perceived formality ofthe situation.

8

These are selected definitions from Terminology of Health Care Interpreting: A Glossary of Terms. National Council onInterpreting in Health Care, 2001, 2005.
9

US Department of Health and Human Services: Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Recipients Regarding Title VI

Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Limited English Proficient Persons. Federal Register. August 8,
2003; Volume 68 (153):47311-47323.

••••
••••
••••
© 2005 National Council on Interpreting in Health Care, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
The NCIHC National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Health Care is in the public domain and may be reproduced as is in its current
format under the copyright law of fair use. No changes may be made to the document except by the National Council on Interpreting in
Health Care. Persons seeking to use this document should contact NCIHC.

11

APPENDIX AGLOSSARY
SIGHT TRANSLATION: Translation of a written document into spoken or signed language. Aninterpreter reads a document written in one language and simultaneously interprets it into asecond language.

TRANSPARENCY: The principle that during the encounter the interpreter informs all parties of any
action he or she takes, including speaking for him- or herself, outside of direct interpreting.

TREATING TEAM: All health care providers involved in the care of a particular patient within asingle facility.

••••
••••
••••
© 2005 National Council on Interpreting in Health Care, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

12

The NCIHC National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Health Care is in the public domain and may be reproduced as is in its current
format under the copyright law of fair use. No changes may be made to the document except by the National Council on Interpreting in
Health Care. Persons seeking to use this document should contact NCIHC.

NOTES________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

••••
••••
••••

© 2005 National Council on Interpreting in Health Care, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
The NCIHC National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Health Care is in the public domain and may be reproduced as is in its current
format under the copyright law of fair use. No changes may be made to the document except by the National Council on Interpreting in
Health Care. Persons seeking to use this document should contact NCIHC.

13

Health Care, produced by the National Council onInterpreting in Health Care (NCIHC), Inc., is the result of asystematic, deliberate, and reflective process. The NCIHC
is confident that this document represents the standards
that working interpreters believe are important in thepractice of their profession. The document is designed asa guide for both interpreters and the health care systems
in which they work, and is not meant to supplant or
expand policy or regulations pertinent to the provision ofcompetent interpreter services. The NCIHC regrets any
inadvertent result which may arise from the applicationof these standards of practice.

1217 SUNSET AVENUESANTA ROSA, CA 95407

An electronic copy of this document is available on the NCIHC website www.ncihc.org

••••
••••
••••
••••
••••
••••

The National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in