Integrating Health Care Interpreters Into Simulation Education

Patients with limited English proficiency skills are accessing health care services more frequently around the world. Language barriers increase patient vulnerability for adverse events, and health care interpreters may mitigate this risk. Nursing education regarding the effective and appropriate use of health care interpreters has been limited. Interpreters are natural partners for nurses as a strategy to bridge language barriers with patients and could be integrated more regularly into nursing education using clinical simulation strategies. This article offers an overview of the different types of interpreters in health care, proposes recommendations for integrating them into simulation education, and provides a case example to illustrate implementation.