Spanish Medical Interpreter - Ambulatory - Full Time

New Pay Grade for 2025!   

Hourly Range: $26.15 USD to $37.95 USD  

*** 5 days a week - 8 hour shifts *** 

Summary of Position: 

The Medical Interpreter assists in facilitating communication between staff and physicians and limited English proficient patients and others via medical setting interpretation, community interpretation, sight translations, and written translations. The interpreter serves this role in multiple modalities: in-person, video and telephonic. This position acts as a cultural and linguistic clarifier, and a patient advocate for limited English proficient patients.

Qualifications

Education:

• High school diploma or GED preferred 

Experience:

• At least one year of recent experience interpreting (within the last three years) in a medical clinic or hospital

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Ability to read, write and speak fluently in English and Spanish

• Ability to interpret medical information, complex information and concepts between one person and another in English and another language

• Culturally effective capabilities demonstrating a sensitivity and responsiveness to varying cultural characteristics and beliefs

• Knowledge of medical terminology

• Excellent interpersonal skills

• Proficient in the use of relevant interpreting software/technologies to complete duties

• Proficient in video remote interpretation technology use, troubleshooting, and platforms

• Training in video and telephonic interpretation platforms

• Training in written translations

Certifications/Licensure:

• National Certification for the Medical Interpreter required

• Valid California or Nevada Driver’s license (depending on state of employee’s residence) or ability to obtain prior to start date 

• Proof of current vehicle insurance

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to walk, stand, sit, and talk or hear. 

• The employee is occasionally required to use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms.

• The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

• Lifts, positions, pushes and/or transfer patients.

• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

Working Conditions 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Routine Hospital/Healthcare & Office/Administrative conditions.

• Contact with patients and guests under a wide variety of circumstances.

• Regularly exposed to the risk of bloodborne diseases.

• Exposure to infections and contagious disease.

• Exposed to hazardous anesthetic agents, body fluids and waste.

• Subject to hazards of flammable and explosive gases.

• Subject to varying and unpredictable situations, including the handling of emergency or crisis situations.

• Subject to pressure due to irregular hours, frequent interruptions and stressful situations due to multiple demands.

• Occasional travel to various health system locations. 

Essential Functions

1. Provide consistently exceptional care at all times.

2. Provides medical and conversational interpretation between Barton staff and patients, family members or visitors in English and Spanish via consecutive, simultaneous, summary, and sight translation modes. 

3. Assists in rounds and maintenance of video remote interpreter (VRI) units. Performs quality assurance observations of the VRI when necessary. 

4. Collaborates with written translation projects. 

5. Assists with Daily Safety Brief meetings. 

6. Participates and represents LAS for hospital wide committees, meetings, and community outreach.

7. Explains the role of the interpreter to the patient and the medical provider.

8. Documents interpreting sessions appropriately and timely using current LAS tracking system. 

9. Responds to verbal and non-verbal cues to determine level of understanding or need for clarification.

10. Acts as intercultural clarifier when communication is compromised by cultural misunderstandings.

11. Acts as patient advocate for limited English proficient patients, especially in circumstances where cultural characteristics or beliefs may present a barrier to communication.

12. Attends in-service (8 of 12 monthly per year) and mandatory trainings that include the improvement of healthcare interpreting, communication skills, provision of culturally competent healthcare, patient safety, use of video medical interpreting and telephonic technology, and complies with hospital policies and procedures.

13. Responds to the needs of the department by performing other duties, as necessary.

Salary : $26