Useful Information
Overcoming Communication Barriers in Emergency Situations: Some Basic Tools
Nobody Left Behind requires Effective Communication at All Levels
In emergency situations, communication breakdowns between those in need of help and caregivers can have dire consequences. They can, and often do, create huge barriers between first responders and people in need of immediate help. These communication breakdowns can be attributed to new and/or chronic speech and/ or comprehension difficulties, medical problems, language barriers with non-native speakers, cultural barriers etc. People in emergency situations regularly report instances in which communication barriers result in feelings of anxiety, fear, frustration, untreated pain, and overall loss of control.
First responders face an especially critical need for communication. As the first to reach people in trouble, often under emergency conditions, first responders must be able to accurately assess a patient's need in order to administer the proper care in the field. With little access to interpreters, these hard-pressed heroes must rely on simple, low-tech products to enable them to give the best possible care to their patients. Listed in this article are a selection of some of the more common communication tools that can help first responder personnel facilitate communication while in the field. These include a variety of mobile phone and tablet apps that deal with communication issues, as well as apps that can help communication vulnerable people become better prepared to cope in an emergency. Also, while communication boards and apps can be invaluable, nothing replaces the ability to speak directly to a patient. As the number of persons of limited-English proficiency rises in the United States, first responders have found it increasingly important to communicate in other languages, especially Spanish. You'll read about language programs geared specifically toward first responder needs. SpanishOnPatrol and Spanish 4 Emergencies offer online Spanish classes that focus on the phrases and vocabulary first responders are most likely to encounter while on duty.
