Language Barrier

Language Barrier

Had an interesting incident today at work. There came a old, french couple, accompanied by a concierge. From him, it happen that both elders could not speak a single word of English at all. Guess Im kinda lucky to kena them... keke...

Anyway, I was a little lost, not really knowing what to do. The first thing I thought of is to get help from the International Desk. Who is to know that none knows french at all. The only way was to call the French Embassy.

I managed to get a lady who was very kind enough to help me with the interpretation. Some of the messages were able to pass from me to her to the wife of the patient. After which, some tests had to be done on him. Further complications came in when the lab staff could not read the wordings of the doctor's letter and when I thought of sending them up to the ward first to rest, the wife refuses. Gosh... didnt know that just a few simple messages could not be brought across because of the language barrier. Timing just wasn't that right as the Embassy was on a lunch break and could not contacted half hour later. In the end, the couple had to wait at the lobby for some tme before the proper channel of communication can be reached.

I managed to call back to the lady at the Embassy. It was only after the cal that they are willing to head up to the ward. Goodness me!!!

Maybe its time to learn some simple french eh... ....