Interpreter-Johnson City Community Health Center

East Tennessee State University, United States

Updated: 1 day ago
Location: Johnson City, TENNESSEE
Deadline: ;

Posting Details
Position Information


Job Title Interpreter-Johnson City Community Health Center
Department Office of Practice
Pay Grade 8
Job Category Support Staff
Job Summary
The College of Nursing’s Johnson City Community Health Center is seeking to fill a vacancy for an Interpreter. Responsibilities include:
  • Serves as a medical interpreter for patients and staff and supports the department’s operations, in the consecutive, simultaneous, and sight translation modes.
  • Maintains training in medical terminology, target language, and source language.
  • Explains center resources, office protocols, and limitations to patients; makes appropriate referrals; and serves as a cultural and linguistic resource to patients and providers to contribute to successful outcomes.
  • Prepares written translations as directed by medical providers in patient encounters, such as medical instructions and medication schedules; and administrative translations, such as letters to patients, documents, and patient materials.
  • Supports the office operations by managing outgoing medical record requests, answering the phone, taking requests, calling patients to confirm appointments, and scheduling future appointments when necessary.
  • Assists department with on-the-job training and mentoring of interpreter internships.
  • Works with special projects as assigned.
  • Performs other related duties as assigned.


The value of employment at ETSU goes far beyond salary. The official workday is 7.5 hours, which includes a one-hour lunch/meal break. Regular benefited ETSU employees enjoy a full range of benefits, services, and programs including:
  • Paid time off & leave
  • 17 paid holidays
  • Educational Assistance
  • Health and life insurance
  • Retirement
  • Access to University facilities and services and much more!

Check out the ETSU Human Resources Benefits page for additional information at: https://www.etsu.edu/human-resources/benefits/ .
ETSU is committed to ensuring that our students, faculty, and staff are valued and work in an environment of openness and acceptance. ETSU is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.
Disclaimer: The Job Summary is intended to describe the general nature and level of work individuals perform in this classification. It is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Management reserves the right to revise the job or require different tasks to be performed as assigned to reflect changes in the position. Employees must be able to perform the position’s essential functions satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
  • Ability to understand a variety of regional accents and linguistic styles and registers.
  • Ability to interpret with the highest degree of accuracy and completeness in consecutive, simultaneous, and sight translation modes.
  • Ability to self-correct, understand own linguistic limitations, seek clarification, and accept correction.
  • Ability to pick up on cues when encountering participants regarding level of understanding and/or need for clarification.
  • Strong writing skills and understanding of translation process.
  • Ability to understand language as an expression of culture, recognizes the underlying assumptions of each party about medicine, the encounter, the illness, etc.; uses this understanding to empower patient and provider to better understand each other.
  • Knowledge of when to intervene as an intercultural mediator when communication is compromised by culture-bound messages.
  • Ability to avoid generalizations and stereotyping
  • Ability to recognize the complexity of the clinical encounter and the added factor of linguistic barrier.
  • Ability to set the tone of the patient/provider encounter to manage spatial configuration and flow of communication to preserve accuracy and completeness, and to assess and address potential areas of discomfort for patient (age, gender of interpreter, no previous experience with interpreters).
  • Ability to encourage and foster direct communication between provider and patient.
  • Ability to diffuse conflict between parties by remaining calm and impartial.
  • Ability to clarify instructions, and follow up steps in a diplomatic, effective manner.
  • Ability to understand and abide by health center policies on patient confidentiality, informed consent, non-discrimination, and by interpreters code of ethics and standards of practice.
  • Ability to project a positive attitude about the health center, and offer services to ensure a positive experience.
  • Ability to work as a team with colleagues and providers
  • Ability to address concerns raised during or after an encounter by encouraging the provider to make appropriate referral and/or assisting with making of appointment with the right resource and booking an interpreter as needed.
  • Ability to work well under pressure to manage stressful situations.
  • Ability to be flexible to meet scheduling needs and handle often unpredictable changes.
  • Ability to have sound judgment and confidence.
  • Ability to handle multiple tasks.
  • Ability to be detail-oriented and accurate.
Required Qualifications
  • High School Diploma or equivalent.
  • Minimum of 1 year professional interpretation experience (may consider relevant part-time and/or volunteer experience).
  • Fluency in English and one or more foreign languages, both orally and written, preferably Spanish.
Preferred Qualifications
  • Qualified or Certified Medical Interpreter preferred.
  • Experience with electronic medical records strongly desired.
  • 1-3 years of experience in a healthcare setting.
  • Medical interpreter training.
Salary

Posting Detail Information


Posting Number SS01529P
Is this position subject to a criminal background check? Yes
Is any part of the funding for this posting coming from a grant or outside funding source? Yes
Open Date 02/29/2024
Close Date
Open Until Filled Yes
Special Instructions to Applicants
Position contingent upon grant funding.
Criminal background check required.
Pursuant to the Centers from Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Vaccine mandate, candidates will be required to show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 upon commencing employment. Reasonable accommodations will be considered on a case-by-case basis for exemptions to this requirement in accordance with applicable law.
Support Staff positions are only required to be posted for a minimum of five (5) calendar days. The closing date for this posting is subject to change without notice to applicants. All positions at East Tennessee State University are contingent upon sufficient funding.

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