Certified Spanish Interpreter - Certified, Full-Time, Days

Northwestern Memorial Healthcare; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition reimbursement

Loan forgiveness

401(k) matching

Job summary

Northwestern Medicine seeks a Spanish Interpreter to provide medical and general interpreting for patients, families, physicians and the healthcare team within our Chicago system. The role emphasizes accuracy, cultural mediation, and timely communication across care teams.

Requirements include fluent English and Spanish, at least three years in acute care interpreting, and a formal certification; a Bachelor’s degree is preferred.

Qualifications

• Fluent in English and Spanish, oral and written.
• Certification in medical interpreting or related training.
• Minimum three years of acute care interpreting experience.

Responsibilities

• Medical interpreting for patients, families, physicians and staff per NCIHC standards.
• Prioritize requests based on urgency and maintain professional demeanor.
• Maintain documentation of encounters and productivity; support data tracking.
• Communicate across teams; act as cultural mediator when appropriate.

Skills

Bilingual English/Spanish

Excel and Word

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Tools

Excel

Word

Job description

At Northwestern Medicine, every patient interaction makes a difference in cultivating a positive workplace. This patient-first approach is what sets us apart as a leader in the healthcare industry. As an integral part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to join our quest for better health care, no matter where you work within the Northwestern Medicine system. We pride ourselves on providing competitive benefits: from tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to 401(k) matching and lifecycle benefits, our goal is to take care of our employees. Ready to join our quest for better?

SpanishInterpreter reflects the mission, vision, and values of Northwestern Medicine (NM), adheres to the organization's Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

Conducts medical and general interpreting for patients and their families, physicians, and the healthcare team in accordance with the National Standards of Practice of NCIHC designed to facilitate the language needs at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Assesses and monitors patients' understanding of information conveyed and serves as a cultural mediator. Records and monitors interpretation activities according to department standards. Makes decisions regarding prioritization of multiple requests received at one time.

Responsibilities:

• Medical Interpreting:
  • Provides medical and general interpreting services to patients, family members, support persons and healthcare providers and other staff in accordance with the National Standards of Practice (NCIHC). This includes interpreting during consultations and diagnostic testing; medical procedures and operations; the consent process and educational forums. Ensures that the patient's and family's needs are communicated to healthcare providers and staff.
  • Screens multiple requests for interpreters and prioritizes requests based on urgency of need.
  • Assists the healthcare team in problem solving and complaint resolution related to the limited English-Proficient population.
  • Participates in ongoing professional development to maintain practice in accordance with professional medical interpreting standards.
• Communication and Collaboration:
  • Initiates and develops positive relationships with patients, visitors, healthcare providers, fellow interpreters and staff, exhibiting respect, flexibility and cooperation at all times.
  • Serves as a cultural mediator, as necessary and when appropriate, to enhance communication between American culture staff and native culture patients/families, as it relates to medical care.
  • Supports and participates in the continuous assessment and improvement of the interpretation services program.
  • Assists with other departmental functions as assigned
  • Actively participates in staff meetings and mandatory in-services.
• Documentation:
  • Maintains documentation of all interpretation encounters, to include relevant data such as location, duration, and purpose. Documents all interpreting encounters accurately and completely, including patient refusals of interpreting services.
  • Maintains accurate records of productivity, work volumes, and interpreting requests.
• Additional Functions:
  • Proven software competencies (Excel, Word)
  • Adaptable to relevant software necessary for data tracking and trending

Minimum Requirements:

Education:

• Completion of high school education or equivalent.

Certification:

• Must hold a certificate of completion substantiating formal training and qualifications for medical interpreting in accordance with the National Standards of Practice (NCIHC).

Experience:

• Minimum of three years' experience in providing medical interpreting in an acute care setting.

Behavioral Attributes:

• High level of fluency in English and Spanish, both oral and written.
• Ability to interpret effectively, accurately, and impartially both receptive and expressive, using medical terminology as appropriate.
• Ability to maintain professional demeanor in all situations.
• Knowledgeable about the issues of cultural competency and healthcare disparities. Adaptable and sensitive in cross-cultural situations.
• Excellent communication, organizational and customer service skills.

Preferred

• Bachelor’s Degree

Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.

Background Check

Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check. Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act.

Artificial Intelligence Disclosure

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events.

NorthwesternMedicine Career Page

https://jobs.nm.org/benefits

Please refer to the Benefits Eligibility by Employment Classification to determine benefits eligibility for job postings.

If sign-on bonus is included in a job posting eligibility is as followed: Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign-on bonus. Exception: New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position as a Registered Nurse at NM may be eligible.