When is an interpreter allowed to refuse a request to interpret?

• A. When the interpreter is tired.
• B. When the request involves giving medical advice, making clinical judgments, violating privacy, or safety/ethics.
• C. When there is a language mismatch.
• D. When the patient demands a different interpreter.

Answer: (B)

Interpreting is about faithfully conveying what is said, not about giving medical advice or making clinical judgments, and it must not breach privacy or ethical boundaries. You’re allowed to refuse a request when it would require you to provide medical guidance, interpret professional decisions, disclose confidential information beyond consent, or otherwise compromise safety or ethics. In those cases, decline and either interpret only the literal content while directing the clinician to provide any recommendations, or refer to the appropriate professional who can address that part.

Fatigue, a language mismatch, or a patient requesting a different interpreter aren’t automatically grounds to refuse the session. Fatigue may necessitate a break or rescheduling to maintain accuracy, a language mismatch means you aren’t the right interpreter for that encounter, and a request for a different interpreter should be handled by the setting’s policies and with attention to confidentiality and qualifications. The key idea is staying within the interpreter’s role and boundaries to protect accuracy, privacy, and safety.