Ethical dilemmas. We are faced with them everyday. Interpreters are very often put into the position of Constant-Ethical-Dilemma-Decision-Maker or CEDDM for short – yes, we need another acronym! There are many times when the “right” decision feels wrong and the “wrong” decision feels right. The decisions that interpreters make can have significant impact on the outcome of a meeting, shift the cultural platform and cultivate or destroy relationships.
So how do interpreters handle these scenarios? Naturally we have the RID Code of Professional Conduct to refer to. However, the CPC is merely a guideline for parameters of professional behavior, not a rule book to abide by. So interpreters need other guidance. This guidance is often difficult to seek out given the parameters of confidentiality. However, with experience, an interpreter begins to realize that there are ways to gain insight in safe and neutral ways.
As a working professional, any interpreter should be a member of the national organization representing his/her field and should be a member of the local chapter of interpreters. Through these memberships an interpreter will remain abreast on current trends in the field and have access to colleagues who may be more seasoned and who can act as confidential mentors. These mentorships often happen organically through conversations among professionals.
But perhaps a larger platform is needed, one to put real, hard, what-in-the-world-should-I-have done types of issues out there for a bigger group to hear and chew on. To address this issue SignTalk is offering a platform to discuss these issues. So we are asking you to submit some real life scenarios that were perplexing or challenging for you. These situations can be from you as a receiver of interpreting services or from the interpreting side of things.
So let’s ask the “tough” questions, the “oohh, ouch” questions, the “I’m not so sure of the answer” questions. Send your scenarios/dilemmas to smorrow@signtalk.org and we will walk through these scenarios together with perspective from representatives from the deaf and interpreting communities.
Let’s grow our awareness together – with each other – through community.
Susie
