Polish nurse at care home resorts to Google Translate to help her speak English
POLISH-born nurses were unable to speak English properly to patients at a care home with one needing to use Google Translate, reveals an inspection report.
Inspectors found nurses unable to speak English properly to patients at Penrhos Polish Care Home
The language problem caused difficulties when emergency and out-of-hours doctors were called to Penrhos Polish Care Home in Pwllheli, Gwynedd.
The home for 44 pensioners along with two younger adults and an older person needing dementia care has now been issued with a warning from the Care and Social Services Inspectorate for Wales.
Inspectors found two out of 11 nurses working at the home, which accepts residents from Polish, English and Welsh communities, struggled to speak English to residents.
Their report stated: “The impact of this is people cannot be assured they are being cared for by staff who are competent in English or Welsh or have effective communication skills in order to deliver safe effect care.
The language problem caused difficulties when emergency and out-of-hours doctors were called
This places people who use the service at risk of harm as people do not always receive the appropriate care.”
One nurse has very little understanding of speaking, understanding and written English
The home is run by the charity, Polish Housing Society Limited, which was founded in 1949 to provide accommodation for polish ex-servicemen and women in Britain after the Second World War.
It’s website states: “Staff are multilingual thus enabling residents to be cared for in their own language.”
However, inspectors reported: “Two of the nurses employed have very poor English language skills of which one nurse has very little understanding of speaking, understanding and written English.
“Two care staff told us this caused difficulty as they did not always understand what the nurses were saying and vice versa.
“We were told one nurse uses Google Translate to get by on their shift. They informed us this has caused difficulties especially when there have been times where there is a need to call emergency services or out-of-hours doctors.”
Inspectors also found many residents were dehydrated with dry mouths and two people had cracked lips.
The home in Pwllheli has now been issued a warning from the Care and Social Services Inspectorate
Drinks were left out of reach and there was inadequate record of the fluids given.
The report said: “Fluids recorded were inadequate and indicated dehydration for many people in the home. There was no evidence of nursing intervention to ensure people were receiving adequate fluids.
“We saw one person’s mid-morning cup of tea was left on their locker at 12.20. The person required assistance but staff had not helped this person.”
The home’s deputy manager confirmed the nurse who used Google Translate no longer worked there.