title: Nurses' perceptions of working with immigrant patients and interpreters in Finland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe nurses' perceptions of the factors to consider when using interpreters in primary health care nursing with immigrant patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a qualitative study using inductive content analysis. The participants (n = 8) were public health nurses working in one Finnish primary health care center with experience of the use of interpreters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected using individual interviews and analyzed using inductive content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The factors to be considered when using interpreters are related to the interpreter, to the nurse, and to the patient. Important criteria for interpreters are their professional knowledge, professional role, and personal character. Careful planning and realization of the appointment is essential for the proper use and cost-effectiveness. The patients' difficulties to understand the role of the interpreter, protection of patients' privacy, and patients' desires concerning the interpreter are factors to consider.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of an interpreter is dependent on multiple factors. The interpreter supports the communication between the nurse and the patient. Interpreter use can increase the amount of work undertaken by nurses and make the relationship between the nurse and the patient more complicated, or even create ethical problems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Niina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eklöf
authors.forename: Maija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hupli
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Leino-Kilpi
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D059017:Primary Care Nursing; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D011637:Public Health Nursing; D036301:Qualitative Research; D014175:Translating
keywords: immigrant; interpreter; primary health care