{"id":72259,"date":"2023-11-02T08:00:52","date_gmt":"2023-11-02T14:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=72259"},"modified":"2023-11-06T11:43:02","modified_gmt":"2023-11-06T18:43:02","slug":"lariisa-mcclung","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/lariisa-mcclung\/","title":{"rendered":"Lariisa McClung"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>
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Lariisa McClung, ASL medical interpreter, with Tonya Williams. Williams has been Deaf since a childhood illness. Lariisa interprets during a physical therapy appointment at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

American Sign Language medical interpreter eases care\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Imagine going in for a medical procedure and not being able to hear what the provider is saying.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the challenge Deaf and hard of hearing patients face routinely. They may need to face away from the provider for a procedure and not understand the instructions. Or they may be uncomfortable or nervous and not be able to explain how they\u2019re feeling.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s where Lariisa McClung comes in.<\/p>\n

Whether she\u2019s lying on the floor underneath patients positioned on their stomachs with their head in a face cradle or crouching next to a large piece of medical equipment, Lariisa is accustomed to contorting herself in all sorts of unusual positions to do her job.<\/p>\n

For the American Sign Language (ASL) medical interpreter based at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital<\/a>, it\u2019s all in a day\u2019s work.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s common when a patient is having a lumbar puncture or a spinal nerve block that they have to sit on an examination table or bed\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad and round their back, staring at the floor,\u201d she said. \u201cI get on the floor in their line of sight to make sure they maintain their curved posture.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A
Lariisa McClung, ASL medical interpreter, with Tonya Williams. Photo by Cyrus McCrimmon, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lariisa always has to consider sight lines. She often has to squeeze around a procedure table or stand above patients so they can see her signing. When patients are anxious, she\u2019ll interpret instructions on how to breathe and relax.<\/p>\n

Her support helps patients \u201chave agency,\u201d Lariisa said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey can say things like, \u2018Give me a minute\u2019 and feel more in control of a situation when they\u2019re uncomfortable or when they feel like things are being done to them rather than with them,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Lariisa once held a patient\u2019s hand during cataract surgery. If the man was uncomfortable during the procedure, he could spell \u201cpain\u201d into Lariisa\u2019s hand, and she could relay the message to the eye surgeon. She then signed \u201cyes\u201d into the patient\u2019s palm to assure him that the surgeon got the message.<\/p>\n

Lariisa is one of four ASL interpreters at UCHealth and one of two based in the central region at the Anschutz Medical Campus<\/a>. The other two work in UCHealth\u2019s southern and northern regions. Lariisa has worked at UCHealth for the past four years and also has served as an ASL interpreter in various non-medical professions for more than 35 years.<\/p>\n

UCHealth Manager of Health Literacy, Monique McCollum, praises Lariisa\u2019s dedication.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s scary enough to be in the hospital, but to have no idea what\u2019s going on must be terrifying,\u201d McCollum said. \u201cWe all need to have the opportunity to understand and ask questions about our care, and Lariisa and her teammates are the bridge to making that happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s rare for hospitals to have ASL medical interpreters on staff. Many rely on either agency interpreters or video interpreters through iPads. But both have limitations. For example, iPads occasionally can have connectivity problems and can only be moved up and down or tilted forward to back, which limits their use with patients who are in different positions.<\/p>\n

These limitations are one reason more Deaf and hard of hearing patients are seeking care at UCHealth.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe more interpreters we provide, the more patients come here, which is a good thing and keeps us very busy. But we\u2019re hoping to expand,\u201d Lariisa said.<\/p>\n

Her path to becoming an ASL interpreter was an unusual one. Her first passion was acting, and while living in Texas, she waitressed and \u201cwaited for my agent to call.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eventually, Lariisa came to realize she \u201cdidn\u2019t want to be 80 with no money in the bank and still be waiting tables and waiting for my agent to call.\u201d So, she considered a few different careers, landing upon sign-language interpreting. Continuing to waitress six days a week, she took community college classes five days a week.<\/p>\n

\u201cI learned I had a knack for it \u2014 which is good, because I wasn\u2019t getting any sleep!\u201d<\/p>\n

Helping patients feel comfortable in challenging situations is what she values the most, and they in turn are grateful to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI met a patient for the first time at his eye appointment yesterday, and he was so appreciative of having an in-person interpreter, he gave me a big hug and kiss on the cheek and said, \u2018I hope I see you next time.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
<\/span><\/p>\n

You Make Extraordinary Possible<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Together, we recognize and honor the qualities within ourselves by shining a spotlight on how each and every one of us improve lives in big ways and small.<\/span><\/p>\n

Share a story<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

American Sign Language medical interpreter eases care\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Imagine going in for a medical procedure and not being able to hear what the provider is saying. That\u2019s the challenge Deaf and hard of hearing patients face routinely. They may need to face away from the provider for a procedure and not understand the instructions. 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