Workshop | Effective Communication: Working with the Deaf & Hard of Hearing

Ineffective communication in another language often stems from fear of the unknown, lack of knowledge, and being unprepared. This is often the experience when deaf or hard of hearing need language access and effective communication. Most hearing people have not had experience communicating with someone who is deaf or hard of hearing. Because of this, first interactions can be filled with uncertainty, fear, and stress which can often lead to avoidance behavior and exclusion. When meetings, interviews, and simple interactions create stress and are avoided by hearing people, the deaf or hard of hearing person is being told they are not valued and are not given the equity and inclusion they deserve. Important meetings, information, and collaborations are lost which leads to frustrations and project failures. But, with knowledge-informed preparedness, involving the effective communication expert (the deaf or hard of hearing person), and a game plan, the fear and uncertainty can be removed, and effective communication can create success for everyone.

This presentation will give insight into the deaf experience, fill gaps in accessibility knowledge, show how to use interpreters appropriately, and show how a deaf-friendly mindset can lead to a welcoming and equitable experience for staff and prospective staff. Proactive planning, using resources, and including the deaf and hard of hearing person in their language access, you are on the right course for effective communication success and an equitable workplace culture.

Timothy Vander Ploeg, MN, RN has been working with deaf and hard of hearing communities for almost a decade. Most recently, he was a school nurse at Washington School for the Deaf in Vancouver, WA. Timothy has seen how language accessibility and a culture of inclusion can make serious situations resolve smoothly and how everyday situations can be made stressful and triggering when accessibility to language is not supplied. Timothy received his master’s in nursing with certificates in Nursing Education and Public Health from Washington State University in 2022 focusing on accessibility in the medical system with the use of patient portals like MyChart. He has been published and has presented on accessibility issues during Grand Rounds at the National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) and the National Association of School Nurses for the Deaf (NANSD).