Communication strategies of english-speaking foreign medical doctors in the Limpopo Province

Abstract

The study focuses on communication during consultations between English-speaking foreign medical doctors, patients and nurses as interpreters in the Limpopo province. It aims to identify and describe the communication strategies, politeness strategies, influence of gender on the communication process as well as a review of the policy on language practice in the hospitals with a view to suggesting amendments. Through a field work carried out in 10 public health facilities in Limpopo province, the study adopts an eclectic research method of semi-structured interviews, audio recording, and observation in the collection of data. Thirty-five patients, thirteen nurses and nineteen medical doctors are involved in the study. All the interviews and audio recordings were transcribed and translated wherever needed. Collected data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Nvivo softwares. Results showed that many foreign doctors were frustrated that they could not communicate directly with patients because they could not speak the indigenous language and the assumption that most patients could communicate in English often turned out to be erroneous. The hospitals are ill equipped to deal with the language problems. The linguistic barrier made it difficult to give equal medical care to all patients and doctors resorted to avoidance strategies in selecting patients. Five consultations types based on the turn-taking were identified. These are clarification, continuation, convergence, knowledge and avoidance strategies. The study also reveals that the doctors use more positive politeness strategies when communicating with the patients and nurses. Gender was found to influence the choice of communication strategies by the foreign doctors. The inadequacies of the National Department of Health Language Practice Policy are highlighted and suggestions are made towards its amendment. KEY CONCEPTS English-speaking foreign medical doctors, communication strategies, politeness strategies, gender, language policy, interpreters.