gms | German Medical Science

Background: In Germany, nearly 31% of all newborn children have mothers with a foreign nationality [1].

Barriers in accessing the provided standard health care are based on different personal perceptions of health and disease and a lack of German language skills [2]. The professional language and integration mediators (SprInt) support health, education and social care professionals by assisting the communication between professionals and pregnant women or young mothers [3]. However, language teaching often becomes limited due to a lack of expertise and practices in the topics related to the period of childbirth [4]. Additionally, midwifery students need intercultural competences for their later professional life [5]. The RundUm project aims to improve the care for third country migrant women with language barriers by involving educated language mediators during pregnancy, childbirth and beyond, and ultimately build a transcultural network in Essen.

Aim: Through regular exchanges of Sprint staff members and midwifery students, language mediators should improve their professional translation skills and learn how to deal with situations within the perinatal care. The students integrate their grown expertise and develop skills in transculturality handling of language mediation and diversity in the understanding and practicing their professional role.

Method: As part of an information event within the module “Women’s Health”, the students were informed about the work of the SprInt staff and the project “RundUm”. The SprInt employees gained knowledge in the topics of pregnancy, birth, the postnatal period and the German health system. In a joint workshop, the students and the language mediators worked on issues related to their work with pregnant women and young mothers and the referring to practical challenges. A joint simulation training in situations representing the common communication in a setting within the health care system is planned for the next semester. The evaluation of the joint courses takes place via interviews and questionnaires and is still pending.

Results: The results of the interviews and questionnaires reflected an unanimous interest of the two professions in each other and the desire for further exchange. The language mediators emphasized the students’ professional competences and their common focus on the accompanied woman. On the other hand, it became obvious, that the midwifery students in their practice did not have any knowledge about the use of language mediators and had not been in contact with them previously.

Conclusion/Outlook: Overcoming language barriers is a continuing challenge for the social and health care sectors. Integrating interprofessional language exchange into student education can promote mutual tolerance and appreciation and improve the quality of the common work for the benefit of the women being cared for. Therefore, implementing collective courses within the curriculum should be the goal.

Ethics and conflicts of interest: A vote on ethics was obtained. The research was supported by external funding. There are no conflicts of interest.