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Critical Incident Reports (CIRs)
Healthcare interpreters, like other members of the patient care team, encounter multiple instances of ethical and professional dilemmas during their day-to-day practice. CCHI is managing this Repository of Critical Incident Reports (CIRs) to offer a mechanism for sharing such instances in a systemic and public manner. We encourage all medical interpreters, managers of language services, and interpreter educators to submit CIRs for public review and consideration.
What is a Critical Incident?
Any event during the interpreting encounter in a healthcare setting that causes the interpreter to self-reflect about their decisions and makes the interpreter feel:
- doubt, frustration, anxiety, OR
- satisfaction in finding an optimal solution, OR
- the need to change/edit the existing interpreting practice or protocol.
Before submitting a CIR, read CCHI’s Guidelines for Writing a Critical Incident Report (click on the button below to download a pdf file). View the recording of the webinar (click on the corresponding blue bar below) to learn what elements of presenting a critical incident foster a fruitful discussion and inspire identification of deficiencies in the current healthcare interpreting resources and review a sample critical incident report.
To submit a Critical Incident Report (CIR), click the button below. CCHI reviews submitted CIRs and publishes in this Repository only complete reports that meet CCHI’s Guidelines.
CCHI convenes experts in medical interpreting (in the U.S.) to hold national Virtual Interpreter Rounds. Panelists select critical incidents for discussion from this Repository.
CCHI-certified interpreters may earn non-instructional continuing education (CE) units by submitting CIRs. Review the CE instructions below (click on the corresponding blue bar).
We’d love to hear from you! Contact us at rounds@cchicertification.org.
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Recording of webinar "Critical Incident Presentation for Healthcare Interpreters: Interpreter Rounds"
In this webinar, originally held on August 12, 2020, CCHI’s Executive Director Natalya Mytareva discusses how interpreters can utilize methods used by other healthcare professionals to create and present ‘critical incidents’ for public consideration, similar to Grand and Schwartz Rounds. Learn what elements of presenting a critical incident foster a fruitful discussion and inspire identification of deficiencies in the current healthcare interpreting resources. Review a sample critical incident report intended for discussion either among interpreters or among a mixed audience that includes healthcare providers. Learn about CCHI’s Critical Incidents Repository and Virtual Interpreter Rounds as mechanisms of systemic national presentation of critical incidents.
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CE units granted to CCHI-certificants for submitting CIR
CCHI recognizes the importance of self-reflection, research, and peer-review as methods of professional growth. We encourage all certified interpreters to engage in the profession by submitting Critical Incident Reports (CIRs). CCHI views this activity as non-instructional continuing education (CE) in the “Research and Publications” category (for more information see our webpage Non-instructional CE Activities).
Requirements to CIRs to be published in the Repository:
- Report must be submitted only via the online form provided on this webpage. CCHI will not review reports submitted in any other form (email, mail, etc.).
- Report must include the full name and email address of the person who submits it.
- Report must describe a specific incident in detail, while observing the confidentiality of the parties.
- Report must follow CCHI’s CIR Guidelines and include all 5 (five) elements that contain meaningful information.
- Report must include direct quotes from at least two of the primary sources listed in the Guidelines (quotes must include the correct text and page number of the source document).
- Report must contain the author’s explanation of why this incident is important.
- Report must contain the author’s thoughts about possible constructive actions/resolution regarding the incident.
- Report must be written in a manner respectful to all parties involved.
- Incomplete reports or reports with insufficient information will not be published.
CCHI has full discretion regarding the selection of CIRs for publication. CCHI’s decision is final.
The following non-instructional CE units are granted for one CIR:
- for a CIR that is published in this Repository (on this webpage) – 1 CE hour
- for a CIR that is selected for discussion at Virtual Interpreter Rounds – additional 1 CE hour.
(A certificant whose CIR is selected for Virtual Interpreter Rounds will received 2 CE hours total.)
While there is no limit on how many CIRs one person can submit, CCHI’s renewal policy allows a maximum of 8 (eight) non-instructional CE hours per a four-year cycle.
How CEs are granted:
CCHI will review CIRs within 30 days of the date the online form is submitted.
If a CIR is published in this Repositry, CCHI will email a certificate as proof of publication within 45 days of the online submission of the CIR. The date on the certificate will be the date of submitting the CIR online form (regardless of when the certificate is emailed).
If a CIR is selected for the Virtual Interpreter Rounds, CCHI will email a certificate as proof of selection within 14 days of the date the Virtual Interpreter Rounds that discusses this CIR is held. The date on this certificate will be the date of the Virtual Interpreter Rounds (regardless of when the CIR form was submitted).
If you have any questions in connection with the CE certificates or CE requirements, please contact CCHI’s staff at renewal@cchicertification.org.
* CCHI reserves the right to change the above procedure at its sole discretion and at any time.
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Resources about reporting critical incidents
Critical Incident Reflection – From RMIT University, a resource for nursing students: https://emedia.rmit.edu.au/learninglab/content/critical-incident-report-nursing
Reflective writing and critical incidents (From Monash University Research and Learning online) – https://www.monash.edu/rlo/assignment-samples/medicine-nursing-and-health-sciences/reflective-writing-and-critical-incidents#What_is_a_critical_incident-1
Fridlund B, Henricson M, Mårtensson J (2017) Critical Incident Technique applied in nursing and healthcare sciences. SOJ Nur Health Care 3(1): 1-5. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15226/2471-6529/3/1/00125
Woloshynowych M, Rogers S, Taylor-Adams S, Vincent C. The investigation and analysis of critical incidents and adverse events in healthcare. Health Technol Assess 2005;9(19).
Elliott, Malcolm. Reflective thinking: turning a critical incident into a topic for research. 02/02/2004. – https://www.nursingtimes.net/clinical-archive/leadership/reflective-thinking-turning-a-critical-incident-into-a-topic-for-research-01-01-2004/
World Health Organization (2012) Learning from error. – https://www.who.int/patientsafety/education/curriculum/course5_handout.pdf
Reason, James (1990). Human error. Cambridge University Press (UK), 1992.
Dweck, Carol (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House Inc.
Tugend, Alina (2011). Better by Mistake: The Unexpected Benefits of Being Wrong.
CIRs Repository
Click on the links below to view CIRs as pdf documents. If you have any comments, send them to rounds@cchicertification.org.
Demands of the Healthcare Interpreter Code of Ethics
Accuracy and fidelity (to the speaker’s message)
CIR 001 Ethics 2020 10 07 Omission of LEP’s important statement Criticality: Notable circumstance
CIR 002 Ethics 2021 01 08 Provider asking interpreter to omit info Criticality: No harm incident