Challenges in Assessment and Management of Postoperative Agitation and Delirium in a Stroke Patient with Limited English Proficiency: Case Report

Abstract

While Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 mandates use of interpreters for patients with limited English proficiency, significant disparities persist in intensive postsurgical care. We present the case of a 60-year-old Vietnamese-speaking man with a Type A aortic dissection requiring postoperative mechanical ventilation and stroke care. Despite use of a remote video interpreter, our language-discordant nursing and physician providers faced challenges in managing agitation and delirium and assessing neurological function. This case highlights the need for adequate interpretation equipment, linguistic diversity among providers, and interventions to promote and enable consistent certified and professional medical interpreter use.