The Library
ELF patient communication as a challenge for patient care assistants in Hong Kong
Tools
Ting, Shawnea Sum Pok (2022) ELF patient communication as a challenge for patient care assistants in Hong Kong. In: 13th International Conference of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF13), Tainan, Taiwan; Online, 18-20 Nov 2022
Research output not available from this repository.
Request-a-Copy directly from author or use local Library Get it For Me service.
Abstract
This presentation attends to patient communication in the public healthcare sector in Hong Kong, specifically how ELF communication between ethnic minority (EM) patients of South and Southeast Asian backgrounds and patient care assistants (PCAs) is perceived. The data presented – coming from a PhD project – include semi-structured interviews with 31 EMs, 18 healthcare providers, and 13 representatives from supporting groups serving EMs. Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted inductively. EM patients predominantly reported unpleasant experiences with PCAs. These healthcare providers were perceived to be uncomfortable to engage in or even avoiding ELF interactions even though communication is important for maintaining positive patient experience. In contrast, EM patients who could use Cantonese – the local language – as a multilingual resource when communicating with PCAs reported rather pleasant experiences. PCAs were perceived to be keen on engaging the patients and offering help and care. Such observations were also made and explained by other healthcare providers and representatives from supporting groups, especially regarding the linguistic background and proficiency of the PCAs and a perceived priority given to the local language rather than English as a lingua franca. These findings shed light on the potential for future research to explore first, how ELF communication unfolds when there are participants who are unwilling to engage or collaborate (due contextual or individual factors); second, how a local language may act as a resource to aid ELF communication, but also a source for ELF being disfavoured; and third, Medical English as a lingua franca (MELF) as a new research domain.
Item Type: | Conference Item (Paper) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Divisions: | Faculty of Social Sciences > Centre for Applied Linguistics | ||||||
Official Date: | 2022 | ||||||
Dates: |
|
||||||
Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||||
Access rights to Published version: | Free Access (unspecified licence, 'bronze OA') | ||||||
Conference Paper Type: | Paper | ||||||
Title of Event: | 13th International Conference of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF13) | ||||||
Type of Event: | Conference | ||||||
Location of Event: | Tainan, Taiwan; Online | ||||||
Date(s) of Event: | 18-20 Nov 2022 | ||||||
Related URLs: |
Request changes or add full text files to a record
Repository staff actions (login required)
View Item |