Bilingual Services helps by providing interpretive services to French-speaking families visiting IWK Health, and coordinates the translation of patient materials to a variety of languages. Trained health interpreters (English/other) are also available upon request.
Isabelle D’Amour is the IWK’s bilingual nurse coordinator/infirmière coordinatrice des services bilingues. In this role, she coordinates language services at the IWK, including both interpretation and translation services. In addition, D’Amour interprets for French patients and families and acts as a liaison between them and their health care teams.
Through the French Language Services Act, French-speaking patients and families are entitled to receive health care services in French. This act is in place to contribute to the preservation and growth of the Acadian and francophone community and to provide for the delivery of French-language services by institutions such as the IWK. Many IWK team members, including D’Amour, will also wear a Bonjour! pin. The pin represents an active offer to show the public who is French-speaking and can offer services in French. This is one of several ways that care is delivered in French at the IWK.