The nurse works in a facility that cares for patients from a broad range of racial, ethnic, ...

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Rationale 1: The role of a foreign language interpreter is to facilitate communication. The interpreter might not be able to interpret the cultural practices of patients. An example is a Spanish interpreter: The interpreter might be from Spain, but interprets language for clients from Guatemala and Nicaragua, countries about which the interpreter might know virtually nothing.
Rationale 2: Racial, ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds of patients have significant implications for how the patients perceive health, illness, and health care. It is important for nurses to understand the backgrounds of the client population that attends that facility.
Rationale 3: Bilingual physicians, like all physicians, have very busy schedules, and often do not understand nursing care. It is the responsibility of the nurse to become familiar with the backgrounds of the patient population.
Rationale 4: Because of the implications for care based on cultural background, it is important for nurses to understand the backgrounds of the patient population that attends the facility.