Description: Nurses are the frontline guardians of patient safety, trust, and continuity of care; and language access is central to all three. This one-hour session, grounded in the effective Inclusion Through Language Access (EITLA) framework, equips nurses with practical, role-specific tools to recognize language barriers, understand their legal and ethical responsibilities, and apply evidence-based strategies to ensure effective communication with Limited English Proficient (LEP) patients. Participants will explore how language barriers contribute to medical errors, delayed care, and inequitable outcomes, and how professional interpretation, clear workflows, and culturally responsive practices directly improve safety, compliance, and patient experience. Through real-world scenarios, this session connects language access to everyday nursing decisions—handoffs, informed consent, discharge instructions, medication.

Speaker: Carol G. Velandia P. MBA, CHI, PMP, MSW

1.0 Contact Hour will be awarded for successful completion.

Criteria for successful completion: To earn contact hour, attendees must attend entire program and complete the evaluation tool.

Cost:

  • ANA-Oh members: Free
  • Non-members: $25

ANA-Ohio is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. 

**During the event registration process, please be sure to click on the "Assign Ticket" button and complete the ticket details!**

Safe Care Starts with Understanding: Language Access as a Nursing Practice Standard

  • Wednesday Mar 04 2026, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Virtual