NOTIS’s Community Interpreters Division (CID) presents:
Sleep Physiology, Disorders, and Treatments for Medical Interpreters
Interpret sleep-related conditions and treatments with clarity and confidence in medical settings.
Presenter: Nada Conner
What is it about? This three-hour course is designed for healthcare interpreters and other language access professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of sleep physiology, disorders, and treatment pathways encountered in medical interpreting settings.
Class Description: Sleep is one of the foundations of good health and well-being. Throughout centuries, people have struggled to achieve better sleep, often using harmful and addictive substances. Today’s modern medicine has made significant progress in explaining how sleep works, how we fall asleep, what happens if we don’t get enough sleep, and how to get better sleep.
We will start with some basic definitions of sleep, walk through the stages of sleep, emphasize the importance of sleep, and touch on the fascinating world of dreams. In the next section, we will discuss sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, nightmare disorders, and PTSD.
After we wrap up the presentation, there will be a quick knowledge-check session with 12 questions (attached) to reinforce our understanding of key concepts discussed in the training. This will be followed by three real-life, interactive practice scenarios. The first one is an appointment between the medical provider and the patient seeking help for insomnia. The second one is between the pharmacist and the patient’s wife, who is trying to pick up his prescription. The third scenario is the telephone call between the health insurance representative and the patient’s daughter, discussing some steps on how to get the coverage for the needed medicine. All three scenarios are based on my own everyday work as a language interpreter. At the close of the training session, we will have a quick Q&A session. The participants can ask questions while being encouraged to do their own research and enhance their knowledge base on sleep through self-guided learning.
After our three-hour journey into the realm of sleep, participants will be able to:
- Identify mechanisms, engineering, and physiology of sleep: stages of sleep, REM and non-REM sleep, sleep deprivation, dreaming, and dreams
- Be familiar with the most common sleep disorders, including SDB, insomnia, and PTSD-related nightmares
- Recognize treatments and pathways to better sleep, including prescription and over-the-counter sleeping aids, devices, gadgets, and sleep hygiene
- Strengthen medical interpreting skills by practicing real-life healthcare scenarios
- Enhance their interpreting vocabulary and become more proficient in interpreting sessions dealing with sleep disorders
Participants will receive:
- Full presentation content with slides 1–33
- Glossary of terms covered in the presentation
- Comprehensive list of source materials
practice scenarios for consecutive interpreting, between the provider, pharmacist, insurance representative, and sleep-deprived patient and their family members.
When: Saturday, November 7, 2026, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. PST
Check-in at 8:50 a.m. Class from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Where: 
Zoom invitations and information on how to join the workshop will be included in the registration confirmation and event reminders. Event reminders will be sent twice: one three days before the workshop, and the second the day prior to the workshop.
Missed the Live Session?
This workshop will be recorded, and the recording will be available to all registered participants who missed the live session for one month after the workshop date.
Cost:
NOTIS Members: $52 / Non-Members: $82
Join NOTIS for significant discounts on all educational events, plus additional member benefits! Click HERE for a complete breakdown.
Registration:
Registration closes five days prior to the event. Confirmation will be emailed after registration. If you don’t receive confirmation, your registration may not have been successful. Please ensure your device meets the Zoom system requirements before registering.
Two reminder emails with login details will be sent 3 days and 1 day before the workshop. If you don’t receive them, email info@notisnet.org or text 425-615-6741.
Continuing Education Credits:
The following CE credits have been requested and are pending approval:
| |
Credits Requested |
Approval Status |
| DSHS |
3 general |
Approved (#868) |
| ATA |
3 (category A) |
Pending |
| CCHI |
2.5 instructional CE hours |
Pending (CEAP ID #) |
| IMIA/NBCMI |
0.25 CEUs |
Pending () |
Agency Codes:
ATA - American Translators Association
WA DSHS - Washington Dept. of Social and Human Services
CA CIMCE - California Court Interpreter Minimum Continuing Education Credit
CCHI - Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters
IMIA/NBCMI - International Medical Interpreters Association/The National Board of Certification of Medical Interpreters
NOTE: NOTIS is not responsible for refunds if CE credits are not approved by these entities.
Nada Conner had enjoyed being a language interpreter for over 30 years. She began her interpreting career in the Air Force Training Center in Tripoli, Libya, where she facilitated communications as Arabic interpreter for Libyan Air Force instructors and trainees. Her next career move was Iraq, where she worked on several military construction sites as well as in Baghdad Headquarters. After that, she worked as a Language Assistant for United Nations Protection Forces in Croatia, during the tumultuous period of unrest in the region. Since then, she has been working as a freelance interpreter and translator for district courts throughout Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and beyond. She is a remote interpreter for several large language interpreting agencies, working very hard every day to help LEP’s get the best possible communications outcome and easily access resources that may otherwise be difficult or impossible. A native of Serbia, Nada graduated from University of Belgrade with B.A. degree in languages and literature. She is a certified court interpreter by AOC in Washington State, and also WA DSHS Medical and Social Services authorized interpreter for Bosnian, Serbian, and Croatian languages. She lives in Bellingham with five gorgeous rabbits.
Certificates of Completion
Certificates will be issued to attendees who:
- Arrive on time
- Attend the entire session
Please allow time to log in early. Late arrivals are welcome to stay, but will not receive DSHS credit.
IMPORTANT: If this workshop is approved for DSHS credit, DSHS attendance requirements apply to all participants, regardless of whether you personally need the credit. Cameras must remain on unless you are experiencing technical difficulties. We are unable to make individual exceptions.
Refund Policy
✅ Refunds are available if requested more than 5 days before the event, minus a $15 fee.
❌ No refunds for cancellations after that period or due to technical issues, missed reminders, or platform compatibility problems.
❌ Transfers between workshops are not permitted.
Accessibility & Questions
If you require accommodations, please contact NOTIS at info@notisnet.org 2–3 weeks in advance or as soon as possible.
12819 SE 38th St. #205, 