Nurses need to be culturally sensitive to provide competent care. The cumulative diversity within the healthcare workforce itself has received much less attention; yet without attending to increasing diversity in both groups, it is doubtful that efforts to improve cultural competence will be successful. One may be aware of many different cultures, but due to one’s biases, he or she will still not provide the appropriate care. In order for healthcare providers to become culturally competent they need to have the desire, skills, awareness and knowledge. Cultural competence among primary care givers is crucial to identify problems and create proper plans of care for the patient.…
Many health care organizations are now calling for multicultural competent health care professionals. It is suggested cultural competence is as an ethical obligation and cross -cultural skills should be placed on a level of parity with other specialized skills (2009). Within each culture exists an incredible diversity of groups and subgroups (2011). Achieving a base of knowledge for each group creates a challenge.…
Health care providers can overcome differing points of view regarding health promotion and disease prevention by valuing and respecting others choices and practices. Staying culturally educated will help to ease any doubts health care providers may have. According to Stanton, n.d.) “Differences in age or occupation, or whether a person is from a rural, suburban or urban background, may affect the expectations of nurses and their patients.” Unless a particular health regimen is harmful to the patient we must allow them to practice…
In 2003, The National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC) has provided a checklist provides guidance for ways to implement cultural competent care by nurses. One of the ways implement cultural care included in the list are for facilities to create a cultural competence task force, organization, committee, or work group. The NCCC stated that the group should be responsible for “policy making, administration, practice/service delivery and consumer levels and reflect the diversity within the organization and the community at large.” Additionally, determine the racially, ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse groups within your geographic location served by the facility. Furthermore, determine which health disparities affect the population that are served by the facility. Next, it suggested to complete self-assessments, network and dialogue with other organizations, and seek resources from federally and privately funded assistance…
The diversity of America’s population continues to increase. The challenges of providing cultural sensitivity to a multi cultural America is an important variation healthcare organizations must be aware of. In an attempt to standardize terms and concepts to explain cultural competency to student nurses, the Purnell Model was developed by Larry Purnell, PhD. The Purnell model is a guide to adapting care that takes into account the diversity of beliefs from a variety of cultures. It is based on multiple theories and research. A circular schematic was developed that contains 12 domains (pieces of pie) or considerations. They include and represent the person’s: heritage, language, family roles, issues in workforce, bio cultural ecology, high risk behaviors, nutrition, pregnancy, death rituals, spirituality, health care practices and health care providers. Within the 12 domains it addresses: sociology, psychology, anatomy and physiology, biology, ecology, nutrition,…
In order to become a culturally aware health care workers need to accept and embrace the diversity of culture. They need to increase respectful engagement with the diversity of the population and understand and appreciate the differences, which promotes patient- centered care that respect and address the values and preferences of the diversity of the population…
The presence of cultural competence in the health care system and what it means for the health of our diverse population, is something that should be part of the schooling for healthcare providers. Cultural Competence in the health care system is described as the ability to tend to the needs of patients through understanding their linguistic and cultural differences. Our vast, diverse population in the United States makes cultural competence in health care imperative. Without it, we cannot provide other cultures with the effective and comforting health care they need and deserve. In order for culturally diverse people to receive the proper health care they need, health care practitioners must be well versed in other cultures. Their ability…
This 2011-2012 study was conducted to determine if cultural competence training would be a positive influence a pediatric health care provider’s understanding and treatment of culturally diverse patients. 69 participants were chosen from the Nemours Children’s Health System, from a variety of departments including both inpatient and outpatient physicians, nurses, physical therapists, and other health care workers. The participants were required to take a pre-training self assessment, a two-part cultural competence training program, and a post-training self assessment one year later. The training program consisted of an internet-based module followed by group discussion. According to the post-training self assessment surveys, participants…
Cultural competence in health care is the ability of providers and health care systems to integrate and deliver highest quality of care regardless of race and culture background. Individual values about health are shaped by their race and socioeconomic status. In order to improve patient and provider interactions they should recruit minority staff, training on cultural awareness, and knowledge about different cultures in their geographic area. These changes will take time but it will build patient trust with their provider and promote high quality health care.…
Brach, C., & Fraserirector, I. (2000). Can cultural competency reduce racial and ethnic health disparities? a review and conceptual model. Medical Care Research and Review, 57(181), 181-217. doi: 10.1177/1077558700574009…
Cultural competence in health care combines the beliefs of patient centered care with an understanding of the social and cultural influences that affect the quality of medical services and treatment. With the ever increasing diversity of the population of the United States and strong evidence of racial and ethnic disparities in health care, it is critically important that health care professionals are educated specifically to address issues of culture in an effective manner. Organizations such as the National Academies of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine and the American Medical Association have recognized this.” (OMH - Ofiice of Minority Health)…
‘Culture’ is a term that is defined by characteristics such as ideas, customs, values, race, ethnicity, beliefs and social behaviour of a particular group of people or society (Crisp and Perry 2013). Dreamchslin, Gilbert and Malone (2013) define cultural competence as the ability to acquire and respond to specific behaviours by delivering care effectively that meets the social, cultural and linguistic needs of people, therefore, promoting equality and equity in healthcare. Also, Garneau and Pepin (2014) view cultural competent as a way of appreciating patients cultural contexts as well as understanding the way healthcare can respond to the needs of a diverse population. Papadopoulos (2006) transcultural model is a renowned framework for developing…
Health care workers must realize that addressing cultural diversity goes beyond knowing the values, beliefs, practices and customs of African Americans, Asians, Hispanics/Latinos, Native Americans/Alaskan Natives, and Pacific islanders. In addition to racial classification and national origin, there are many other faces of cultural diversity. Religious affiliation, language, physical size, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability (both physical and mental), political orientation, socio-economic status, occupational status and geographical location are but a few of the faces of diversity. (Camphina-Bacote, 2003)…
Diversity is exhibited in many ways, including a multiplicity of upbringing, dress, thought, lifestyle, values, food preferences, family relationships, and in gender, ethnicity, and age. These factors exist throughout the gamut of health care patients and the interactions designed with the nurses who care for them. Diversity in healthcare refers to the cultural setting in how the patient lives and in some measure defining their connection to healing, health, and their own role in the nurse to patient relationship (University of Phoenix, 2012).…
Although poverty takes a big part of it but this does not mean that health care organizations are also responsible in that they often fail to provide culturally competent health care. To provide better services, the writers believe that clinics and hospitals should give out cultural competence self test to patients, so doctors can identify areas in which they need to improve the quality of their services to culturally diverse…