Culturally Competent Nursing

After taking the self-assessment survey for quality and culture, I would like to improve and understand how cultural competence can have a real impact on clinical outcomes. Taking from some of the questions I answered wrong, it make me wants to be cultural competent. There are a few questions I am surprised and shocked, that I answered them incorrectly. I do understand that with training, I will start to gain cultural competence but it will take consistent individual practice on my part to develop and maintain individual cultural competence. Cultural competence can lead to, health literacy, health equity, and fewer diagnostic errors, which might help the patient expand their choices and access high quality medical providers because patient

The CLPNBC Professional Standards relates to culturally safe nursing in many ways, specifically in the fourth professional standard which is labeled Ethical Practice. One of the indicators that is a good representation of this is “Respects and protects client worth, dignity, uniqueness and diversity” (CLPNBC, 2014). This indicator expresses that as LPNs we have the obligation to understand that different patients have a different backgrounds and this shouldn’t influence the proper and respectful care they deserve. A patient’s care (regardless of their personal preferences or ethical choices and backgrounds) should receive healthcare that shows their importance with no kind of segregation represented through a respectful and accepting manner. Another indicator is “Identifies the effect of own values, beliefs and experiences when providing nursing

I am truly touched by your story. You demonstrated the therapeutic use of yourself and applied cultural competency in the caring process. I can say that the ability to deliver nursing care that allows effective interaction and communication from diverse cultures, races, and ethnic backgrounds is cultural competency at its best.

Cultural competence is much more than awareness of cultural differences, as it focuses on the capacity of the health system to improve health and wellbeing by integrating the understanding and appreciation of different cultures. To become more culturally competent, a health service or professional or system needs to value diversity, have the capacity for cultural self-assessment, be conscious of the dynamics that ,occur when cultures interact institutionalise cultural knowledge, adapt service delivery so that it reflects an understanding of the diversity between and within Cultures. Equity of Australian healthcare access is important for all Australians and is difficult to achieve when access issues are not addressed. As well as these issues, some patients from a culturally and linguistically diverse background experience discrimination from the system of health care due to their country of origin, cultural background, and religious beliefs. Healthcare professionals need to recognise this potential and be prepared to advocate for their patients when necessary to ensure adequate care.

In a culturally diverse country like the United States, healthcare professionals such as nurses will work with people of different cultural backgrounds who have different view of health and illness. Mcgoldrick, Giordano & Preto (2006) concluded that a sense of well-being in terms of physical and mental health within a societal context is strongly affected by cultural identity. Shared values, behaviors, beliefs and ethno-cultural attitudes of a community influence life experiences and decision we make (Yolanda & Griselda, 2006). With this in mind, it is essential for the nurses recognize the importance patients’ cultural values rooted in their health seeking behaviors. Culture Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines culture as a

It trains health care providers to overcome cultural barriers like communication and language. Cultural competency has the potential to reduce inequities in access to health care services and improve the health status of cultural communities by reducing healthcare disparities. The goal of cultural competency is to provide health care to the community that is respectful of and responsive to the needs of diverse patients. It helps the health care provider to understand the needs of patients while seeking treatment. It helps to patient-provider to meet on common ground in the diagnosis and treatment plan of the disease.

How would Purnell’s model of cultural competence foster quality improvement in health care? Quality Improvement consists of systemic and continuous action that lead to measurable improvement in health care service and the health status of targeted patient groups. The Institute of Medicine(IOM) which is a recognized leaders and advisers on improving quality in health care defines quality in health care as direct correlation between the level of improved health services and the desired health outcomes of individuals and population. An importance measure of quality is the extent to which patients’ needs and expectations are met.

(Horevitz et al) (2013) Explore the many benefits of cultural competence and how the health care system can alleviate many problem such as disparities when they have cultural awareness. A way that providers can overcome cultural barriers is by simply become knowledgeable about the cultural group the patient belongs to. When a health care system requires for their members to learn about the values, beliefs and history of several cultures they will not only have an appreciation and respect for those cultures, but have awareness of how important it is to have cultural competence. (Horevitz et al) (2013) Koreans originally immigrated to the United States and settled in Hawaii.

Hi Moncy, I agree with you as you noted the increasing diversity of the nation brings opportunities and challenges to health care system, on the other side a culturally competent health care system helps to improve health outcomes and quality of care, which eliminate racial and ethnic disparities. foster advocacy for social justice and increase focus on global healthcare, the cultural competence class benefit diverse population to receive more satisfactory patient care, uplift social justice and increase global health as well cultural competency skills , make self-awareness among nursing workforce also provide an opportunity to staffing to learn and experience life from different perspectives and able to recognize each person has their own

The way a person thinks about health, “whether that is our ‘philosophy’, our ‘worldview’, our ‘framework’ influences what we do as individuals in practice,” as well as how we deliver the health service. These elements allow us to think about healthcare in our own culturally acceptable way, this isn’t always an acceptable way of delivering the service to people with views different to our own. Cultural competence is an approach that aids in influencing the service and the education of healthcare professionals. (Taylor, K., & Guerin, P., 2010). Cultural competence is defined as a knowledge and understanding of cultures, histories and contemporary realities and awareness of protocols, combined with the proficiency to engage and work effectively in a cultural context congruent to the expectations of the people of that culture.

Cultural competency: Indians Culture competency is defined as one has the knowledge, the abilities and the skill to deliver care congruent with the patient’s cultural beliefs and practices (Purnell, 2013). As a nurse or a health care provider, increasing ones consciousness of culture diversity improves the possibilities for health care practitioners to provide competent care (Purnell, 2013). Nurses and all health care providers should be aware of other cultures to provide the best care that they can for that individual. Developing a relationship with diverse cultural groups involves good interpersonal skills and the application of knowledge and techniques learned from the physical, biological, and social sciences as well as the humanities (Purnell, 2013). I am choosing to select the Indian culture for my first assignment.

In order to deliver effective nursing care to different cultures, nurses should be culturally competent to a variety of different individuals. Barriers to care have resulted in lack of effectiveness in the quality of health care for these patients. These barriers include language, and different beliefs. Latinos make up nearly 16% of the US population (Zimmerman 2017). In addition, the Mexican culture will be the focus of assessment.

The world is a diverse population, with people coming from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds. A person’s views, values, and traditions determine their daily needs and practices. So, healthcare providers face certain challenges and restrictions because a patient’s belief may inhibit professionals from providing the most effective care. Therefore, cultural competence is an important idea for healthcare providers to consider when understanding and respecting patients. Balcazar, Suarez-Balcazar, and Taylor-Ritzler (2009) noted in “Cultural competence:

For the purpose of this assignment the student will critique video A ‘interpreting the message’ and discuss the issue of language barriers and patient interpretation in delivering culturally sensitive care from the view point of the healthcare professional. The student will discuss these issues in relation to cultural competence, cultural awareness and cultural knowledge. Ireland nowadays is a culturally diverse country. With approximately 160 different nationalities now living in Ireland, cultural diversity and its implications play a key part in the day to day life of Irish nurses (World of Irish Nursing, 2003). Cultural Knowledge and cultural awareness are vital for a health care professionals in today’s culturally diverse society.

Because LPN’s are in constant daily contact with patients it is paramount that they recognize the cultural needs of their patients. It is particularly important to note that nurses should not let their own cultural beliefs influence how they treat or respond to patients. In the article “Transcultural Nursing: Importance in Nursing Practice,” it stresses this point by saying, “nurses are required to recognize and appreciate cultural differences in health care values, beliefs, and customs” (Kanchana & Sangamesh, 2016, p. 1). By not letting individual beliefs influence their decision-making, nurses are able to provide culturally competent care, while still maintaining that patient/nurse relationship. Another way in which nurses can provide culturally competent care is by constantly studying and learning about other cultures.