Before moving on, I encourage you to take time to think about how you could use each of these strategies in your personal and professional life. The more you practice them, the more natural and effective they will become. Poll : Have you participated in any of the five strategies before?
Individuation : Prevent stereotypic inferences through education about your out-groups and the out-group member Action : Participate in educational opportunities to learn about people in groups rather than assuming stereotypes are true; this will open the door to evaluating group members on more personal attributes rather than relying on stereotypically believed characteristics Perspective taking : Image someone else’s experience to perceive the situation through their eyes Action : Ask yourself how the other person may think or feel about this situation; look to see if the evidence actually validates your perception Increasing opportunities for contact : Seek out purposeful opportunities to engage with out-group members through positive interactions Action : Purposefully expand your network of friends by attending events where you know the out-group is present Note: From (Devine et al., 2012; Forscher et al., 2017; Kim & Roberson, 2022; Qian et al., 2017 Cultural Competency Competence refers to the ability to efficiently operate within different cultural contexts. Being culturally competent involves respecting the person you’re interacting with and responding to their cultural, religious, and personal beliefs, as well as their ethnic needs and preferences (AHRQ, 2020). When discussing cultural competence, the terms awareness and sensitivity are usually used. Cultural awareness and sensitivity are specific to understanding different cultural contexts and being educated about the differences between the cultures you interact with daily; however, the terms do not imply an actions or changes have occurred to increase inclusion (CDC, 2021). Because of misunderstandings of needs and preferences, being culturally aware and/ or sensitive will not necessarily ensure increased patient satisfaction, but becoming culturally aware is the first step toward becoming culturally competent. The information does enable the provider to understand the requests and challenges in care that arise from different views and beliefs. When providers are not culturally knowledgeable, the patient and family are usually labeled as uncooperative. For example, practices in labor and delivery are different worldwide; many birthing individuals prefer different birthing positions, such as squatting, but many providers prefer the lithotomy position. A provider interviewed by Musie and colleagues (2022) stated, "I personally prefer using the supine position, as it is a position I prefer. Moreover, I developed the culture and norm for using the lithotomy position, it is a position I prefer irrespective of what the women prefers..." Becoming and remaining culturally competent is an ongoing process of gaining knowledge and understanding of the beliefs, practices, and perspectives of the diverse populations you serve. Taking time to educate yourself Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Healthcare organizations are responsible for finding ways to mitigate the effects of implicit bias on organizational decision making and overall leadership. Effects of implicit bias are seen from hiring processes to annual evaluations and promotions. In 2004, the Office of Minority Health launched the Think Culture Health initiative to provide resources to improve
Yes No
Another strategy to assist in identifying and reframing situations where you have biases is journaling. Write about instances where you realize a bias may have played a role in determining the outcome of a situation. Then reframe the situation without a bias. You can also write about life experiences that may have formed your personal biases. Self-Assessment Question 5 Which of the following is an example of the strategy stereotypical response? a. Asking yourself how the person may think b. Asking yourself how the person may feel c. Developing an alternative unbiased response d. Validating whether the evidence supports your own perception on the cultural preferences of your patient population will help you avoid stereotyping patients in a specific culture or ethnic group. For example, in the Japanese culture, too much eye contact is considered disrespectful, and children are taught to look at the neck to avoid the eyes. Uono and Hietanen (2015) conducted a cross-cultural study on cultural perceptions of eye contact and facial expressions, finding that Japanese participants identified a direct gaze as angry, unapproachable, and unpleasant. A Cultural Competency Pearl: Embrace cultural competency as a journey, not a destination. The path of understanding and respecting diverse cultures is one of continuous learning and growth, where each step brings greater empathy and connection with those we serve. Nevertheless, following through with the information gained is necessary. How can you show cultural competence in your practice? By following through with actions from the sensitivity you gained. It is appropriate to ask the patient for their preferences. For example, "Do you prefer I speak with only you about your test results, or would you like family members to be present for the discussion?" Actively assess and listen for barriers, both verbal and nonverbal. Take time to ensure the patient and family members actually understand the diagnosis and treatment options, including the positives and negatives of the available options. Also, ensure that other cultural needs are met, such as dietary considerations (Advent Health University, 2020). For example, many in the Jewish community typically follow a kosher diet, which should be addressed in an in-patient setting. health equity in the U.S. The goal of Think Culture Health is to improve the health of minority populations through assistance in developing policies and programs in healthcare organizations that focus on eliminating disparities. The National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards are an established blueprint for healthcare organizations to assist in increasing diversity and inclusion within the healthcare organization (American Academy of
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Book Code: PCUS1525
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