Cultural Competence And Patient

Runninghead:NURSING Nursing Nameofthestudent: NameoftheUniversity: Authorsnote 1NURSING Culturalcompetenceandpatientcenterednessarethefactorsthatarenecessaryforhigh qualitycare.Thehealthcarestaffswhoareproponentsofpatientcenteredcarealwaysconsider culturalcompetenceasoneimportantaspectofcare(1).Thisreflectiveessaywilldiscussabout theseconceptsandevaluatehowtheseconceptsareappliedduringtheprocessofdeliveringcareto patients. Patientcentredcare(PCC)isdefinedastheprocessofdeliveringcarethatisrespectfulof patientspreferences,needsandvaluesandwhichconsiderspatientsvaluesduringclinicaldecision making(2).Asanursingpractitioners,Ihavealwaysgivenemphasistomeetingtheholisticneedsof patientsandengagetheminthedecisionmakingprocess.Sharedgoals,sharedknowledgeand mutualrespecthelpinthepromotionofPCCvaluesandthishashelpedtoachieveoptimaloutcome forpatients.Similarly,IfeelthatculturalcompetenceiscrucialtoexercisePCC.Thisissaidbecause manypatientshavediverseculturalvaluesandtheyexpectthosetoberespectedduringtheprocess ofcare.Culturalcompetenceisdefinedastheabilityofhealthcareproviderstomeetcultural, linguisticandsocialneedsofpatientduringtheprocessofcare(3).Ihavedemonstratedcultural competenceinpracticebybeingculturallyaware.Itrytoengageinconversationwithpatientsto understandtheirculturalneeds.Forexample,whilediscussingmedicationregimenwithpatient,I alwaysinquireifitdoesnotinterfereswithanyoftheirculturalpractices.Thisapproachhelpsin increasingmyknowledgeregardingthesocioculturalcomponentsofillness. Duringmypractice,Iencountereda40yearoldwomanwhorecentlyhadanoperationfor brainaneurism.Shewassufferingfrommildparalysisonherleftsideaswellasvisionloss.Todeliver PCCforsuchpatient,Iplannedtousecommunicationandempathytofulfillalltheneedsofthe patient.Theuseofempathyinvolvestakingefforttounderstandthepersonalexperienceofpatient andthinkingasperpatientsperspective.Iwilltakecaretoobservebodylanguageofpatientand identifyanyconcern.Inaddition,IwouldmakeeyecontactandtakecaretoensurethatIlistentothe concernofwomenwithouthurrying(4).Secondly,Iwouldtrytoincreaseinterculturalcommunication processduringtheprocessofcare.Itispossibletointerprethealthneedsandexpectationofpatient byhavingunderstandingabouttheirsocialdeterminantsofhealthtoo.Factorslikeincome,housing, educationandemploymentaffectshealthstatusofpatient.Incaseofpatient,theirhealthdecisions mightbeaffectedbythesefactorstoo.Incaseofthe40yearwomen,establishingempathywith patientwasdifficultbecauseofvisionloss.Insuchcase,Ireliedongesturesliketouchandverbal 2NURSING communicationtodisplayPCC.Throughconversation,lowincomeandpooraccesstocarewere identifiedasabarriertoherhealth. Toconclude,PCCandculturalcompetenceisthekeytoachieveoptimalpatientoutcome.To effectivelyengageinPCCduringnursingpractice,itiscrucialthatnursesacquireeffective interpersonalskillsanduseinterculturalcommunicationandempathyduringtheprocessofcare. 3NURSING References 1.StubbeDE.Practicingculturalcompetenceandculturalhumilityinthecareofdiversepatients. Focus.2020Jan;18(1):49-51. 2.KuipersSJ,CrammJM,NieboerAP.Theimportanceofpatient-centeredcareandco-creation ofcareforsatisfactionwithcareandphysicalandsocialwell-beingofpatientswithmulti- morbidityintheprimarycaresetting.BMChealthservicesresearch.2019Dec;19(1):1-9. 3.DarnellLK,HicksonSV.Culturalcompetentpatient-centerednursingcare.NursingClinics. 2015Mar1;50(1):99-108. 4.MoudatsouM,StavropoulouA,PhilalithisA,KoukouliS.Theroleofempathyinhealthand socialcareprofessionals.InHealthcare2020Mar(Vol.8,No.1,p.26).Multidisciplinary DigitalPublishingInstitute.