Cultural Competency

Cultural Competency
Name;
Institution;
Date
Introduction
There are several approaches that may be necessary for me as a clinician working with multicultural patients and families may contribute to enhancing a customer’s experience within our health facility. One of the essential factors is considering the sensitivity of patients and their cultural beliefs and practices and showing respect to their cultural values through an efficient communication approach in the delivery of healthcare (Cohen & Goode, 2001). This therefore requires that help is called for in interpreting the behaviors from either a provider residing from the same ethnic group as does the patient or from man expert that is familiar with the patient's culture, language, values and lifestyle.
It is, therefore, essential to me as a health provider to determine the differences that may enhance my levels of practices into one that does not stereotype cultures (Cohen & Goode, 2001). It is, therefore, critical to determine that a person’s ethnicity may vary according to practices and beliefs, a factor that requires an understanding of the circumstances that surround a patient and his family by getting the appropriate information such as the place of origin, degree of acculturation, economic background, and a patients personal expectations as related to health and medical care.In this paper, I aim at determining my level of cultural competency and the manner in which I may improve over the course of the semester
Analysis of My Personal Results
As a health and medicine Student, after the completion of the test that matched the classroom activities in relation to cultural competency, I discovered that there were areas that needed to be advanced. Following the completion of the test, I found out that my perception and knowledge including the confidence required in addressing the issues that patients face were significantly high.
However, there was a need to improve in the manner in which I used materials and resources required to reflect the cultures and ethnic backgrounds of different patients.I therefore lacked the cultural desire in some areas that would create awareness and provide a cultural skill in solving cultural situations during the process of healthcare (Cross, Bazron, Dennis, &Isaacs2009). It was, therefore, essential that the use of media resources was incorporated including other treatment interventions to ensure that the ethnic backgrounds and cultures of different patients and their families are served.
I also noted that a slight improvement was required in my communication styles. This therefore required that all the communiques and notices of the patients and their families were displayed in a language that they were vast with and of their origin. There was also need to improve my values and attitudes on how I viewed different cultures (Cross, et.al).Through cultural awareness, I would be in a position to determine through self-examination of the patient of the cultural elements that surround the patient such as language including the behaviors and values of a patient.
It is essential to, therefore, determine that the test enable me to determine some of the areas that needed an improvement. My knowledge of self-awareness and health disparities were apt, but there was a need to increase my cultural competency skills significantly in some areas.
Visit to the Office of a Western Medical Practitioner
Having visited a dentist to determine the level of cultural competency within the facility, there was a need to improve the practitioner’s cultural sensitivity. The Practitioners insensitivity to cultural variables resulted in an impeded ability of the patients to access quality healthcare. Through this, I was in a position to understand the need for dental care institutions to improve their cultural competency skills.
During the visit, I was able to note a visual cue of a dental hygienist trying to show a patient how to make use of a dental miswak stick- a picture that depicted the traditional oral hygiene approach that is widely used by Asians, Africans, the South Americans and those residing from the Middle East. Another picture also represented a patient experiencing tooth pains, a factor that clearly indicated how cultural values and beliefs affect the perception of pain (Joshua Breslau, 2001). The dentist, therefore, used these visual aids to communicate some messages to some of the patients who had challenges in communicating and understanding health information.
Improving a Visitor's Impression of Cultural Competency
Through the use of the ETHNIC (explanation, treatment, healing, negotiation, intervention and collaborative effort) approach, the dentists are able to improve on their approaches of providing culturally competent clinical care through the improvement of communication during treatment. This approach therefore indulges the patient in providing their details to the health Practioners, a factor that increases the health provider’s ability to understand the patient’s cultural values immensely (Joshua Breslau, 2001).
In addition to this, the dental hygienists also need to place proper measures aimed at inquiring about a patients culture and determining the products or medical regiments the patient uses, the home remedies used and the dietary challenges the patient faces. An instance of this can be viewed I the use of miswak stick in parts of Asia, Africa, South America, and the Middle East for centuries as an oral hygienic aid and for social and religious purposes (Joshua Breslau, 2001). A dentist can therefore help a patient from these cultural backgrounds to use the miswak stick as an oral hygiene aid.
Conclusion
It is essential factor for health providers to consider the sensitivity of patients and their cultural beliefs and practices and showing respect to their cultural values through an efficient communication approach in the delivery of healthcare in order to meet their healthcare needs. This method therefore requires the incorporation of different approaches within practice that enhance the service delivery methods while providing a culturally based care to patients.
References
Cohen E, Goode TD. (2001). Policy Brief 1: Rationale for Cultural Competence in Primary Health Care. Washington, DC: National Center for Cultural Competence;.
Cross TL, Bazron BJ, Dennis KW, IsaacsMR. (2...