Culturally Competent Care, Research Paper Example

The Population

The vulnerable population dealt with in this discussion composes of the homeless people who need some healthcares. The health needs of this population vary from one person to the other. However, their health requirements include but not limited to periodic medical consultation and nursing services (Maurer & Smith, 2005).

Health Disparities

A number of health disparities exist between the homeless population and the rest people in the communities. Some of these disparities include lack of proper housing services, the dearth of appropriate welfare services to cater for their innumerous needs, the problem of no insurance on health, and unavailability of enough governmental budgets for the homeless people. The issues have affected the health delivery services to the homeless people from time to time (Maurer & Smith, 2005).

My Cultural Competence

I would rate my cultural competence quite high because of the following facts:

• I place a high value on diversity. I understand that the homeless people are different personalities with their own cultural composition. Therefore, I strongly believe that while working with them, I need to adjust to their cultural way of life so as to let them get the best out of my health services.

• I have an in-depth knowledge of cultural dynamism—I am always of the opinion that other people’s culture must be given a lot of recognition while dealing with them.
• Over the years, I have developed a culturally adaptable personality, which means that I can easily pass through any cultures without necessarily exerting my culture over the others’ (Maurer & Smith, 2005).
• I also fully understand that the homeless want the other people in the community to show enough concern to their plights. So, as a nurse, I have devised a way to be patient, sympathetic and attentive to the homeless in order to win their confidence in me before administering any nursing services on them (Hunter et al., 1993).

Cultural Biases

Some of the cultural biases I have had against the homeless people include but not limited to: (i) thinking that they are personally lazy; (ii) believing that they are not making enough efforts to change their pitiable position; (iii) thinking that they personally consume or carry out actions that would impair their health; (iv) believing that they are aggressive and not always ready to take health advice from the professionals.

However, I understand that my biases against this population may not always be right. Therefore, the best approach at overcoming these biases is to, first of all, understand their own perspectives about their current lifestyle:: by doing this, I will be able to know that they are actually trying to get out of the vulnerable situation they had found themselves, only that the governmental attitude and community indifference have kept them hooked to such a circumstance for a long time. It is my belief that when the homeless are given enough recognition and sympathy they desire, it will be possible to easily approach them and offer health services that would be useful for their sound minds. I suspect that the number of homeless people is increasing simply because all the issues highlighted above have been neglected by the government as well as the communities in which the homeless are part of (Daniels, 2004).

References

Daniels, R. (2004). Nursing fundamentals: caring & clinical decision making. Florence, KY: Cengage Learning.

Hunter, J.K., State University of New York, & Nursing Center for the Homeless (1993). Nursing and health care for the homeless. New York: SUNY Press.

Maurer, F.A., & Smith, C.M. (2005). Community/public health nursing practice: health for families and populations. New York: Elsevier Health Sciences.