Rethinking Cultural Competence, Coursework Example

Introduction

Cultural needs and differences impact health in many different ways and require an examination of different principles that impact wellbeing. It is important to identify the different areas whereby individuals receive care and treatment and whether these areas are sufficient to meet the needs of a given client base. Culture of origin also influences individual belief systems and the differences that exist among individuals requiring healthcare assistance. In the context of diversity in healthcare practices, it is essential to develop a strategic approach that is likely to impact patients in a positive manner and provide a basis for examining new ideas and approaches to individualized care and treatment based upon culture. This also requires healthcare providers to be cognizant of the needs and core values of patients from diverse backgrounds in order to optimize care and treatment at the highest possible level. For persons of Kenyan origin, it is important to recognize the spiritual nature of their beliefs and their loyalty to the national culture in order to treat this population in the desired manner (HealthCare Chaplaincy, 2013).

Body

Cultural habits and beliefs impact health and the manner in which human beings conduct themselves, and this reflects a need to further examine the challenges and expectations of healthcare practice. At the same time, healthcare providers must be prepared to work closely with patients and obtain knowledge regarding their cultural limitations and preferences in order to be successful in treating patients at a high level (Chang, Simon, & Dong, 2012). Cultural beliefs and core values represent a need to further examine how individuals respond to cultural needs and expectations and to be proactive in meeting the needs of a given client base, and this supports a demand for increased cultural competence to support client health (Kirmayer, 2012).

Persons of Kenyan origin possess specific health concerns that impact their ability to receive treatment in some cases. For example, they often believe that illness is a product of witchcraft or a supernatural concern, or that social norms have been disrupted (HealthCare Chaplaincy, 2013). In addition, Kenyan persons are not likely to seek traditional medical treatments and may seek unconventional types, such as plants that are designed to eliminate evil from the patient (HealthCare Chaplaincy, 2013). Therefore, communication must be active and ongoing regarding the needs of a patient of this culture in order to make positive decisions that will aim to improve health and wellbeing (HealthCare Chaplaincy, 2013). It is also important for healthcare providers to recognize the value of sharing ideals regarding death and dying, along with cleanliness of the body to support these beliefs (HealthCare Chaplaincy, 2013).

Clinical education must include the development of coursework and approaches that will improve cultural competence and provide insight regarding the beliefs and preferences of patients across different cultures (Like, 2011). Most importantly, patients must be able to receive comfort and support from healthcare providers who are culturally competent in order to be effective in treating a variety of patients from different cultural backgrounds. This will encourage patients to gain comfort when they seek care and treatment from the healthcare community for a variety of concerns or conditions that require clinical attention. For example, pregnant women in the Kenyan culture may not receive all forms of prenatal care, depending on personal beliefs, experience traditional labor and cesarean procedures as needed, and commonly breastfeed their children (HealthCare Chaplaincy, 2013).

From a provider perspective, there are a number of important tools and resources that must be examined in order to be effective in the treatment of patients on a continuous basis. Healthcare knowledge and practice must demonstrate a strong commitment to excellence and the continued growth of resources that support cultural competence, along with other factors that contribute to the expansion of the practice environment to accommodate patients in this regard (Weech-Maldonado et.al, 2012). From this perspective, it is inevitable that there must be a greater focus on the development of tools and resources that will have a positive impact on patients and which will support the continued growth of practice models to influence outcomes in a positive manner (Weech-Maldonado et.al, 2012). Healthcare providers must be prepared to manage the impact of their decision-making on cultural values and beliefs, as this will influence how organizations respond to change and what is required to support health and wellbeing (Weech-Maldonado et.al, 2012). This strategy is instrumental in determining how nurses and other care providers respond to cultural differences and the ability of individuals to bring new insights to healthcare practice that will provide a learning curve for all professionals in this regard.

Conclusion

Healthcare practice methods are essential to the discovery of new insights and techniques to support patient wellbeing, and this is best accomplished by developing respect and support for individual cultural needs and expectations. Cultural competence must be expressed during all care and treatment plans as a means of recognizing the importance of each patient’s background and experiences. This will encourage providers to be cognizant of the different cultural issues that impact patient wellbeing and long-term health, including the different beliefs, customs and preferences that may influence how patients are treated at the bedside and in other clinical environments. Persons of Kenyan culture possess unique healthcare requirements that must be addressed when they require care and treatment from their providers; therefore, communication is critical in order to ensure that these issues are addressed in a timely manner without significant complications.

References

Chang, E. S., Simon, M., & Dong, X. (2012). Integrating cultural humility into health care professional education and training. Advances in Health Sciences Education, 17(2), 269-278.

Kirmayer, L. (2012). Rethinking cultural competence. Transcultural Psychiatry,49(2), 149.

Like, R. C. (2011). Educating clinicians about cultural competence and disparities in health and health care. Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions, 31(3), 196-206.

Weech-Maldonado, R., Elliott, M. N., Pradhan, R., Schiller, C., Hall, A., & Hays, R. D. (2012). Can hospital cultural competency reduce disparities in patient experiences with care?. Medical care, 50, S48.