CULTURAL COMPETENCE

Cultural competence



Abstract

In this study we try to explore the concept of “Cultural Competence” in a holistic context. The main focus of the research is on “Cultural Competence” and its relation with “various practices”. The research also analyzes many aspects of “Cultural Competence” and tries to gauge its effect on “various practices”. Finally the research describes various factors which are responsible for “Cultural Competence” and tries to describe the overall effect of “Cultural Competence” on “various practices”.

Cultural competence

Introduction

The world has become global, and learning to care for people of different cultures is imperative for healthcare workers. Research has shown that minority populations are not receiving the same quality of healthcare as non-minority populations (Diare, 2009). The Institute of Medicine was asked to investigate these disparities, and found one cause to be biased and prejudicial treatment by healthcare workers. Awareness of the issue is the first step to improving the disparities, but not the only step. Education and training in cultural competency has been viewed as a requirement for healthcare workers (Nancy et al, 2006). But what kind of education and what will work to change attitudes is still a question. This study examined the cultural competence level of nursing students using a pretest posttest cultural competence tool while attending a community health course. This literature review examined the cultural competence definition, why cultural competence is needed in nursing, the theory of cultural competency, and studies done regarding measurement of cultural competence in nursing students.

Literature review

Culture Competence

Cultural competence has been described as a way to improve the quality of care to individuals from different cultures other than our own (Irena, Mary, Savita, 2008). Nancy et al (2006) stated that cultural competent care “is using the knowledge that has been learned about a specific culture and applying it in sensitive, creative, and meaningful ways when providing care to individuals from diverse backgrounds” (Sheryl, 2011). Michele & Mary (2007) described cultural competence as being able to care for clients in a “culturally sensitive and appropriate manner”. It has been described as “an on-going process requiring more than formal knowledge” (Beth, Chris, 2010) described cultural sensitivity as a term used to mean being sensitive to others in their culture, which implies that the dominant culture is better or superior. The current use of the cultural competency term means that no one culture is superior. Culture competence is caring for a person or family from a culture, other than one's own, in a way that will improve the health and well being of the person without doing so in a prejudicial manner. Ethnocentrism, or a biased view that one's own culture is better than another, has resulted in ethnographic research that attempts to look at other cultures from an inside view and without bias. Cultural competent care is being able to overcome this ethnocentric view of others.

Strategies to Enhance Cultural Competence

Josefina (2010) described “a lack of progress in teaching and evaluating cultural competence”. Although nurse educators need to provide trans cultural experiences to understand a ...