Reflective Account On Cultural Competence
After reading “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down” by Anne Fadiman, is an interesting book because it talks about the Hmong culture and their believes in medicine. A lot of cultures have their own way with handling medical issues, whether it is with some sort of herbs or whatever that culture uses to help the sick. In the book it’s about a little girl that suffers from having seizures and how the family is trying to use their cultural believes but also uses Western medicine to stop the seizures. It’s really hard for different cultures to assimilate to the American way because they do not fully understand what they’re trying to do which is helping their daughter. They want the help of the doctors but not too much because they still have
The book penned by Anne Fadiman, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down describes about cultural deviation and language barrier with respect to medical beliefs among Hmong natives who migrated to the United States. The story has exhibited the impact on conflicting cultural beliefs with reference to medical care and their interpretation towards Western medical health system (1997). This is a heartbreaking story about Hmong native couple and has a daughter named Lia who is suffering from epilepsy at an early age of 3 months old, which is regarded as a serious medical condition. Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder that affects all ages and characterized by unpredictable seizures (Epilepsy Foundation, 2014). However, in the book the disease in itself is no longer a source of urgency to Lia’s parents believe that their daughter’s soul had fled her body and become lost.
How can we become cultural competent? We can become cultural competent by first understanding our own culture and believes. Then we have to be aware that there are other people with different cultures and values, but that does not mean they are wrong. Finally, we need to treat other with respect regardless of our different point of views.
After taking the self-assessment survey for quality and culture, I would like to improve and understand how cultural competence can have a real impact on clinical outcomes. Taking from some of the questions I answered wrong, it make me wants to be cultural competent. There are a few questions I am surprised and shocked, that I answered them incorrectly. I do understand that with training, I will start to gain cultural competence but it will take consistent individual practice on my part to develop and maintain individual cultural competence. Cultural competence can lead to, health literacy, health equity, and fewer diagnostic errors, which might help the patient expand their choices and access high quality medical providers because patient
Cultural Competence, Diversity and Practice When the topic of cultural diversity is discussed, this includes factors such as a client’s age, gender, sexual preference, spiritual beliefs, socioeconomic status, geographic location, physical and mental capacities (Davis, McPhail, Wiest, & Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 1995). To me, the idea of cultural competency is not a skill one simply learns and then adds to his or her tool kit; it is an ongoing process. This involves not only staff development, but self-assessment as well. Cultural competence involves considering minority viewpoints and expanding one’s own perceptions and worldview, the truth is that all counselors have cultural blind spots (Davis, et al., 1995). I also believe the
In this article, researchers suggest minority in population remain at higher risk and danger for diabetes than the social majority. According to National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology (NICHSR, 2016), Healthcare disparities denote variations in access or availability of health amenities and services. Health status disparities denote to the difference in proportions of disease incidence and incapacities among socioeconomic and/or geographically defined population groups. Structural violence is unique means of labeling social measures that place people and populaces in harmful condition. It is structural in as much it is surrounded in the political and economic society of our social domain; it is
Mental health service and cultural competency play an important role in the enhancement of wellness and resilience of clients served. Multicultural competency and diversity continue to impact counselor education, training, theories and interventions. Counseling organizations must reflect cultural competency in many different ways in order to impact a wide range of clients. For this essay, Ms. Katherine Carter was interviewed. She is the director and a licensed Marriage & Family therapist at The Westminster Center.
To care for culturally different people one must be culturally competent. Cultural competence refers to knowledge and understanding that must be fully comprehended to care for culturally different people (Spector, 2008). Cultural assessments allow for comprehension of what people may believe according to their heritage. The major point in using assessment tools like The Heritage Assessment Tool should be the understanding that the assessment is only a baseline. Not all people fit in one category.
I think it is a little of both. Being culturally competent is a process that is lifelong as well as the knowledge you gain by being in the field. Researching and gaining knowledge of the different cultures is something that I consider mandatory. Realistically, there is no way to be 100% multicultural competent because there are so many different cultures around us. This is why studying and learning about different cultures is an ongoing process because there is no end to what we can learn.
I have implemented this process in my practice by making sure that I am not prejudice, discriminatory, or impose my cultural beliefs to my patients or families. I try my best to use both subjective and objective findings to give the appropriate cultural care needed for each patient. Goals and the plan of care are discussed with my patients, their families, and with my colleagues each shift. I try to constantly evaluate if the goals and plan of care are being met or in progress. Occasionally the plan and goals need to change, and that is why the constant evaluation is important.
Cultural competency: Indians Culture competency is defined as one has the knowledge, the abilities and the skill to deliver care congruent with the patient’s cultural beliefs and practices (Purnell, 2013). As a nurse or a health care provider, increasing ones consciousness of culture diversity improves the possibilities for health care practitioners to provide competent care (Purnell, 2013). Nurses and all health care providers should be aware of other cultures to provide the best care that they can for that individual. Developing a relationship with diverse cultural groups involves good interpersonal skills and the application of knowledge and techniques learned from the physical, biological, and social sciences as well as the humanities (Purnell, 2013). I am choosing to select the Indian culture for my first assignment.
Over the past four months, this course has been one of the most eye-opening experiences I have had during my first year of college. Although I have always realized the importance of being culturally competent in daily life, specifically healthcare, I was unaware of the many ways that cultural competence can be obtained. This class gave me the opportunity to view situations from a different perspective, especially through the weekly discussion boards and peer responses. Learning from classmate can teach more valuable lessons than listening to boring lectures or reading hundreds of pages in a textbook because it is easier to relate to experience rather than hypothetical situations. For example, one of the discussion boards asked us to detail
Based on my profession as a social work student as well as an African who have been fortunate to travel outside my country to study abroad, I could say my experiences has helped me develop cultural competence and social diversity. Aside from the fact that my first job as a Graduate Assistant for the Multicultural Student Services allowed me the opportunity to work with a diverse population, it has also given me the opportunity to learn how to serve the minorities. In my opinion, Cultural Competence/Social Diversity does not only apply to our client population but also to the social workers. My rationale for this is because coming from a different country and having a distinct culture from the Americans/any other, I have learned to recognize
With that being said, knowledge is my substantial weakness while skills and attitude are my strengths regarding intercultural competence. Being able to effectively engage with others from different backgrounds and communities relates to skills and attitude that allows me to interact and work with people from different culture. For me, being able to listen, observe, analyze, interpret, respect and think beyond average alleviates me to engage with others from different cultures adequately. But my weakness does with the aspect of cultural self- awareness, sociolinguistic awareness and grasp of global issues and trends. For example, working on group project illustrate one ability to be able to communicate and accommodate beliefs from other
Be aware, acknowledge and challenge my cultural assumptions/prejudices, be-liefs and values. By getting to know/learn about food, cultural celebrations, tradi-tions, language, dress, rituals is important in being culturally competent but NOT the only/most important part of being cultural competent. Most important part of be-ing cultural competent is ‘Managing Prejudices’ - all of us and everyone of us have some form/type of prejudice towards certain group of people (who are deemed different from us). Some people are uncomfortable with people who are skinny, have tattoos, have darker/lighter skin etc. Personally I find it difficult to work with people who have tattoos and it makes me ineffective in my deal-ings/interaction with them.
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