Culturally Diverse Assessments: Uncovering Values, Cultures & Beliefs - Essay Sample

Introduction

A culturally diverse assessment is an assessment that aims at deciphering the different cultures existing in the workplace (Debiasi & Selleck, 2017). It is a strategic approach which is employed by nurses to help evaluate the culture, values, and beliefs held onto by the patient. It helps gather information about the patient collected from the patient and the family. The culturally diverse assessment is essential as they aid in revealing the different values, cultures, and beliefs. They are also crucial as they provide for an increased level of care delivery to the patients.

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The assessments increase the efficiency of the interactions between a patient and the professionals. The presence of cultural diversity ensures that the patients and medical practitioners have a personal relationship encompassing a detailed understanding of the cultural values and beliefs. The culturally diverse assessments also help in increasing the knowledge of the cultural context of the patients. The different cultural assessment collects information such as the language of the patient, the religion, and not forgetting their communication tendencies (Debiasi & Selleck, 2017).

Diversity is accumulative of the different cultural values and beliefs and the religion practiced as well as the distinct ethnic differences of the various families and patients (Debiasi & Selleck, 2017). The individuals responsible for the assessment evaluate the patient in terms of their culture. Their environment from which the patient comes needs consideration. It is crucial that the assessment is not bias. The adoption of culturally competent care delivery to the patients ensures that the care gets aligned with the cultural beliefs of the patients. It also ensures that their preferences are taken into consideration. The culturally diverse assessments are, therefore, essential in their role in providing a foundation for the plan used in delivering care to the patients.

The culturally diverse assessments are also crucial as they aid in the provision of the individualized and customized care plan to the patients. It is because the patients have different values and beliefs, and therefore their care will portray numerous differences. Consequently, it leads to the presence of better outcomes for the patients. Diversity in the field of nursing involves the differences in gender, race, age, ethnic backgrounds, religion, disability, and sexual orientation. It also includes differences in socioeconomic status and other traits that differentiate individuals physically (Debiasi & Selleck, 2017).

The assessments play a role in increasing the levels of communication between a patient and a nurse. It is because of the ability to make a connection between the culture of medicine and the culture of a patient composed of various beliefs and practices. The understanding of the culture of a patient ensures that there is effective communication that ultimately leads to a more productive relationship that makes the patient comfortable. A nurse who has all the information about a patient leads to the provision of better care. It leads to an increase in the cultural competency of the nurse. A culturally competent nurse usually is aware of the culture of a patient and is, therefore, more sensitive.

The nursing workforce should also make nurses coming from various ethnic backgrounds. Is to increase and adapt to the increasing variety of patients. It is to increase the levels of connection between the patient and the care provider. It ultimately leads to an increase in the level of care provided to the patients. Diversity and increased levels of inclusion are, therefore, fundamental in integrating various cultures and perspectives that contribute to better collaborative efforts and increased inventions and creativity. It is, therefore, critical that the culturally diverse assessments get conducted to increase the levels of satisfaction and care to the patients.

Components of a Comprehensive Cultural Assessment

A comprehensive cultural assessment of a patient encompasses several significant components (Marzilli, 2016). The first component of the extensive cultural assessment is communication. It is a component that identifies the preferred language for communication by the patient. There are several aspects of communication considered, such as the different cultural explanations that a provider can use to explain an illness, which terms that when used are considered as taboos.

Communication also includes which non-verbal cues of communication used. It also includes identifying a family member considered as responsible for making decisions. It also aims at determining whether a spokesperson for the patient is needed. It also identifies the need for involving an interpreter when barriers in communication arise (Marzilli, 2016).

The second major component is the culture which the patient identifies with. It is vital that the patient clearly states their culture. It is also necessary to inquire from the patient about their backgrounds. The social organization of the patient should also get identified. Factors such as their beliefs regarding the presence of a spiritual being should also get identified (Marzilli, 2016). It is vital to be aware of the position that religion plays in a patient’s life. Religion is critical because some beliefs do not allow certain aspects of medical treatment.

The third essential component is the role that the culture of the patient regarding the disease (Marzilli, 2016). It is because some conditions are usually more predisposed and affected by the culture of the patient. For instance, sickle cell disease is often more inclined to affecting individuals from particular ethnicities, such as individuals from African origin. It also affects individuals of the Central and South American ethnicities. The other vital consideration concerns the different biological differences portrayed by a patient. For instance, does the patient express their condition, their pain levels unless asked? What are the beliefs of the patient regarding pain and whether the patient should tolerate it? It also involves determining whether there are local and herbal remedies that the patient considers alternatives to medicine.

Communication Skills facilitating Culturally Competent Healthcare

Culturally Competent Healthcare involves the use of effective communication skills. The presence of efficient communication ensures that patients get access to suitable medical care. The communication ensures that the patients get satisfaction regarding the services received. It also ensures that the patients adhere to the treatment regimes provided. Culturally competent communication is associated with the presence of awareness regarding different cultures.

Competency in communication increased by ensuring that cultural competency gets insisted upon in service delivery. Nurses should also undergo training regarding the significance of cultural competency and how to achieve it. Information regarding the culture of the patients must be collected and assessed to increase understanding. It is also essential that the interpretation services provided to the patients.

The following are some communication skills used to increase the provision of culturally competent healthcare to patients by nurses. The first involves talking straight to the patient and the presence of transparency in their communication. A nurse must provide clear and transparent information to the patient regarding their condition. The nurse should disclose all the details regarding their situation, their prognosis, treatment regimen, side effects of medication, and any other information related to their condition—the other communication skill involves emotion control on the part of the nurse. The control of emotions illustrates the presence of respective communication between the nurse and a patient. The presence of respect is vital as it ensures that each party is appreciated and satisfied.

Listening to the patient and accepting the culture of the patient is the third communication skill that enforces the presence of culturally competent healthcare. The nurse should know the cultural beliefs, values of the patient, and respect them. The views and culture should then get incorporated into the care plan of the patients. It helps and contributes towards the provision of holistic care to the patient. The fourth communication skill is to use the use of non-verbal communication skills.

It includes the attitude of the nurse towards the patient, their bodily position as well as their gestures. There must be availability and provision of up to date and correct information to the patient. It is essential as it increases the level of trust and strengthens the interpersonal relationship between the patient and the nurse. The last critical communication skill required is learning if an extensive vocabulary is incorporating the use of language that the patient understands.

Conclusion

In conclusion, cultural competency must get enforced in the provision of care to patients. It is because of its critical role in increasing the satisfaction of the patients. It is beneficial as it implements the outcomes of attention given to the patients. The adequate comprehension of the cultural beliefs and values of patients increases the provision of holistic care the patients.

References

Debiasi, L. B., & Selleck, C. S. (2017). cultural competence training for primary care nurse practitioners: an intervention to increase culturally competent care. Journal of cultural diversity, 24(2).

Marzilli, C. (2016). Assessment of cultural competence in Texas nursing faculty. Nurse education today, 45, 225-229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2016.08.021