Cultural Competence Assessment

Cultural Competence Assessment
Diana Sanchez
NRSE 4570

The United States is one of the most multicultural countries in the world. In fact it is projrected that by the year 2020 only 53% of the U.S. population will be White of European Descent (Giger, 2013). This has a huge impact on nursing because the patient population we are serving is changing very rapidly and we need to adapt in order to provide culturally appropriate care. A culturally competent nurse is one that seeks knowledge and skills that support caring for people from different cultures.
Being aware of your own personal beliefs, stereotypes, of bias is the first step to becoming a culturally competent patient advocate. Completing a self-assessment that outlines your personal beliefs regarding culture and diversity is an excellent tool for self-reflection (Murphy, 2011). On the cultural diversity self-assessment I scored 137 points out of 160 points. I tried answering as honestly as possible and I was surprised on some of my answers. My two strengths include my ability to have beliefs that are my own and not a byproduct of my upbringing or those surrounding me. My other strength is that I include people of all races and cultures as part of my social circle as well as in other areas of my life. As far as weaknesses I found that once I recognized I am being stereotyped I shut down rather than try to overcome their perceptions. My other weakness includes not being fully comfortable standing up for others when they are being mistreated or judged based on their culture. Overall this assessment was very interesting to complete and it made me realize some beliefs I was unaware I had.
To become more culturally aware and competent nurse you should be open to learning about different cultures. Being aware and knowledgeable of your patient’s culture is important because it can help you understand them from a holistic point of view. There is a variation in different ethnic groups on how the epidemiology, manifestation of disease, and effects of medications affects them. In addition, cultural beliefs also impact medication choice and use (Seeleman, et al, 2009). Knowledge can be acquired through education, resources, and even listening to the patient. They key point is being culturally sensitive and open to learning.
To improve cultural competence it is also important to have the right attitude as well as be aware of other individual’s behavior. Culture greatly influences individual behavior. Communication patters, customs, nonverbal behaviors, family roles, and spirituality are some key elements that are influenced by culture (Seeleman, et al, 2009). To provide culturally competent care a nurse should be aware of any rules or customs before interacting with a particular group. For instance there are certain cultures that find certain things offensive such as shaking hands, eye contact, or head nodding. Other cultures prefer that you address the man for any questions, even if they are not the patient. Attitude also plays a big role when it comes to your own personal beliefs and tendencies you might have about a cultural group. Everyone holds biases and stereotypes but it is important to acknowledge and explore these feelings in order to overcome them.

REFERENCE

Giger, J.M. (2013). Transcultural nursing: Assessment & intervention, (6th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby

Murphy, K. (2011). The Importance of Cultural Competence. Nursing Made Incredibly Easy, 9(2). Retrieved August 30, 2014, from http://journals.lww.com/nursingmadeincrediblyeasy/Fulltext/2011/03000/The_importance_of_cultural

Seeleman C, Suurmond J, Stronks K. Cultural competence: a conceptual framework for teaching and learning. Med Educ. 2009;43(3):229–237