Engaged Listening: A Case Study
Nancy,
I agree with you that engaged listening is a necessary skill to facilitate cultural competence. It also shows genuine care and interest. Being aware of how listening looks to people of other cultures is important. For instance leaning forward and eye contact may show one culture that you are listening, whereas leaning in and turning an ear to someone of another culture shows that person that you are listening (Giger, 2013). Being respectful to cultural differences will help build a therapeutic relationship. I believe that developing good communication skills should be a priority for healthcare providers to build therapeutic relationships with culturally diverse patients. Do you agree?
I agree with you that engaged listening is a necessary skill to facilitate cultural competence. It also shows genuine care and interest. Being aware of how listening looks to people of other cultures is important. For instance leaning forward and eye contact may show one culture that you are listening, whereas leaning in and turning an ear to someone of another culture shows that person that you are listening (Giger, 2013). Being respectful to cultural differences will help build a therapeutic relationship. I believe that developing good communication skills should be a priority for healthcare providers to build therapeutic relationships with culturally diverse patients. Do you agree?