Medical professionals face language barriers working with patients from diverse backgrounds. Diversity is based on race, gender, ethnicity, culture, sexuality, religion, socio-economical levels, and education. English medical professionals experience difficulty communicating with patients who do not speak English as the primary language. The language barrier results in the professional not understanding the patients’ needs when caring for them. The medical professional may not receive answers to the open-ended questions. The patients may misunderstand the medical professionals’ advice and may not understand the dynamics of their care. The patients may fail to understand discharge instructions by the professionals and how to take care of themselves.
The challenge in communication is overcome by cultural competence and educating nurses. Cultural competency is a process of studying beliefs and morals to establish an overall approach to being involved through intellectual involvement (Nurturing Cultural Competence in Nursing, 2010). The nurses learn the cultural differences between them and the patients and work on improving communication between them. Cultural competence enables the health care professional and the patient to feel valued and respected and make better decisions. It helps improve communication between medical professionals and patients.
The healthcare system should diversify the workforce and educate nurses on the cultural information of the patients. A diverse workforce can learn the sensitive culture, communicate, and interact with community members. The nurse who speaks the same language may help to interpret patients’ needs for better understanding and outcomes. The nurse helps patients learn how to take care of themselves without having emotional attachments. Interpretation helps improve communication, saves time used, and boosts the health of the patients and the community. Cultural competency and educating nurses help improve communication in a diverse environment.
Reference
Oregon Center for Nursing. (2010). Nurturing Cultural Competence in Nursing [Video]. Web.