With the growing diversification of society, the concept of cultural competence and cultural proficiency attract more and more attention in almost all spheres of human activity. The healthcare system starts to focus on being culturally competent as well regardless of still existing multiple challenges that include the complexity of organizations, cultural and linguistic barriers, limited access for particular population groups, and discrimination (Handtke et al., 2019). In general, cultural competence includes four fundamental components – awareness, attitude, knowledge, and skills. In culturally proficient healthcare organizations, members are aware of deep-seated prejudices and stereotypes connected with people’s particular cultures, values, traditions, and beliefs, however, they have enough knowledge to stay unbiased. In addition, culturally competent healthcare specialists have a positive attitude and respect for cultural diversity and know how to deal with it in practice.
From a personal perspective, there are several strategies that may be applied in order to improve cultural proficiency in healthcare organizations and provide safety for culturally diverse patients. They include language assistance, cultural brokerage, and cultural competence training (Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), 2019). Language assistance implies the presence of bilingual healthcare providers to reduce barriers not only between staff and patients but between team members in case of their cultural diversity. Cultural brokerage “is the mediation between the traditional health beliefs and practices of a patient’s culture and the healthcare system” represented by patient navigators, community health workers, or interpreters (Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), 2019, para. 9). Finally, cultural competence training with the focus on knowledge and skills that value diversity will help medical staff make appropriate decisions in situations when cultural peculiarities should be considered to avoid mistakes. In addition, cultural competence is essential not only in relation to patients but to culturally diverse colleagues as well to provide efficient cooperation on the basis of mutual respect.
References
Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). (2019). Cultural competence and patient safety.
Handtke, O., Schilgen, B., & Mösko, M. (2019). Culturally competent healthcare – A scoping review of strategies implemented in healthcare organizations and a model of culturally competent healthcare provision. PLOS ONE, 14(7), e0219971.