Introduction
Delivering equal opportunity for medical treatment for all people, irrespective of their specific traits is essential in healthcare and is referred to as social justice. Social justice, according to the AACN, is the equal manner in which individuals are treated despite their socioeconomic situation, race, ethnicity, age, nationality, impairment, or sexual orientation (Habibzadeh et al., 2021). Healthcare facilities offer a beneficial social contribution since they were built to assist individuals in leading healthier, happier lives. In return, stakeholders, including nurses, patients, residents, and legislators, have an impact on the transformation of such establishments (Regis College, 2021). Therefore, to develop comprehensive treatment plans and encourage favorable patient outcomes, nurses should educate themselves about various cultural norms and communication practices.
How Social Justice Is Fundamental to the Practice of Nursing
Based on influential definitions and ideas, social justice in medical and nursing care can be defined in a variety of circumstances. The phrase refers to the equitable allocation and reorganization of assets for improved health outcomes and the identification and elimination of social and political obstacles that negatively affect health (Abu, 2020). Moreover, it must help the promotion of equal participation in decisions regarding the distribution and use of healthcare resources (Abu, 2020). Poor health and adverse health outcomes for people and communities are possible as a result of the social implications of these circumstances.
A persistent and complex process that starts with nurse practitioner training and extends during years of nursing practice is the formation of a professional value, including social justice. Some of the most crucial elements in learning and developing core standards are students, instructors, universities, academic and clinical experiences, and belief systems (Habibzadeh et al., 2021). In today’s constantly shifting demographic situation, it is crucial to train highly certified and competent nurses to provide essential care for different populations. Nursing students should be aware of their commitment to general population well-being issues and social variables impacting health (Habibzadeh et al., 2021). These include world hunger, air pollution, inability to obtain medical care, violations of individual rights, and unequal distribution of resources for health care, such as nursing services (Habibzadeh et al., 2021). Consequently, nurses must develop the necessary expertise and abilities in this context.
Social Justice, Diversity, and Patient- and Family-Centered Care
When considering social justice, it is necessary to pay attention to its role in patient- and family-centered care along with diversity. The integration of various qualities or traits is referred to as diversity (Togioka et al., 2021). Diversity in the healthcare field frequently involves the inclusion of healthcare providers, interns, instructors, and patients of various racial, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic status, as well as their sexual orientation (Togioka et al., 2021). Social justice ideas are included in the provision of efficient and comprehensive medical services and medical treatments. The creation of welcoming settings and the encouragement of diversity are part of social justice (Togioka et al., 2021). Disparities in health based on rates of mortality and morbidity, as well as cultural, socioeconomic, and political issues, can be managed via the use of social justice concepts.
From the above, it can be seen that social justice aims to improve not only healthcare personnel but patients’ well-being. Patient-centered care is based on the incorporation of individually customized care, support, and healing environment. In my experience, I strive to emotionally support the patients in addition to providing treatment, which can help them feel safe. However, holistic approaches might be required, which will involve a family-centered approach. The family-centered strategy to healthcare provision, which was first created for pediatric care, places a high importance on working in conjunction with families to address children’s medical and behavioral needs (Kokorelias et al., 2019). When it comes to their child’s capabilities and requirements, parents are regarded as authorities (Kokorelias et al., 2019). Family-centered treatments in the setting of intensive care may lessen the stress of caring for families during a crisis. In my experience, I incorporate family-centered care by encouraging inclusion of family support into the environment of the patient.
Barriers to Providing Socially Just Care to a Diverse Population
Still, when focusing on the aspects of social justice, healthcare professionals can face many barriers, one of which is linguistic barriers. Language obstacles, in the opinion of medical professionals who cannot communicate with their patients in their native tongue, hinder their capacity to educate and inform (Grandpierre et al., 2018). It can be additionally said that ineffective communication with service users affected the growth of productive connections and made rapport-building more difficult (Grandpierre et al., 2018). Another type of barrier involves the impact of cultural differences on the provision of services. Healthcare workers might acknowledge that cultural differences impact the way services are provided. Therefore, barriers might frequently involve a lack of cultural awareness of the medical professionals.
Furthermore, scarce resources are often highlighted by medical professionals as obstacles to providing medical care that is culturally appropriate. These include Western-based methods, materials with a particular language focus, a dearth of multilingual practitioners, a shortage of translators, and inadequate training and/or schooling (Grandpierre et al., 2018). It can be discussed how the delivery of services was hindered by Western ideas of rehabilitation. For instance, service models that uphold Western ideals frequently encourage independence, which, as was repeatedly proven, was not always valued highly by all ethnic groups (Grandpierre et al., 2018). Therefore, information, evaluations, and therapies that are culturally and/or linguistically relevant can be barriers.
Recommendations for Providing Health Promotion Activities
Finally, as for recommendations, increased cultural awareness among medical professionals is the first one. One way to identify cultural differences that could be needed for careful customization is by asking questions (Grandpierre et al., 2018). Asking patients about their regular routines could be a good way to understand cultural differences and deliver effective therapy. The importance of comprehending patients’ cultural origins should be additionally stressed. Practitioners were better able to comprehend patient goals and provide suggestions that were more suitable to this knowledge (Grandpierre et al., 2018). The provision of culturally competent care should always be considered.
Another recommendation is to educate people from ethnic cultures about healthcare Given that many patients may be unaware of the resources available to them, helping minority culture patients navigate the healthcare system should be highlighted as a crucial component of delivering culturally responsive treatment (Grandpierre et al., 2018). House calls, resource connections, explanations of how equipment is paid for, and the provision of individualized support systems are all possible ways to assist patients in understanding the healthcare system (Grandpierre et al., 2018). Lastly, practitioners considered it crucial to clarify what goes into assessments and therapies. This can be accomplished by the use of suitable vocabulary, plain-language writing, cultural liaisons, and informational workshops.
Conclusion
Hence, nurses should educate themselves about diverse cultural norms and communication patterns in order to establish complete treatment plans and promote good patient outcomes. In order to enhance health outcomes, resources should be distributed and reorganized fairly. Social justice also refers to the recognition and removal of social and political barriers that have a detrimental impact on health. Social justice theories can be used to control health disparities based on mortality and morbidity rates as well as cultural, economic, and political factors. Healthcare practitioners might still encounter several obstacles when working on social justice issues, including a lack of resources, cultural competency, and language challenges. Regarding suggestions, it is necessary for patients to receive education and for medical professionals to become more culturally aware.
References
Abu V. K. (2020). Let us be unequivocal about social justice in nursing. Nurse Education in Practice, 47, 1-3. Web.
Grandpierre, V., Milloy, V., Sikora, L., Fitzpatrick, E., Thomas, R., & Potter, B. (2018). Barriers and facilitators to cultural competence in rehabilitation services: a scoping review. BMC Health Services Research, 18(1), 1-14. Web.
Habibzadeh, H., Jasemi, M., & Hosseinzadegan, F. (2021). Social justice in health system; a neglected component of academic nursing education: a qualitative study. BMC Nursing, 20, 1-9. Web.
Kokorelias, K. M., Gignac, M. A., Naglie, G., & Cameron, J. I. (2019). Towards a universal model of family centered care: a scoping review. BMC Health Services Research, 19, 1-11. Web.
Regis College. (2021). How to develop and maintain social justice in nursing. Web.
Togioka, B. M., Duvivier, D., & Young, E. (2021). Diversity and discrimination in healthcare. StatPearls Publishing. Web.