Medical Management Strategies in Australia - Essay Example

"Medical Management Strategies in Australia" is a good example of a paper on social and family issues.

As a health professional providing services in residential aged care environments, what management strategies would you adopt to ensure that residents’ interests, customs, beliefs, and cultural and ethnic backgrounds are valued and fostered?

Australia is an aging nation built and comprises of culturally and linguistically diverse population in the world (Yeboah et al., 2013). Recent studies by Australian Bureau Statistics in 2011 shows that nearly one in four older Australian residents is from culturally diverse and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. The case study highlights the importance of diversity management strategies used by health professionals in residential older adult care environments. These strategies assist in ensuring that the cultural, beliefs, customs, and backgrounds of the residents’ are being fostered and valued (Wyatt et al., 2012). Residents who were interviewed included ‘James’, ‘Mei’, ‘Juan’, ‘Marjorie’, and ‘Balnah’. The real names of the participants are not disclosed and the name of the residential aged care center is kept anonymous. This approach has been followed in compliance with the guidelines of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). These guidelines have been outlined in the section of client privacy and confidentiality.

James was a 62 years old American male diagnosed with a stroke. He was living in the residential aged care center for the past 2 years. His speech and movements had been hampered due to stroke. Due to this, he moved to residential aged care. His partner would visit him every two days to check on him and spend time with him. James was having a hard time dealing with a nurse questioning him on filling up a form when he newly moved to the aged care center. This was because he was not comfortable in disclosing his issues with the nurse and only trusted his partner. Health professionals should understand that culture does not always comprise of religion, ethnicity, or race. It even encompasses of identification of an individual with a particular group. Each individual’s dignity should be protected and respected by health care practitioners (Standley et al., 2012).

A 70 years old woman, Mei had been living in the residential aged care for 10 years and she was diagnosed with diabetes. However, her blood sugar levels were under control since she started living in the residential aged care center. She loved talking to everyone in the aged care center. She finds the health care practitioners friendly but at times the health care practitioners used to be busy finishing their tasks so they could attend her. She finds it intimidating when health practitioners communicate with her while standing. She finds it to be more respectful of the health practitioner who could communicate with her at eye level. They would not give her much attention during the conversation which used to upset her. An increasing number of CALD residents in aged care sectors cause an increase in diminished access to care and increased culturally inappropriate services. This is because confusion and failure on the part of the health care practitioners to identify beliefs, practices, and cultural differences of the residents (Ambitious CALD aged care strategy, 2012).

Juan was a 67 years old Mexican woman living in residential aged care for the past 7 years. Juan was diagnosed with terminal cancer 5 years ago during her stay in the residential aged care center. According to Juan, the health care practitioners notified her of terminal cancer before informing her family. She and her family got intimidated because they are Mexicans and in their culture, the family should get notified first on the terminal illness before the resident. Therefore, a culturally competent strategy should be implemented to ensure an effective and appropriate interaction in cross-cultural communication (Gibson, 2011).

Marjorie was a 69 years old woman living in the aged care center. She is from an aboriginal background and does not feel comfortable to be attended, my male health practitioners.  She has been living there for 11 years and never once been treated by male health practitioners. According to her, she had an aboriginal friend, Balnah who was living in residential aged care two years ago. She was surprised by her friend fell sick. After a week, she insisted to go home against the order of her doctor who visited her that morning. She did not appear to be very sick after a week of treatment but she felt she was not going to survive that night so she wanted to spend her last night with her family. The nurse on duty was explaining to Balnah that the doctor required her to stay in the aged care since she did not appear to be very sick but Balnah was firm with her decision. This was because she spiritually felt that she would not survive that night. The nurse then met the supervisor on duty in the aged care to seek her advice on Balnah’s decision. The supervisor permitted for Balnah to go home after consenting Balnah’s family. Blanch was sent home that evening to spend time with her family and she passed away that night. Consequently, cultural-based requirements are necessary for an aged care center in relation to Aboriginal residents according to their culture (Shih et al., 2013). An individual should have the rights to decide about their life and death and their decisions should be respected.

James, Mei, Juan, and Balnah cases demonstrate that diversity management strategy is as important as an effective performance by health practitioners for their clients. CALD strategies can be implemented as one of the diversity management strategies. This should be done to make sure that the resident’s beliefs, customs, interests, ethnic and cultural values are being fostered and valued. This case study shows that management of diversity strategies should also be approached as a continuous and integrated process, tailored to the needs of every individual as variation in resources and capacity (Wyatt et al., 2012). There is a need to increase awareness regarding diversification strategies among health practitioners in a residential aged care center.  This will help in providing the best care to the residents who are living in residential aged care centers (Diverse workforce 'enhances aged care', 2013).