Cultural Competency as a Paramount Necessity Amongst Health Care Professionals - Essay Example

Cultural Competencies Task Cultural Competencies Introduction Cultural competency is a paramount necessity amongst health care professionals, especially for those working within multicultural environments. This is majorly because of the high chances of committing unintentional mistakes when practicing with people from a diverse culture. As such, the concept of cultural competency in health care refers to the understanding of ethnicity and race in order to enable practitioners, as well as, professionals in this field to serve their patients effectively and with respect to different cultural backgrounds. The availability of cultural competency among health care professionals is very paramount in their profession, as in most cases, previous situations provide that a lack of cultural competency among health care providers and their support staff may result in a mismatch between the needs and wants of a patient as contrasted to the recommendations of the care giver. This in most cases leads to poor service delivery from caregivers, and lack of satisfaction from the patients. Culture covers a wide expanse of concepts and not necessarily confined to race. It incorporates numerous aspects of the community such as disability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, religion, ethnicity, as well as, education levels. Consequently, the broad construct of cultural competency requires students of medicine, as well as, those taking physician-assistance courses, or any other health relates course to explore it through community exposures. This understanding of the requirements of cultural competencies enables healthcare professionals to come up with educational programs that enhance multicultural competencies of students, and as such, guarantee proper delivery of services Quantitative Approach A quantitative approach uses confirmatory or deductive or top down scientific approach that are instrumental to researchers when they want to describe, predict or explain a situation or phenomenon though the data obtained from a given sample. In such a research design, the investigator tests hypothesis and theories with collected data based on numerical data, and most typically through analysis of variables. These variables in such an approach or analysis include depended variables, categorical variables, quantitative variables, independent variables, as well as, mediating variables. A researcher tests variables in their inclusion within a study in order to ascertain whether it has an impact, or not on one factor or the other. This involves an accurate measure attained through validated and structured instruments of collection, such as behavioral responses, as well as, rating scales. The big question in this quantitative approach as applied in the concept of this topic of cultural competency requires determining all studies relating to the topic, and deducing the figurative data concerning the impact of the topic. The research question requires establishment of the viability of cultural competencies amongst health care professionals, as well as, how well or non-important this aspect is amongst the delivery of health care services within multicultural societies. Most student studies incorporates the lessons conducting application of cultural competencies amongst most of students in order to shape and prepare the students for meeting their multicultural expectations of professional service delivery in health care management. For instance, the study conducted by health care scholars dealing with the integration of cultural competency throughout a first-year physician assistant curriculum proved that it steadily improved cultural awareness. Quantitative studies are grounded upon accurate measurements attained by means of structured and validated data collection instruments, such as rating scales and behavioral responses. In other studies, data collected can be done through respondents who have been picked randomly. As such, it is evident that quantitative inquires purpose the data collected for analysis in order to establish statistical relationships that ultimately generalize the findings of the research paper by mostly testing a particular representative of the population. This makes use of various valid tools of measurements, using instruments such as questionnaires for the surveys. In a questionnaire, a researcher drafts specific questions that contain all the relevant queries dealing with the issues under research, and particularly the subject’s f the study. In this case, the researcher drafts questions to participants of this study in order to establish whether the students find any comfort in the inclusion of cultural competencies within their studies, and the effect of this in their later professional work and discharge of health care services are medical professionals. Administration of the various questionnaires used in such a research includes platforms such as the internet, handouts, face-to-face, email, telephone, or mail. Another quantitative research conducted to establish the viable facts of cultural competency within the practice of nursing and health care delivery include a longitudinal study of Cultural competence among Health science faculty. The purpose of this study was to measure the process of cultural competence over time in a group of Health Science Faculty teaching nursing and other allied health students. Faculty (n=28) were administered the Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competence Among Healthcare Professionals (IAPCC) prior to a cultural competence workshop, immediately after the workshop, and again at three months, six months and 12 months. The mean scores increased significantly with each administration of the IAPCC from the pretest administration (52.17) to the 12-month administration (59.71) demonstrating new knowledge related to cultural. Qualitative Approach This approach applies the inductive or bottom up exploratory method of research whereby the researcher does not apply ay assumptions in the study especially at the beginning. This approach is very different from the quantitative study because it does not have any assumptions that require either an approval or disapproval from the data collected. In such a research, themes come out as long as the researcher is in a position to collect data from the field, as well as, be in a position to interpret that data avidly. Such qualitative inquires are very useful to researchers especially if what the researcher seeks is to describe a certain phenomena, or to deeply explore it, as well as, seek to understand particular manners through which people experience or think their lives. Application of a qualitative approach in researching the prevalence of cultural competencies in delivery of health care amongst multicultural communities enables professionals in the field to be in a position to undertake their duties proficiently, as well as, meet all the needs and wants of their patients. This is majorly because of the interpretive nature of these qualitative researches. As such, a researcher through critical analysis is able to interpret the date collected and make useful conclusions from the research. Therefore, through collection of data from the field, a researcher is able to generate new hypothesis concerning the topic, as well as, establish a grounded theory. One exceptional example of the application of this qualitative approach in the study of cultural competencies in the research on the competency of graduating us Bachelor of Science nursing students Cultural competence in the delivery of nursing care is an expectation of accreditation and approval boards for nursing in the United States. This study evaluated the effectiveness of four different nursing program curricula in developing culturally competent new graduates. Four methodologically and geographically diverse groups of graduating BSN students in the United States were given the Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competency Among Healthcare Professionals-Revised (IAPCCC-R®) prior to graduation and after completion of course work. A variety of curricular methods for achieving cultural competency was included. Two programs utilize a theory or a model developed by recognized transcultural expert nurses, Madeline Leininger and Josepha Campinha-Bacote. One program utilized an integrated approach employing no specific model. One program utilized a freestanding two-credit culture course within the curriculum, taught by nursing faculty with strong cultural preparation. Results indicate that these 212 graduating nursing students scored only in the culturally aware range, as measured by the IAPCC-R©, regardless of what program model they attended. References Beck, B. (2013). Integrating Cultural Competency throughout A First-Year Physician Assistant Curriculum Steadily Improves Cultural Awareness. The Journal of Physician Assistant Education Public 2013 Vol 24 No 2. Danica, F. & Carthon, J. (2011). Lost in Translation: Student Perceptions of Cultural Competence in Undergraduate and Graduate Nursing Curricula. Journal of Professional Nursing, Vol 27, No. 1 (January–February), 2011: Pp 43–49 43 McAllister, L., Sanner, S. & Wilson, D. (2010). A Longitudinal Study of Cultural Competence among Health Science Faculty. Journal of Cultural Diversity Vol. 17, No. 2 Suzan, K. & Josepha, C. (2008). Competency of Graduating Us Bachelor of Science Nursing Students. Management Pty Ltd. Contemporary Nurse (2008) 28: 37–44. Walsh, C., Gordon, F., Marshall, M. & Wilson, F. (2005). Interprofessional Capability: A Developing Framework for Interprofessional Education. Tim Hunt, Nurse Education in Practice (2005) 5, 230–237. Read More