Diversity Issues in a Healthcare Setup - Assignment Example

 Diversity Issues in a Healthcare Setup Article Summaries I. Shoring up for Efficiency This article is a projection of the implementation and use of ActiveStaffer as a programming software that can be used by healthcare setups to improve their staffing. Nancy explained that the ActiveStaffer software was created to project solutions for the hectic problems of organizing culturally diversified staffs. Essentially, it helps with factors like the scheduling of work for the staff members. The system, already in use at the Covenant Health System in Waterloo, has been used to integrate the diversified staff into a productive workforce. Nancy also elaborated how the software benefits the organization by improving cohesion and eliminating factors like under service and cultural conflict. Moreover, it promotes efficacy and timeliness as its programming is guided by the objectives that would promote productivity. II. Bridging the Gap Between the Company and Employees: Human Resource Management Kennedy highlighted the broad responsibilities of every human resource department and elaborated the importance of their competency. He so illustrated that beside duties that include hiring, training, compensation, development and even planning, the HR departments should be cohesively knit to meet other requirements like the changes in every environment. Changes, as the author noted, may include the rapidly expanding cultural diversity of the nation. Such would require that every department and all its members objectively meet cultural competence as a purpose. This is a strategy that can be acived through mechanisms that involve training and even retention of the competent staff members. III. Culturally Competent Healthcare Systems; a Systematic Review Anderson and Scrimshaw elaborate the significance of cultural competence in every healthcare setup. They so explained that cultural diversity has affected service delivery. This is a factor that has largely been projected through misunderstanding/misinterpretations and in some extreme instances, insensitivity and discrimination. These factors, as the authors illustrated, have largely negated the elements that define productivity in healthcare setups; cohesion, awareness and precision. The authors therefore highlighted programs that can get used for cultural integration and the facilitation of service delivery. The programs include training in cultural competency or even the application of interpreter services. Essentially, such programs eliminate the cultural parities that are caused by cultural incompetence in staffs. IV. Workforce Commitment in HealthCare Rose Significantly in 2004 The author noted the developments in the healthcare system in 2004 as the staffs encompassed cultural diversity and competence amongst their core objectives. The programs that the healthcare systems had put to use ensured that the staffs became committed in a collective purpose of achieving professionalism as had been set by their departments. Essentially, programs like training on cultural competence and the use of interpreters whenever linguistic barriers were projected helped eliminate the parities that had previously mired service delivery within the setups. The programs so promoted cohesion, understanding, reliability and trust, and eliminated vices like conflict and animosity. According to the author, the most productive staffs are the kind that meet the requirements and obligations that would ensure that every patient in a setup is adequately cared for. Diversity Issues in a Healthcare Setup Cultural Competence Cultural diversity in a workforce equips the staff with the understanding of the cultural differences and values that is often projected in a healthcare set up. Walton (1994) explained that every healthcare setup often has varied cultural projections. A staff with cultural competence would project the attitude and behavioral skills that are required to sustain such setups. Henderson (2004) explained that the professional information that is gathered from books and intellectual materials on how to handle the diversity in healthcare setups is inadequate. That factor calls for the integration of members from the varied background by the HR department as a measure of fulfilling the requirements and sustenance of diversity in a hospital. Cultural Conflict Henderson (2004) elaborated that cultural conflict has been a significant issues in healthcare setups. Conflict has been emanated through occurrences like discrimination and even racism. Eliminating the conflict would require the implementation of stringent measures that limit aggression and other atrocities like discrimination. Essentially, conflict is an issue that should be solved with legal restrains in extreme situations. Moreover, the HR department can use public posters that ban the vice within the premises of the hospital. Under Service According to Walton (1994), there are the cultural compositions in every setup that always sire factors like favoritism or even under service. The under service often arise from the cultural complexities that most people may consider as difficult in handling. Andrews and Boyle (2008) elaborated that the HR departments should always consider training their staff on the psychological compositions and requirements of the cultural diversification amongst patients. Though the most useful tool in such instances is cultural integration in the staff, the HR department should also always consider the implementation of strategies that call for patience and keenness. That would make sure that all the patients are dully serviced. Cultural Awareness Cultural awareness, as Walton (1994) illustrated, is the definitive feature that bridges the parities caused by diversity. Awareness makes the healthcare setup positively interactive. That implies that it promotes understanding and communication. The HR department would be required to organize seminars and conferences that would facilitate awareness and in turn promote interaction within the setup. Andrews and Boyle (2008) explained that some of the cultural skills are acquired and can be learned through training. However, training is an unlimited activity that continues even after the conferences as the staff members would be encouraged to acquire the basic cultural elements from other staff members through integration. Cohesion Cohesion arise form factors like understanding, practices, attitudes, preferences, values and in some situations even cults. Addressing cultural cohesion would require that the staffs work harmoniously and productively (Henderson, 2004). Though this a factor that primarily hard to achieve in an extremely diverse set up, Andrews and Boyle (2008) explained that is required of the HR departments to draw measures that strictly define the duties of all members. All individuals would be required to meet their obligations and not in any way interfere with the duties of other individuals unless they are committing wrongs. Ideally, responsibility is a factor that promotes cohesion as every action ultimately contributes to the achievement of the aims/objectives of the taskforce (Walton, 1994). References Andrews, M. M., & Boyle, J. S. (2008). Transcultural concepts in nursing care. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Henderson, G. (2004). Cultural diversity in the workplace: Issues and strategies. Westport, Conn: Praeger. Walton, S. J. (1994). Cultural diversity in the workplace. Burr Ridge, Ill: Irwin Professional Pub./Mirror Press. Read More