Personal and Professional Cultural Safety - Essay Example

Personal and professional cultural safety Name Registration number Date of submission Introduction It is important for health care service providers to have cultural awareness as well as sensitivity in order to deliver services effectively in a cross cultural places. Application of cultural awareness and sensitivity by health professional can help in the creation of interaction with the patients in addition to a friendly environment in which patients feel safe (Kenny, 2015). An environment with cultural safety is whereby there is openness, mutual respect as well as willingness to listen. Furthermore, such an environment has shared understanding as well as appreciation of the unique identity of the patients. This paper focusses on the personal and professional cultural safety among the patients and health service providers. In order to have cultural awareness, it is important for health service providers to begin by learning about other peoples’ cultures (Beyond Blue, 2014). Thus, it is imperative for health service providers to be familiar with history, belief systems, as well as the values of ethnic groups in order to work alongside and interact with various cultural groups. According to Kenny (2016), culture includes, but is not limited to ethnic origin, religious or spiritual belief, migrant experience, disability, generation, age, socioeconomic status, occupation, gender, and sexual orientation. However, on its own, cultural awareness is no sufficient but just an initial step towards the appreciation in cultural differences. Training in cultural safety and sensitivity is necessary in order to vary the paradigm of cultural ways of behaving and thinking. In order to gain cultural sensitivity, it is necessary for one to have internal reflection of one’s own cultural beliefs (NACCHO, 2013). Media resource one Settlement Guide: healthcare concerns for new Australians (March, 2016) http://www.sbs.com.au/radio/article/2015/12/17/settlement-guide-healthcare-concerns-new-australians Key issues The settlement guide indicated that many immigrants from settled in Australia since the adoption of Australia’s post-war migration program. It has been imperative to provide the immigrants with healthcare services in order to integrate them in their new communities. The Humanitarian Settlement Services (HSS) program that was put in place for the immigrants was voluntary and the support was provided in terms of needs basis. The immigrants, who were mostly of different cultures, were provided with information though trainers with whom they spoke the same language. This ensured that the information reached them in their own language. The trainers were tasked with running sessions of health concerned with access to Australian health system. However, one of the challenges that has been persistent is the issue of most of the specialists refusing to use interpreters. This forced the immigrants to take a member of their family who, in some cases, many not be able to understand English or they may be forced to have the appointment to the specialist cancelled due to the failure of the specialist to book an interpreter. According to Yamamah Agah of SSI, specialist consultation cannot proceed without the access of interpreters. Links to models and approaches According to Beyond Blue (2014), there should not be discrimination of any kind, especially as far as health issues are concerned. In the light of immigration of groups having different cultures into Australia, it is necessary for them to have access to heal care services. This has been boosted by the possible eradication of language barrier by ensuring that health care service providers as well as specialists are assigned interpreters to help in patient-health care provider or specialist communication. The media has been actively involved in ensuring that there is sufficient awareness in the importance of interpreters in health care provision, especially if language barrier is likely to be a bottleneck in health care delivery (Shaw et al., 2009). How the material affects current debate The material in the media has ensured that attitude of both health care service providers as well as patient towards interpreters have changed significantly for the better. According to O’Sullivan (2011), the interpreters play an important role in ensuring that the cultural differences between the healthcare service provider and the patient is bridged, and consequently making the patient to feel “safe” in the presence of health care service provider. Furthermore, the presence of interpreters goes a long way in opening up remote areas for health care service providers to relocate from cities as they are assured of interpreters help (Zarcadoolas, Pleasant, & Greer, 2005). Media resource two Indigenous health leaders helped give us a plan to close the gap, and we must back it (February, 2016) http://theconversation.com/indigenous-health-leaders-helped-give-us-a-plan-to-close-the-gap-and-we-must-back-it-54480 Key issues One of the major stains that past generations in Australia have failed to remove is the entrenched divide between the First Peoples and the non-Indigenous Australians, who are still denied the right to access health equality, a basic human right. The resulting health and life expectancy between these two groups led to the establishment of the Close the Gap Campaign a decade ago, in March 2006 (Oxfam Australia, 2014). The Close the Gap Campaign has led to increased scrutiny and focus on the inequalities in health care service delivery faced by indigenous Australians. The Close the Gap Campaign has grown to include a steering committee made up of more than forty indigenous and peak bodies from mainstream health care service providers as well as advocacy organizations. However, reports had indicated that the pace of the changes has been too slow, thus caution was given against impatience. Furthermore, significant improvements of life expectancy of indigenous Australians was forecasted to be achieved at least in 2018. It was also mentioned that such an achievement may only be realized if empowerment of indigenous people, certainty in funding, stable policy implementation, respectful and meaningful engagement and long-term commitment prevail. Links to models and approaches According to NACCHO (2013), it is important for the government and all the stakeholders in health care facilities to ensure that the gap between access to health care services that exist between the indigenous Australians and the First Peoples is bridged. Although Stoneham (2014) also held the same opinion, he went ahead to suggest that the leaders of the indigenous Australians need to play their part in ensuring that policies are pushed through to help in bridging the gap. Other researchers have also opined that the gap is a sin of discrimination against the indigenous Australians (Durey & Thompson, 2012; Pulver, 2013). How the material affects current debate The contribution of the indigenous health leaders to have in place a plan for bridging the gap between the indigenous Australians and the First Peoples, and the fact that the mainstream media has shown sufficient support for such a plan has opened door for inclusive health care services delivery that even the indigenous Australians feel part of. Various publications have also indicated that bridging the gap will go a long way in ensuring that the indigenous Australians do not feel like there is discrimination against them as far as health service is concerned (NACCHO, 2013; Stoneham, 2014; Durey & Thompson, 2012; Pulver, 2013). Media resource three Aspen Medical wins tender to provide Indigenous health care (December, 2015) http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/aspen-medical-wins-tender-to-provide-indigenous-health-care-20151129-glb6hn.html Key issues A tender was won by a Canberra company to offer a program which gives opportunity to health professionals to work with Indigenous communities in the remote Northern Territory. It was reported that the placements had not only benefitted the health care service providers but also the community. The health care service providers who have benefitted from the program include physiotherapists, dental therapists, dentists, dental assistants, midwives, registered nurses, and audiologists, among others. The report indicated that most of these health care service providers might have instead been seated in the city and not exposed to reality in the remote areas. Thus, the health care service providers learn most of the skills as they attend to them practically. The program also supported the already existing health service providers in the health facilities in the remote areas by filling existing gaps and consequently better spreading the workload. This further ensures that the chance of the health care service providers who were already in these health facilities in the remote areas staying increased drastically. Links to models and approaches According to Zarcadoolas, Pleasant and Greer (2005), health care services should be accessible to all the citizens, especially to the indigenous Australians who seem to have challenges in accessing health care facilities. The award of tender to a non-governmental health service provider to help in extending health care delivery to remote areas is a great leap forward in the right direction. This ensures that culturally safe health care services is delivered to the residents of these remote areas (Durey & Thompson, 2012). The increasing interest of the media in health care service delivery in the remote areas has also opened up opportunities for health specialist to relocate to these remote areas for the benefit of those living in such areas. How the material affects current debate The attitude of health care specialists towards offering their services in remote areas has been boosted by the exposure given by the media regarding the award of this tender. Furthermore, the notion of discrimination against the indigenous Australians has been significantly reduced as they feel that the health care services has been brought closer to them. Even if the service delivery may not reach the expected level, the awarding of the tender to private health care providers is a step in the right direction. Media resource four Trained Interpreters Improve Patient and Provider Satisfaction, Says Study (March, 2010) http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/physician-leaders/trained-interpreters-improve-patient-and-provider-satisfaction-says-study Key issues The study found that the use of trained language specialists in assisting the communication between patients and health care providers has led to significant improvement and satisfaction in health care delivery for non-English speaking patients. Furthermore, a study by Mathematica Policy Research revealed that the use of professional interpreter significantly increased the satisfaction in communication between health care service providers and patients, not only to the patients, but also to the health care service providers such as doctors, triage nurses and discharge nurses. Moreover, Ann Bagchi, the leading senior Mathematica researcher in the study, stated that improvement in satisfaction goes beyond the health care service providers and the patients. She explained that the professional interpreters also contribute to the improvement of other outcomes associated to quality of the health care service provision. Both cultural and language barriers between health care service providers and the patients was identified as increasing concern. As such, several interpreter certification programs have been developed with view to accrediting and training would be interpreters to have the ability to work in health care service providing facilities. Many hospital officials have reported that children have often been used in interpreting medical care issues for their sick parents. Furthermore, conversations with family members, instructions on how medicine is to be taken as well as the diagnosis and prognosis information may be messed up with should the interpreter not be trained properly or insensitive to cultural fears or values of the patient. Links to models and approaches According to Eacott (2015), there is the need to have sufficient number of interpreters to help in health care service delivery to the indigenous Australians. He reported that there are numerous barriers for an indigenous Australian to be a doctor, hence there is the need to have well trained interpreters to help reduce the problems of cultural differences, especially language barrier. Gill (2016) opined that the government need to be more involved in the issues concerning health care delivery to the indigenous Australians, especially in ensuring that interpreters are availed in the health facilities where their services are need. How the material affects current debate The availability of interpreters have not only significantly increased the satisfaction of both the patients and health care service providers but also encouraged indigenous Australians who could have otherwise not gone to the health care facilities due to language barrier to visit the facilities. The importance of training the interpreters has also been given the consideration that it deserves because any form of misinterpretation may affect the health care service delivery negatively. Furthermore, the interpreters have bridged the cultural gap between the health specialists and the patients (Kruger et al., 2008). Conclusion This essay has analyzed the media material that shows the effect of personal and professional cultural safety on the health care delivery to the minority group. The importance of culturally safe health care practices has been a consistent theme in the selected materials, especially the contribution of interpreters in bridging the cultural gap between the health care specialists and the patients. The health professional need to be aware of the cultural practices of their patients, especially those that affect the health care of the patients. Furthermore, application of cultural awareness and sensitivity by health professional can help in the creation of interaction with the patients in addition to a friendly environment in which patients feel safe. References Beyond Blue. (2014). Beyond Blue’s anti-discrimination campaign, STOP. THINK. RESPECT. Retrieved from http://www.beyondblue.org.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/bw0249_bl1328_stop_think_respect.pdf?sfvrsn=2 Boddy, N ( 29. 11. 2015) Aspen Medical wins tender to provide indigenous health care. The Canberra Times. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/aspen-medical-wins-tender-to-provide-indigenous-health-care-20151129-glb6hn.html Beyond Blue. (2014). Beyond Blue’s anti-discrimination campaign, STOP. THINK. RESPECT. Retrieved from http://www.beyondblue.org.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/bw0249_bl1328_stop_think_respect.pdf?sfvrsn=2 Brennan, B., (10.4.2016) Malcolm Turnbull hands down Closing the Gap report showing Indigenous life expectancy has not improved. ABC News. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-10/indigenous-life-expectancy-has-not-improved-closing-the-gap/7154566 Calma, T. (13.2.2016). Indigenous health leaders helped give us a plan to close the gap, and we must back it. The Conversation. Retrieved fromhttp://theconversation.com/indigenous-health-leaders-helped-give-us-a-plan-to-close-the-gap-and-we-must-back-it-54480 Clarke.C. (1.3.2010) Trained interpreters improve patient and provider satisfaction, says survey. Health Leaders Media. www.healthleadersmedia.com/physician-leaders/trained-interpreters-improve-patient-and-provider-satisfaction-says-study Dauda, I. (18.2.2016) Settlement Guide: healthcare concerns for new Australians. SBS. Retrieved from http://www.sbs.com.au/radio/article/2015/12/17/settlement-guide-healthcare-concerns-new-australians Davey, M., (21.4.12016) Indigenous health: Wealthy nations not always better than developing countries. The Guardian. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/20/indigenous-health-wealthy-nations-not-always-better-than-developing-countries  Durey, A. & Thompson, S. (2012). Reducing the health disparities of Indigenous Australians: time to change focus. BMC Health Services Research, 12, 151-161. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-12-151 Eacott, A. ( 24. 9. 2015) Indigenous medical students face barriers to being doctors, Adelaide conference told. ABC News.http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-24/racism-a-barrier-for-indigenous-medical-students-being-doctors/6802730 James, F. (8.4.2016) Aboriginal health worker calls for more Indigenous hospital staff in Darwin. ABC News. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-08/indigenous-health-worker-calls-for-more-yolngu-staff/7312460 Kenny, M. (17.3.2015). Call for better services for culturally-diverse aged. SBS News Retrieved from http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/03/17/call-better-services-culturally-diverse-aged Kenny, M., (17.3.2016) A report is calling for better health and aged care services for Australia's increasingly culturally-diverse society. SBS News http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/03/17/call-better-services-culturally-diverse-aged Kruger, P., Cass, A., Palmer, D., & Bannerman, M. (3.11.2008,).Communication barriers exacerbating Indigenous health issue [Audio podcast]. ABC.Retrieved from http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2008/s2409271.htm NACCHO. (2013). NACCHO racism and Aboriginal health news: Support STAR Standing Together Against Racism in health. Retrieved from http://nacchocommunique.com/2013/09/17/naccho-racism-and-aboriginal-health-news-support-star-standing-together-against-racism-in-health/ O’Sullivan, D. (2011). Justice, Culture and the Political Determinants of Indigenous Australian Health. Ethnicities 12 (6), 697-705. DOI: 10.1177/1468796811432697 Oxfam Australia. (2014). Close The Gap 2014 Ending Health Inequality in a Generation. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S8vjhZZE4w Pulver, L. (2013). Indigenous health isn’t all bad news. Retrieved from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-11/jackson-pulver-indigenous-health/5150064 Shaw, S. J., Huebner, C., Armin, J., Orzech, K., Orzech, K., & Vivian, J. (2009). The role of culture in health literacy and chronic disease screening and management. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health / Center for Minority Public Health, 11(6), 460-467. doi: 10.1007/s10903-008-9135-5 Stoneham, M. (2014). Bad news:negative Indigenous health coverage reinforces stigma. theconversation.com. Retrieved from http://theconversation.com/bad-news-negative-indigenous-health-coverage-reinforces-stigma-24851 Zarcadoolas, C., Pleasant, A., & Greer, D. (2005). Understanding health literacy: an expanded model. Health Promotion International, 20(2), 195-203. doi: 10.1093/heapro/dah609 Read More