Organizational Culture and the Impact on the Health Care Workforce - Essay Example

Running Head: Organizational Culture and the Impact on the Health Care Workforce The Concept of Culture In The Practice Of Health Care The objectives of this essay are threefold: (1) to describe what is meant by the concept of culture; (2) to discuss the influence this concept has on perceptions of health and illness in the broader society and health care professions; and (3) to present the importance of understanding this concept of culture when planning health care. Introduction The concept of culture has a rich theoretical background. Its definition, framework, interpretation and application differ according to perspective. Diversity in culture is eminent and is closely evaluated in terms of their impact and effect on health care. It is in this regard that this essay aims to present what the concept of culture is. Further, this paper would delve into the influence of this concept to perceptions of health and illness in the health care profession. Finally, a determination of the importance of understanding culture when planning health care would also be identified. Definition of Terms Delaune and Ladner (388) in their book on Fundamentals of Nursing defined culture as “knowledge, beliefs, behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, habits, customs, languages, symbols, rituals, ceremonies, and practices that are unique to a particular group of people”. Simple folks ordinarily know culture as a way of life. With the complexities attributed to the delivery of patient care, the concept of culture is recognized as an important element to be incorporated in nursing practice. As the roles and responsibilities of nursing evolving continuously, a conceptual framework to better understand the effects of cultures on health care was developed by Dr. Madeleine Leininger in her transcultural nursing theory. Dr. Leininger stated that “nursing is caring, and the core of transcultural nursing is caring for people from diverse cultural contexts”. According to Leininger (par. 3), transcultural nursing is a “a theory based humanistic discipline, designed to serve individuals, organizations, communities, and societies. Human care/caring is defined within the context of culture. Cultural Diversity in the Workforce Culturally competent care can only occur when culture care values are known and serve as the foundation for meaningful care.” The assumptions incorporated in this theory are: (1) every culture has some kind of system for health care that is based on values and behavior of people; and (2) cultures have certain methods for providing health care often unknown to nurses from other cultures. (Delaune and Ladner 403) The relevance of understanding the concept of diversity in culture is of utmost importance to the nursing profession due to the different profiles of patients they administer health care to. Profiles of patients are incorporated in the culture of their specific countries. Their expectations to the delivery of patient care also depend on the orientations they are accustomed to in their respective countries. Delaune and Ladner (389) presented distinct characteristics of culture which exist among cultural groups and among individuals within a single culture, to wit: (1) culture is learned and taught; (2) culture is shared; (3) culture is social in nature; and (4) culture is dynamic, adaptive and ever-changing. These characteristics would assist health care providers in assessing and evaluating their patients before any nursing care plan is to be administered. In addition, they averred that “cultural factors determine the worth of behaviors, whether behaviors are acceptable, and whether behaviors are incorporated into daily living. When these behavioral concepts are applied to health, they influence the individual’s expectation of health care” (Delaune and Ladner 391). The responsibility of the nurse is to be sensitive to the patient’s culture to enable her to accord the appropriate care plan. Cultural Competence in Health Care There are six organizational factors which were identified in two separate studies. When combined, these factors provide a guideline for nursing implications relative to a particular cultural group. The organizational factors presented by Spector (2004) and Stanhope and Lancaster (2004) distinguishes outstanding cultural aspects grouped accordingly, and would assist nurses in providing the appropriate patient care. These factors are: (1) communication; (2) space; (3) time orientation; (4) social organization; (5) environmental control; and (6) biological evaluations. Culture defines explicit differences in the orientation and practice of both verbal and non verbal modes of communication which dictate the presentation of these factors. Understanding the concepts of culture in the context of providing health care is relevant because, as Delaune and Ladner (403) emphasized, it “permits nurses to become familiar with the client as a person instead of focusing only on the illness or problem”. A comprehensive understanding of cultural concepts would assist nurses in becoming culturally competent, meaning, being adept in providing the appropriate patient care depending on the client’s cultural expectations for health care. In planning for the appropriate nursing care, the following responsibilities are expected to be performed by nurses: (1) undertake a cultural assessment; (2) formulate nursing diagnoses; (3) identify expected patient outcomes; (4) plan nursing care appropriate to patients’ expectations and cultural context; (5) intervene to address the patient’s nursing diagnosis and (6) evaluate and monitor the effectiveness of the plan of care (Delaune and Ladner 403). Personal Opinion on Concepts The foregoing theories and concepts provide health care practitioners an appropriate guideline for incorporating cultural diversity in the delivery of health care. It is in my personal conviction that, indeed, cultural concepts should be taken into account when undertaking patient care. As indicated, the rationale for this is that every human being is unique. Each person’s personality is shaped by the beliefs and values which are ingrained in specific cultures. Thereby, health care expectations also conform to what is expected by each unique individual depending on their traditional ways of life. For example, Asians, specifically Filipinos, have strong religious beliefs, being predominantly Catholics. Their expected health outcomes depend on their faith on what God has in store for them. Therefore, in additional to the conventional health care being given, Filipinos and their families should be given the chance to include prayers in their healing process. In most difficult times, they would request the counseling and visits from a Catholic priest, who could provide the sick patient with payers for healing for the sick and extreme unction, when required. This opportunity is well appreciated by the patient and is perceived as spiritual healing which is also in accordance with the standards of efficient delivery of health care. By this traditional means, patients feel that they are given strength and spiritual guidance and support and thereby assist the health care practitioner in the effective delivery of the expected health care. Only with the proper knowledge of culture and diversity would enable health care practitioners to apply these concepts and assist their patients recover and improve their health conditions, in addition to the medical and diagnostic means duly given. Conclusion The secret to according appropriate and culturally competent patient care is cultural sensitivity. There are four elements in providing culturally sensitive care according to the study conducted by the College of Nurses of Ontario (4 - 9), summarized as follows: self-reflection, facilitating client choice, gaining cultural knowledge, and effective communication. By synthesizing these elements in the nursing process, nurses are assured that their plan of care would have incorporated all the necessary inputs needed by their patients to arrive at the expected outcome. The practice of nursing is challenging and continuously evolving due to the diverse and culturally determined behavioral patterns exhibited by their patients. Equipped with the knowledge of transcultural nursing concepts in conjunction with the organizational factors per cultural group, the nurses would be assured to be more hospitable and accord a more caring attitude towards patients from other cultures. References College of Nurses of Ontario. (2008). Practice Guide: Culturally Sensitive Care. Ontario. Retrieved on March 15, 2009 from < http://www.cno.org/docs/prac/41040_CulturallySens.pdf> pp. 4 – 9. Delaune, S.C. and Ladner, P.K. (2006). Fundamentals of Nursing: Standards & Practice. Delmar Learning. Singapore. Pp. 338, 389, 391, 403. Leininger, M. (2009). Transcultural Nursing Society: Our Philosophy and Values. Retrieved on March 15, 2009 from par. 3. Spector, R.E. (2004). Cultural diversity in health and illness. Prentice-Hall, NJ. Stanhope, M. and Lancaster, J. (2004). Community and Public Health Nursing. St. Louis, MO. Read More