Cultural Competence in Modern Healthcare Provision - Assignment Example

CULTURAL COMPETENCE IN MODERN HEALTHCARE PROVISION By Location Cultural Competence in Modern Healthcare Provision Introduction Cultural competence has become one of the contemporary issues in modern nursing care. The role of cultural competence in nursing practice is in accordance with the cultural care theory developed by Madeleine Leininger. Cultural competence requires nurses to gain knowledge concerning different cultures. The importance of understanding the beliefs of other cultural groups is to connect their values to healthcare provision. Evidently, the cultural care theory highlights that cultural belief systems have a central role in the definition and understanding of illness as well as in making choices related to health care. Nurses with knowledge limited to their cultures face multiple challenges when handling patients from other cultures. Although the importance of cultural competence was discussed in the 20th century, many nurses did not give special regard to its importance in the nursing practice. In the modern day, there is an emphasis placed on the need to improve healthcare quality. Experts in the healthcare sector have highlighted that cultural competencies in nursing practice can have positive effects on quality improvement in the healthcare sector. For this reason, cultural competence has received emphasis in the 21st century with nurses having to gain knowledge about different cultural groups and their beliefs (Campinha-Bacote 2011, p. 45). This paper will discuss cultural competencies in the nursing practice in an era of evidence-based practice and its relevance to professionalism as well as health and social policy. Cultural competence in the nursing practice requires nurses to understand certain cultural aspects that determine people’s perception of both health and illness. Culturally competent nurses understand people’s views on different life processes. In addition, they are aware of how different cultural groups understand both health and illness. Nurses who exhibit cultural competence understands the procedures used by different cultural groups in the maintenance of wellness (Norton & Marks-Maran 2014, p. 40). Most importantly, cultural competence brings into perspective three different aspects that affect the perception of health care. These aspects include the culture of the nurse, the patient’s culture, as well as the cultural setting of the healthcare facility (Ansuya 2012, p. 6). Cultural competence requires nurses to develop culturally sensitive health care procedures that bring all the three aspects into considerations. Such nurses need to appreciate cultural diversity and bring into context cultural knowledge in an effort to improve the quality of their services (Jeffreys 2010, p. 78). Worth noting is the fact that people’s understanding of health and illness depends on their cultural groups. For this reason, patients are likely to appreciate the consideration of their cultural beliefs by nurses. Culturally competence nurses recognize cultural diversity and factors as integral aspects of different nursing processes. In addition, cultural competence requires nurses to restructure the care they offer in an effort to meet the needs of patients. Cultural competence allows patients to change their lives by utilizing different forms of health care patterns that conform to the patient’s cultural beliefs. It is possible for nurses to develop health care patterns that conform to the health needs, as well as the cultural values of a patient (Bradley & Lazaroff 2013, p. 64). When this happens, patients feel more respected, and the care they receive is in accordance with their definition of wellness. For this reason, they are more likely to be enthusiastic during all the procedures involved. The failure to incorporate cultural aspects in healthcare provision compels many patients to accept health care that is contrary to their beliefs because they lack choice (Waite, Nardi, & Killian 2014, p. 77). Other patients exhibit no faith in healthcare that contravenes their cultural values. Notably, the patient’s perception of wellness and illness in accordance with the person’s culture deserves a proper concentration in healthcare provision (Long 2012, p. 106). Culturally competent nurses can predict health or wellbeing because they understand the meanings and patterns of care that conform to a patient’s culture (Dudas 2012, p. 319). Cultural competence requires a diverse understanding of social structures, languages, environmental contexts, worldviews, as well as the cultural values. When a nurse understands all these aspects, it becomes possible for the nurse to incorporate them in the planning of the most relevant care for each patient. In order to demonstrate cultural competence, a nurse should carry out the relevant assessment process (Almutairi, McCarthy, & Gardner 2015, p. 19). The assessment process should include an invitation to a family member, the patient, or the community to offer a description of cultural beliefs tied to health care. The nurse should then document all the cultural and social structure aspects that affect the health patterns, as well as an individual’s concern about health care. Nurses should ensure that the assessment process remains systemic and comprehensive with high levels of accuracy (Montenery et al 2013, p. 57). Evidently, developing cultural competence is one of the critical competencies required in the modern nursing practice. It is important for nurses to understand the cultural context of the community that they serve and put all the health care concerns of the people in the correct perspective (Quickfall 2014, p. 50). Cultural Competence and Evidence-based Practice The 21st century has seen an emphasis placed on the need to adopt evidence-based nursing practice. Evidence-based nursing practice involves participative decision-making. The evidence-based practice brings into context the views of the practitioners, the patient, and other significant members with a firm basis of research evidence and congruent with the preferences and experiences of the patient. In addition, this type of practice should be in accordance with clinical expertise as well as multiple sources of information. Evidence-based seeks to apply research evidence into practice. The concept emerged in 1991 and has been in use by different institutions since then. Notably, nurses practicing in different clinical specialties have adopted the evidence-based concept over time. Several factors contribute to the current emphasis on the adoption of evidence-based practice. With the increasing scientific knowledge, it is only logical for nurses to incorporate such knowledge into practice (Barría 2014, p. 191). In the future, the level of scientific knowledge available is only likely to increase because many researchers are out to explore different research questions. The availability of the internet serves as a platform for nurses to seek information and knowledge and get it instantly. For this reason, when nurses face situations that they are not familiar with, the internet can serve as a resourceful tool for them to gain the relevant knowledge. Current nursing courses ensure that nurses graduate with multiple competencies, especially in the use of research in problem-solving. For this reason, nurses are willing to seek new evidence that supports different health care procedures. The health sectors have proven to be very costly. Many countries are struggling to fund the health sector appropriately without any success. For this reason, these countries focus on achieving cost effective healthcare. Evidence-based practice can help the healthcare system maintain cost effectiveness. The fact that evidence-based practice requires nurses to rely on the most recent scientific evidence, as well as the experiences and preferences of patients, translates into more reasonable decisions concerning the most relevant healthcare (Barría 2014, p. 192). In many situations, nurses have highlighted that the application of evidence-based practice saves time and reduces cost. Most importantly, evidence-based practice has the potential to improve the quality of the healthcare delivered to patients. The consideration of modern scientific evidence ensures that nurses reduce both risk and error margins. The fact that many healthcare consumers are highly educated translates to the fact that to a salient need for them to participate in the decision-making process concerning their healthcare needs. For this reason, nurses need to consider the opinions and convictions of the patients. Nurses who apply evidence-based practice can develop critical questions in search of opportunities that can register improvement on the quality of the nursing care delivered as well as positive patient outcomes. Usually, nurses embark on identifying the potential resources that can answer the critical questions developed (Barría 2014, p. 193). The process also involves the appraisal of the available evidence as well as its limitations in practice. Finally, nurses apply the evidence that seems most relevant to their practice. The successful application of evidence-based practice also requires nurses to evaluate their decision-making process after the application of the evidence into practice. Notably, there are different levels of evidence ranging from level A to level M. Levels through E emanates from different research types depending on the validity of findings and the application of such findings to a large population. Level M evidence is rarely used in many situations because it emanates from the manufacturer’s opinion. Nurses have the responsibility of understanding the different levels of evidence and appraising each appropriately (Taylor & Renpenning 2011, p. 35). Evidently, evidence-based practice is of critical relevance to cultural competence. Since cultural competence requires nurses to bring into context the cultural values and beliefs of the patient in the decision-making process of the most appropriate healthcare, evidence-based practice can help nurses achieve this easily. Since evidence-based practice supports the inclusion of the patient’s preferences and experiences, it can help nurses deliver better culturally sensitive care. Nurses need to understand the best procedures and assessment processes that define cultural competence. A close analysis of the existing evidence can help nurses choose the best approach to delivering culturally sensitive care. Notably, healthcare situations vary and nurses may find themselves in a dilemma concerning the needs of certain patients. Such nurses can rely on the potential of the evidence-based practice in determining the way forward. Evidence-based practice does not support a one-size-fits-all practice. This kind of practice requires nursing practitioners to give proper consideration to the goals, fears, hopes and desires of the patient before making the final decision. Cultural competence also requires nurses to understand the patient’s perspective of different health care procedures in accordance with cultural values and beliefs. The application of evidence-based practice can help nurses deliver culturally sensitive care (Taylor & Renpenning 2011, p. 39). Worth noting is the fact that delivering culturally sensitive care requires the adoption of the right procedures. One of these procedures is the reliance on evidence-based practice. Cultural Competence and Professionalism Professionalism in the nursing practice has its basis on the established standards of practice available in the nursing code of ethics. The nursing code of ethics has nine different provisions designed to ensure that nurses exhibit high levels of professionalism in their practice. Provision one in the code of ethics highlights the need for nurses to respect the human dignity. The second provision reminds nurses on the need to give priority to the patient’s interests. The third provision discusses different aspects of promoting the patient’s right to privacy and confidentiality. The fourth provision highlights the need for accountability, responsibility, and authority on the side of nurses. The fifth provision places emphasis on a nurse’s duty to the self and others. The sixth provision brings into context the environment and the moral virtual. The seventh provision that defines professionalism in nursing discusses the importance of research and evidence-based practice when making healthcare decisions, as well as health policy developments. The eighth provision discusses health as a universal right to all individuals. The ninth provision places emphasis on the need for the articulation and assertion of nursing values in the protection of the professions reputation and support of social justice (Hutchings 2012, p. 2430). These nine provisions define the expected standards of practice that promote professionalism in the nursing practice. Cultural competence also places emphasis on several standards of practice that promote cultural diversity in the provision of nursing care. These standards of practice reflect those highlighted in the nursing code of ethics merged with other standards of practice that promote cultural competence. Notably, the standards of practice for culturally competent nurses define the level of professionalism expected of nurses. There are twelve standards of practice that culturally competent nurses need to exhibit in their professionalism. These standards include the social justice, knowledge of cultures, critical reflection, multicultural workforce, culturally competent practice, patient advocacy and empowerment, cultural competence in healthcare systems and organizations, education and training towards culturally competent care, cross-cultural communication, cross-cultural leadership, policy development, as well as evidence-based practice. Without doubt, cultural competence requires nurses to exhibit high levels of professionalism as they deliver culturally sensitive care. Evidently, the standards of practice that govern culturally competent nursing practice reflect the fundamental nursing code of ethics. For this reason, cultural competence only serves to increase the level of professionalism exhibited by nurses in healthcare provision. Professionalism is of critical importance in protecting the reputation of the nursing profession and delivering quality health care while promoting social justice (Hutchings et al 2012, p. 2439). Since the code of ethics places emphasis on the need for patient interests to have a priority in the decision-making processes, adopting a culturally competent approach enhances the nurse’s understanding of the patients interests and needs. Cultural Competence and Health and Social Policies As highlighted above, in the nursing code of ethics, nurses have the responsibility of contributing to policy development. The International Council of Nurses, as well as the World Health Organization, places emphasis on the need for nurses to play a critical role in the development of both social and health policies. The fact that nurses interact directly with patients, make them more familiar with the needs of patients and their families as well as those of communities. Such information should form the basis of policy development. Notably, the primary objective of the policies is ensuring that there are directions that define the action. Health policies serve to enhance the public welfare. On the other hand, social policies are of critical importance in the promotion of social well-being. Policy development is a process that has three distinct stages (Ludwick et al 2014, p. 66). The first stage involves policy formulation while the second one involves policy implementation. The final stage involves policy modification. Nurses should play an active role in all these three distinct stages. The participation of nurses in policy development can trigger a change at different levels, such as at the local, national, regional, and even international levels. Nurses should embrace their role in being leaders of the society to better health. It is unfortunate that many nurses have not exhibited the relevant interests in policy development. Surveys carried out to establish why nurses do not play an active role in policy development reveal that the preoccupation with other activities denies them the opportunity to trigger the desired change in the society. Cultural competence promotes policy development as one of the core standards of practice. Cultural competence in nursing brings into concept the understanding of patient’s cultural values and beliefs in connection with health care. These belief systems exhibited by different communities are of critical importance in policy developments. The more nurses interact with different cultures and communities; they can understand their outstanding needs and influence change within the healthcare organization or at the national level. The participation of nurses in policy development ensures that they can address emergent needs identified through cultural competence (Ludwick et al 2014, p. 180). In addition, nurses can bring about transformation in the healthcare sector by participating in policy development as one of the central aspects of culturally competent nursing. Conclusion Without doubt, cultural competence in nursing practice is one of the contemporary issues that require proper attention. It is evident that societies, as well as patients and families, exhibit a measure of diversity. Cultural competence in nursing appreciates the value of cultural diversity and seeks to understand the cultural perception of health and wellness, as well as illness. As described above, evidence-based practice, professionalism, and policy development are highly relevant to cultural competence in nursing. Cultural competence in nursing practice has the potential to transform the health sector positively by delivering healthcare that conforms to the needs of each patient and society. Bibliography Almutairi, A, McCarthy, A, & Gardner, G 2015, Understanding cultural competence in a multicultural nursing workforce: Registered nurses’ experience in Saudi Arabia, Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 26, 1, pp. 16-23, PsycINFO, EBSCOhost, viewed 1 February 2015. 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