Closing the Gap on Cultural Competency - Essay Example

The paper will focus on the biggest difference I can make as a professional through the practice of cultural competency. Closing the Gap on Cultural Competency #1 According to Dane and Allen, cultural competency entails a process of developing proficiency with the aim of having the effective response in a cross-cultural context. It involves the process through which agencies and individuals strive to transform and integrate the awareness of biases, values, knowledge, and assumptions about others and themselves.

This awareness helps in the effective and respectful response across diverse languages, cultures, ethnic backgrounds, gender, religions, and sexual orientations. Through cultural competence, it becomes easier to affirm, recognize, value, as well as foster the strengths possessed by communities, individuals, and families. As a result, the dignity and worth of each person can be protected. Cultural competency can also be defined as the transformation and integration of knowledge regarding groups of people and individuals.

Upon integration and transformation, this knowledge becomes policies, standards, attitudes, and practices that can be utilized to improve the quality of services and realize desirable outcomes (Dane & Allen, 2008). #2 There are top barriers which cultural competence should aim at addressing while dealing with patients and those who seek healthcare services. The barriers to be addressed in cultural competency encompass the disparities in healthcare provision which may result from cultural backgrounds, social backgrounds, race, language, as well as values, norms, and beliefs.

In many instances, medical professionals may experience patients who have numerous perspectives on health; the influence on the perspectives mainly emanates from cultural or social backgrounds. The possible barrier in this case would be patients presenting their symptoms in ways, which seem different from those in medical books (Dane & Allen, 2008). This may include unfamiliar beliefs regarding the causes, symptoms, and treatment of their conditions. This barrier should be eliminated through cultural competency in order to allow patients access healthcare services comprehensively.

Another barrier that can be addressed through cultural competency includes ethnic as well as racial disparities in healthcare provision. Members of some racial and ethnic backgrounds may have certain beliefs that influence their access to health services. The health care system and workforce should have the capacity to deliver high-quality care to patients regardless of their race, ethnicity or proficiency in the language. Another barrier that should be addressed through cultural competency encompasses the communication between the patient and the healthcare professional.

This stems from the fact that poor communication can lead to patient dissatisfaction and lack of adherence to the instructions of the medical practitioner (Dane & Allen, 2008). #3 In my opinion, cultural competence should be included in the school curriculum. This will ensure that all medical students obtain the necessary knowledge, attitudes and skills that will allow them to practice medicine with a component of cultural competence. The healthcare providers will gain awareness of themselves and their value system by including cultural competence in the school curriculum.

In addition, teaching cultural competence courses in medical schools enhances an understanding of culture and the significance of the concept in the