Cultural Competent Care - Essay Example

Cultural competent care has been defined in a variety of ways and the present analysis defines it as the “care that respects diversity in patient population and cultural factors that can affect health and healthcare, such as language, communication styles, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors” (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2014). Providing culturally competent care is now considered vital given the diversity in global population and the increased demand for quality care for all patients irrespective of their racial and ethnical diversity.

Providing culturally competent care is an ongoing process and cannot be limited to a few events. One of the models for understanding cultural competence has been provided by Campinha-Bacote which serves as a framework for the concept and teaches caregivers to become culturally competent. According to this model culturally competent care can be achieved through the integration of knowledge and awareness about various cultures; the skill and desire to become culturally competent; and from the different encounters with culturally diverse populations.

Caregivers would be able to provide culturally competent care when they gain more knowledge about the diverse cultural and ethnical groups whom they are likely to encounter. In addition, self-analyses about any existing prejudice notion and bias against any culture or ethnical group would also help to overcome any inherent stigma. Continuous encounters with culturally diverse populations will help them to change the existing beliefs about a particular culture and develop a more refined attitude towards such individuals.

Above all caregivers should also have the basic desire to become culturally competent and provide universal care to all their patients. In order to meet this end they should also be willing to develop their skills in handling patients from diverse cultural backgrounds without and collect the relevant details without hurting their cultural or ethnical sentiments. The following diagram provides a visual analogy of the Campinha-Bacote model (Campinha-Bacote, 2011). It should also be noted that cultural competent care does not only encompasses culturally or ethnically diverse populations as it also includes those who belong to a marginalized section of the population such as those with disabilities and people who belong to the third gender.

It is important that such marginalized people are afforded similar treatment and are not discriminated or stigmatized on the basis of the above differences (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2014). A major step taken towards providing cultural competent care for all is through adequate education and training sessions for caregivers. In addition, the National CLAS (culturally and linguistically appropriate services) standards have also been commissioned right from the organizational level in order to create better awareness about cultural competent care for all people.

Thus the above information provided encompasses the major idea behind cultural competent care which is focused on providing patient centered care (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2014). ReferencesAgency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2014). Improving Cultural Competence to Reduce Health Disparities for Priority Populations. Research Protocol. Retrieved Nov. 23, 2014, from http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/index.cfm/search-for-guides-reviews-and-reports/?productid=1934&pageaction=displayproduct#tocCampinha-Bacote, J. (2011). Delivering Patient-Centered Care in the Midst of a Cultural Conflict: The Role of Cultural Competence.

The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 16. Retrieved Nov. 23, 2014, from http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/Vol-16-2011/No2-May-2011/Delivering-Patient-Centered-Care-in-the-Midst-of-a-Cultural-Conflict.html#Table2