Radiology is an important field in medicine as it helps to discover illnesses early enough because the equipments that are used can see beyond what the human eyes can see. In Dominican Republic the population is made up of people from two ethnic backgrounds, that is, African and European origins.
The people are organized according to their social classes. Since this is a multicultural environment, a radiographer would have to use radical approaches to get used to the cultures of Dominicans because whether one likes or not these cultures are there in the workplace. The following paragraphs provide insights about the culture of Dominicans and how a radiographer can blend with the people of Dominican Republic.
A radiographer interacts with people from all walks of life and therefore if he/she works in Dominican Republic he/she should get acquainted to the culture of Dominicans. Harberle (2003) explains that interactions should be easy because Dominicans are very social people as well as out going and thus the radiographer should capitalize on their traits to learn more about them.
It is necessary for a radiographer to learn about Dominicans because he/she will be able to understand them. One of best approaches in learning about the cultures of a society is to learn their language. Spanish is the official language in Dominican Republic although it is coupled by other native languages.
The radiographer should make good use of his/her patients by using them to learn Spanish. This can be done through individual visits to the patients in their wards. But before learning Spanish, the radiographer should seek to establish friendship with his/her clients because it would be easier for them to get into conversations. A warm and firm handshake is all that is required to instill among the Dominicans.
After learning the Spanish language the radiographer can then proceed to learn about the history of the Dominicans. The old people are the most knowledgeable people in Dominican society because they have gone through many experiences.
The radiographer should make enquiries from any old patient who is familiar to him/her, but as the radiographer makes the enquiries he/she should also be ready to answer many questions about his/her own life because Dominicans are very inquisitive people. It therefore goes without saying that the radiographer should set limits of what to say and what not to say (Howard, 2001).
In communication, both verbal and non-verbal communication is applied in Dominican Republic. The radiographer should learn how to do it with perfection so that he/she does not feel like he/she is out of place during conversations, especially in social gatherings. Dominicans point with their lips as opposed to other societies where people point with their fingers.
Similarly, when the radiographer wants to stop a cab he/she should learn the gesture that is used to attract the attention of cab drivers. Pichardo (2007) explains that in Dominican Republic you stop the cab by using your fingers to let him know how many people require his services.
For instance, if the radiographer is with three people he/she should wave four fingers in the air to send signal to the cab driver that four people are waiting for taxi. In addition, Greetings are almost compulsory in Dominican Republic, and thus the radiographer should learn to great his/her patients in Spanish before giving them a hearing. In Spanish the phrase for greetings is Buenos Dias, meaning “good day”.
Moreover, the radiographer should maintain cleanliness because Dominicans are very conscious about fashion. But this can be determined by the location of the clinic; if it is based in the urban center he/she can indulge in New York fashion but above all, smartness is the most crucial element.
Likewise, Dominican culture does not allow women to ride on a bike while facing the front because opening their legs wide is associated with immorality. Clothes that reveal a lot of skin are prohibited in government buildings and the church (Pichardo, 2007). This means that the radiographer should consider where he/she is going before choosing the clothes he/she intends to put on.
Therefore, Dominican Republic is a good country to live in because it is one of the cheapest countries in the world. However, most public health facilities are poorly equipped and the demand for healthcare services is high in this country. By understanding the culture of Dominicans the radiographer will enjoy his/her stay in this country.
References
Haberle, E.S. (2003). Dominican Republic. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press.
Howard, D. (2001). Coloring the Nation: Race and Ethnicity in the Dominican Republic. Oxford: Signal Books.
Pichardo, J.C. (2007). Dominican Cultures: The Making of a Caribbean Society. Princeton: N.J: Markus Wiener Publishers