Cultural competence is an essential part of the professionalism of any healthcare professional. Since nurses carry out most of the work of caring for and monitoring patients’ health, these specialists are capable of the most supportive and allied model of responsibility. Combating racism, prejudice, and language barriers are the foundation for improving healthcare professionals’ competence, as identified by recent research. Personal traits such as empathy, compassion, and dedication are the elements that the next generation of professional nurses should possess.
Culture is a multifactorial concept that covers relationships, food and hobby preferences, and values that a person pursues. Nurses are responsible for understanding that each individual is unique and cherishes certain verbal and non-verbal communication elements that can be identified through interpersonal contact (1). Therefore, empathy and willingness to communicate informally should enhance mutual understanding and trust between the service provider and the patient (2). I value diversity as a self-identification method in a society that allows people to be different and follow their goals. In particular, emotional intelligence as a marker of respect for the client allows the nurse to establish behavioral patterns to help the audience perceive doctors as allies (3). On the other hand, sufficient knowledge of the community’s characteristics provides medical professionals with more comfortable self-development conditions, stress management, and improved personal health through reduced nervous tension during communication (4). Thus, improving the cultural competence of nurses is a beneficial educational course for both patients and society.
Learning about diversity begins with understanding features and how to manage them in medical settings. A readiness to expand awareness is also a nursing trait that is valued in today’s industry. The fight against racism and language barriers must be fundamental and embedded in college and university specialist degrees (5). Besides, recognizing the families’ characteristics reveals information regarding their values and daily life, which is necessary for a client-centered model of care (6). It is essential to understand that continuous learning and openness to new operation methods distinguish qualified medical professionals.
My personal traits influence my work through the psychological awareness of the value of my help to society. It is an integral part of a nurse’s mental well-being since understanding the specialist’s contribution to human health, and the long-term nature of this process motivates to explore the cultural preferences of clients (7). My advantages also cover the desire to ensure patients’ and their families’ safety so that their treatment process is the least stressful. For example, I strive to explain all the procedures used in the therapy process to suppress any misunderstandings and stereotypes. Besides, I am open to dialogue and ready to answer questions of interest so that a person feels my support and sincerity of help. Since similar values have been demonstrated by students of medical specialties (8), nursing’s future growth is a new round in ensuring an allied and safe paradigm of interventions.
The healthcare industry is culturally sensitive, as the patient must feel the care and quality of services without the provider’s discriminatory behavior. The nurse must show empathy, sincerity, and a willingness to learn to be aware of community development dynamics. My values correlate with these factors since I am open to discussions with clients and their families. Moreover, I aim to create the intangible sense of my work, and sincerely wish patients recovery. Further educational updates should include concrete practices of respect for cultural differences and integrating them into daily activities.
Reference List
Lin M, Chang T, Lee Y, Wang P, Lin L, Hsu H. Developing and validating the nursing cultural competence scale in Taiwan. PLOS ONE. 2019: 14(8).
Moudatsou M, Stavropoulou A, Philalithis A, Koukouli S. The role of empathy in health and social care professionals. Healthcare. 2020: 8(1): 26.
Giménez‐Espert M, Prado‐Gascó V. The role of empathy and emotional intelligence in nurses’ communication attitudes using regression models and fuzzy‐set qualitative comparative analysis models. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 2018: 27(13-14): 2661-2672.
Wesołowska K, Hietapakka L, Elovainio M, Aalto A, Kaihlanen A, Heponiemi T. The association between cross-cultural competence and well-being among registered native and foreign-born nurses in Finland. PLOS ONE. 2018: 13(12).
Biles J. Cultural competence in healthcare: our learning from 2017-2020. Nursing, Midwifery, and Indigenous Health. 2020.
Murcia S, Lopez L. The experience of nurses in care for culturally diverse families: a qualitative meta-synthesis. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem. 2016: 24(0).
Suk M, Oh W, Im Y. Factors affecting the cultural competence of visiting nurses for rural multicultural family support in South Korea. BMC Nursing. 2018: 17(1).
Lee S, Lee M, Peters A, Gwon S. Assessment of patient safety and cultural competencies among senior baccalaureate nursing students. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17(12): 4225.