Introduction
Workplace diversity in the United States is important due to demographic change comprising staff and patients from different parts of the world. Cultural competence equips clinicians with the knowledge and skills to deliver care in line with patients’ cultural beliefs and practices (Wagner, 2018). Cultural competency should be an ongoing practice where institutions continuously strive to provide services to clients within their ethnic, racial, gender and cultural needs. This paper examines the resources and tools in place to enhance cultural competency in a nursing care home in Los Angeles.
Workplace Cultural Competency Assessment
The workplace has mission, vision, and values statements that support cultural competency. The organization’s mission is to offer access to health care for Los Angeles County’s vulnerable and low-income communities and residents. This statement indicates the institution’s purpose is to meet all people, regardless of their socioeconomic status, and provide quality care. One of the values indicates the organization is committed to cultural diversity and knowledge necessary to serve all people with respect and competence. Further, the institution empowers its members to study, innovate, and engage with the community through collaborations to improve healthcare services.
The organization collaborates with other institutions and communities to enhance employees’ cultural competence. First, active community engagement enables the employees to interact with individuals from different backgrounds, where they acquire knowledge about cultural beliefs and values. Such knowledge allows the members to put people’s needs first, thus creating a trusting relationship. The organization employs people from different races, enabling colleagues to learn from one another and adopt the worldview of others. Working in a diverse environment allows the employees to have a positive attitude toward cultural differences and be always ready to respect others’ cultures and differences.
A culturally competent organization allows staff to improve their knowledge and skills in handling people respectfully. Wagner (2018) observed that a capable care facility has a code of ethics and standards, such as the Office of Minority Health. Hospital policies include offering employees educational opportunities to improve their core competencies. Clinical care workshops and initiatives allow the employees to gather knowledge and improve cultural awareness by advocating and protecting human dignity.
Culturally Diverse Populations
The nursing home I work for in Los Angeles cares for people of different races, including Caucasians, Chinese, Philippines, Latinos, and African-Americans. Whites and African-Americans comprise the two most culturally diverse populations in this facility. Linguistically, the two demographics do not present any challenges because the majority are conversant with English. In case of a language barrier, I would propose the use of color stickers be given to patients, enabling them to select the interpreter. For instance, an orange sticker could denote Spanish, green to represent German, yellow for Vietnamese, and purple for Chinese.
The institution hosts regular communication training and workshops for the staff to enhance cross-cultural communication skills. The programs offer tips to the team on building rapport and engaging patients from different backgrounds. In the first meeting, the employees introduce themselves to the client, stating what they do and answering any patients’ questions. Such conversations enable the clinician to identify the patient’s background and determine whether the client needs an interpreter. This relationship-building communication increases patients’ trust in care providers. The facility has printed handouts and charts on how to respond to different emergencies for specific illnesses. For instance, an asthma action plan describes steps an employee should follow to care for the patient. Employing diverse and competent clinicians helps meet and serve people from different cultural backgrounds. As organizational resources, qualified and adequate staff reduce cases of readmission (Glette et al., 2018). These materials enhance cultural competence as it ensures adherence to patients’ needs and treats them with utmost dignity.
Education Goals for Colleagues
The rising diversity in the United States demographics requires that healthcare facilities expand their capacity to deal with different patient needs. Enhancing cultural competence through education is necessary to ensure all patients get high-quality treatment services. The education goals include breaking down cultural barriers to ensure every patient receives effective care for their needs. The second goal involves improving the understanding and relationship between patients and providers.
Shared responsibilities during health service delivery allow the organization to address health inequalities while meeting clients’ needs. Therefore, the nursing facility collaborates with other organizations in Los Angeles, such as the California Department of Health Care Services and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, to create policies that guarantee equal access and quality services for all. Working with Ethnic Services, Community Collaboration, and Mental Health programs shows organizational commitment toward addressing societal needs.
Transcultural nurses play a key role in meeting the needs of individuals from diverse backgrounds. For instance, Handtke et al. (2019) noted that Portuguese-speaking patients received better care in clinics where 95% of the staff spoke Portuguese. Consequently, hiring and training employees to be culturally and linguistically competent significantly improves the quality of care. Specific competencies to address are linguistic, gender needs, sexuality, religion, and improved socioeconomic understanding. Jongen et al. (2018) recommended cultural competence training combined with mentorship and supervision interventions to enhance professional development. The facility should adopt such interventions to ensure individual practitioners acquire the necessary cultural skills, including effective communication, to handle diverse clients.
Conclusion
The nursing home facility has policies and standards focused on enhancing cultural competence. The important aspect of ensuring patient-centered and culturally sensitive care includes hiring qualified providers from diverse backgrounds. Training providers to be culturally competent is crucial in maintaining a supportive and welcoming atmosphere for all clients. Additionally, integrating interpreter services allows the staff to communicate efficiently with the patients. Finally, the paper has recognized the importance of integrating other culturally competent organizations and community-based programs to offer quality services to all people.
References
Glette, M. K., Røise, O., Kringeland, T., Churruca, K., Braithwaite, J., & Wiig, S. (2018). Nursing home leaders’ and nurses’ experiences of resources, staffing and competence levels and the relation to hospital readmissions–a case study.BMC Health Services Research, 18(1), 1-15.
Handtke, O., Schilgen, B., & Mösko, M. (2019). Culturally competent healthcare–A scoping review of strategies implemented in healthcare organizations and a model of culturally competent healthcare provision.PloS One, 14(7), e0219971.
Jongen, C., McCalman, J., & Bainbridge, R. (2018). Health workforce cultural competency interventions: A systematic scoping review. BMC Health Services Research, 18(1), 1-15.
Wagner, J. (2018). Leadership and influencing change in nursing. University of Regina Press.