I have learned to demonstrate the ability to appreciate cultural diversity and empathize with patients. At times the patients become agitated and stressed, hence there is a need for a caring team to speak to them. The understanding patient background is a form of therapy that makes them relax and feel safe. Cultural competence creates awareness and instills knowledge and fundamental skills that enable a practitioner to know their patient (Dean, 2017).
Nursing ethics informs us that building trust and avoiding assumptions can make the patients share their private lives. For instance, if the patient emanates from the LGBTQ community, they will openly share their side of the story. Health literacy keeps changing the relevance of culture in the context of nursing and healthcare. Patients in some cultures may fail to follow some health guidelines because of their racial or religious backgrounds. As a nurse, I am responsible for bringing patients with different backgrounds to know the need for some medications or procedures. Nursing entails engulfing people’s different ideologies and making them appreciate the need for healthy living.
The strategy that I will apply for cultural competency in my nursing practice is to develop communication skills that enhance interaction with my patients amongst their mixed cultures. Communication will enable the patients to appreciate other people’s cultures and that medical ideologies should be followed. When patients realize modes of respecting medical practices, they will follow guidelines without mixing them with cultural backgrounds (Dean, 2017).
Cultural competence is a holistic approach that can impact compatibility across all parts of the world. When communication skills are instilled in the lifelong learning of every nurse, they can emerge as collective prejudices amongst patients. Patients will come into healthcare vicinities knowing that their culture does not mix with nursing practices.
Reference
Dean, E. (2017). Cultural competency. Nursing Management, 23(9). Web.