Introduction
Medical professionals should engage in lifelong learning to develop superior competencies for delivering high-quality health services to citizens with diverse backgrounds. The studied course materials and viewed video offer evidence-based tactics for improving care delivery. This paper describes the initiatives I will implement to promote multicultural health competence in my work environment.
New Changes: Multicultural Health Competence
Before studying different class materials, I used to define multicultural health competence as the ability and power of medical practitioners to join forces and provide sustainable services that address patients’ cultural, emotional, and social needs. I also understood that organizations could design and implement powerful systems to maximize health outcomes. However, I did not appreciate the notion that individual practitioners could be part of the process and implement appropriate strategies to maximize citizens’ medical experiences. Such kind of a model reduces sentinel events and dissatisfaction and improves morale (Witkowski, 2013). I have experienced these changes since the materials offer evidence-based insights for promoting culturally competent care delivery in my unit.
Different Approaches
These new achievements explain why I will do a number of things differently in my work environment. Firstly, I will begin to view my patients and colleagues from a cultural perspective. This means that I will always consider their norms, beliefs, and behaviors related to health and healing. Secondly, I will engage different teammates with diverse backgrounds to develop a competent group that can deliver exemplary services.
Thirdly, I will embrace the idea of multidisciplinary practice since it can improve the quality of care available to patients (Ritter & Graham, 2017). I will also engage in continuous learning to acquire new concepts and learn additional languages to continue providing exemplary services. I am planning to include these changes in my unit to maximize patient satisfaction and reduce disparities.
Evaluation
The success of multicultural health competence depends on the experiences of the identified patients. Two methods will be implemented to evaluate my work environment to ensure that this aim becomes a reality. The first one is encouraging individuals to present their insights and views regarding the unit’s ability to offer culturally competent medical services. The second strategy is the use of journal entries targeting the initiatives different teams undertake and how they meet people’s psychological, mental, cultural, and spiritual demands (Ritter & Graham, 2017). The information gained will then inform a superior model for supporting the introduced change and improving the entire process.
Eliminating Health Disparities
Medical practitioners can identify and implement different strategies to minimize health disparities. The selected one for this discussion is that of effective communication. Healthcare experts and clinicians can improve the way they share information with one another (Ritter & Graham, 2017). They can go further to learn foreign languages and monitor the cultural attributes of different groups. Such ideas will empower caregivers to communicate efficiently, read nonverbal signals effectively, and overcome emerging barriers. The introduction of this strategy in any given health environment will minimize discrepancies in the availability of medical services.
Conclusion
The above discussion has revealed that cultural competence is something essential for all professionals in the field of nursing. The possession of this skill will support a superior model for delivering high-quality medical services. The insights gained from the class readings will empower me to implement changes and support the provision of high-quality care.
References
Ritter, L. A., & Graham, D. H. (2017). Multicultural health (2nd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Witkowski, A. (2013). What is cultural competency in healthcare?. Web.