Cultural Competency in Health Sciences Essay

Introduction

Globalization has influenced a number of changes in the way the delivery of healthcare services is done. This phenomenon has been necessitated by the increasing level of diversity inpatient needs with regard to their values, beliefs, behaviors. This element led to the emergence of a new concept in health sciences known as cultural competency. Developed and first used in the United States in the 1980s, cultural competency has changed the manner in which healthcare practitioners interact with their patients in a bid to improve the effectiveness of their services and achieve better patient experiences (Bacote, 2012).Cultural Competency in Health Sciences Essay

The major challenge that cultural competency seeks to address is health disparities. Healthcare professionals in the contemporary world are expected to deliver quality care regardless of the patients’ ethnicity, age, cultural background, level of education, race, as well as religious or cultural values. Training employees working in the fields of health sciences such as public health and nursing about cultural competency is crucial to the realization of good patient outcomes (Taylor, Foley, & Shea, 2016). Healthcare organizations have the responsibility of ensuring that their employees are culturally competent in order to treat patients from different backgrounds in an effective manner.Cultural Competency in Health Sciences Essay

Interventions for healthcare organizations in ensuring a culturally competent workforce

Cultural competence in healthcare is a broad concept that entails a combination of numerous measures geared towards using a patient-oriented healthcare delivery system. Over the years, the concept has experienced numerous extensions focusing on improving the capacity of healthcare organizations to meet the healthcare needs of different cultural groups (Bacote, 2012). Although the concept has been the subject of numerous studies over the last several decades, a deficiency in establishing the most effective strategies or interventions that healthcare organizations can use to ensure their workforce is culturally competent has been noticeable. Healthcare providers can apply five crucial strategies to create a culturally competent workforce.Cultural Competency in Health Sciences Essay

Training of employees

One of the most effective interventions that healthcare organizations can use is educating their health professionals about the concept of cultural competency. Depending on the resource capacity of an organization, the training can be done in collaboration with accredited learning institutions to offer the training. For others, interactive learning through case studies, as well as experiential learning through field trips can be alternative methods of training their employees about culturally competent care services (Clifford, McCalman & Bainbridge, 2015).

The training often varies in terms of the time taken by the learners depending on various factors. In most cases, the training can involve a one or two day workshop that can be followed by field trips to workplaces that have already started implementing the concept. Some of the things that healthcare professionals can be trained about include the importance of understanding the educational level, cultural background, and religious believes of a patient (Hughes & Hood, 2013).Cultural Competency in Health Sciences Essay