Culturally Competent Nursing Care
In America today we have a vast diversity in the ethnic, religious, nationality and sexual orientation of people. Patients that come under our care today present with many different clinical symptoms that require medical attention, these symptoms may also differ from illness to illness but will also be based on some cultural aspects of the patients background. As patients move through the hospital, dialysis unit or other healthcare facility it is important for care takers not to just address the clinical needs of the patient but also identify each patient’s demographics and personal characteristics. Most healthcare facilities focus on the illness and how they can treat the patient while avoiding mistakes that impact quality and safety, not really treating the patient’s as individualizes. Patients have specific needs and characteristics both clinical and non-clinical that affect the way they receive, view and participate in their treatment. There is an overwhelming body of research that shows certain patient populations have poorer outcomes, experience decreased patient safety, and receive a lower quality of care based on race, sexual orientation, language, and disability. Further studies reveal that incorporating cultural competence and patient-family centered care will increase compliance to treatment and satisfaction (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2006). In the past nurse-patient communication was considered to be a patient’s right; we have raised the bar, effective culturally competent communication is now an essential component of quality care and patient safety (JCAHO, 2007). In the field of hemo dialysis which is not governed by the Joint Commission, and the cultural needs of patients go un-met these businesses will continue to put both themselves and the patients at risk.
In my own experience in dialysis we