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Cultural Competence In Healthcare

Decent Essays

Cultural competence is defined as a set of behaviours and attitudes that professionals must encounter to work effectively in cross-cultural situations. (National Institute of Health, 2015) Cultural competence enables professionals to adopt policies and procedures that reflect the varied mix of cultural differences and be open minded to new culture. (Adler et al., 2009) Cultural competency is a crucial aspect in the delivery of patient care in a pharmacy or any other health system. This concept enables healthcare professionals to deliver services that are considerate and open-minded to health beliefs, practices and specific needs of diverse patients. (National Institute of Health, 2015) Cultural competency is an important concept in reducing …show more content…

When initiated and implemented in the workplace, it aids healthcare professionals to function effectively to understand the needs of diverse patients and treat them efficiently. (National Institute of Health, 2015)

To provide the best overall healthcare to a patient, the patient needs to understand and be familiarized with the information provided to them. According to the article, Communication in Pharmacy Practice, one way to ensure patients understand the information given to them by their healthcare professional is by keeping communication short, simple and specific. (MacLeod- Glover, 2006) It is important for the pharmacist to avoid unnecessary complexity. When the pharmacist uses shorter words and sentences, patients will recall more of what is said. Being specific when giving information or advice to patients will help them recall what they are told. (MacLeod-Glover, 2006) The more specific the message or instructions, the more likely they will adhere to it. Repeating important messages as a summary, with emphasis on critical aspects of the information will help the patient understand the vital aspects of their care instructions, such as dosing instructions and when to take or how to take their

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