Education And Cultural Competence

Cultural competence is defined as possessing the skills and knowledge necessary to appreciate, respect, and work with individuals from different cultures. It is a concept that requires self-awareness, awareness and understanding of cultural differences, and the ability to adapt to clinical skills and practices as needed

I have learned that it is important that educators  and health providers be trained on cultural competency to understand the population they are serving. Marks, Sims, and Osher (King, Sims, & Osher, n.d.) define cultural competency  as a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency, or among professionals and enables that system, agency, or those professionals to work effectively in cross–cultural situations" ( as cited in Cross et al., 1989; Isaacs & Benjamin, 1991). Health providers and educators should investigate demographic patterns or trends in the place where they live and work. This brings awareness of the types of cultures that they might come across when they are working with people. Organizations should integrate and implement policies that promote the value of  diversity, self-assessment, manage the dynamics of difference, acquire and institutionalize cultural knowledge, and adapt to diversity and the cultural contexts of communities they serve (Georgetown  University, 2004). Georgetown University (2004) also stresses that culture competency grows gradually and is always open for improvement.

For us to develop cultural competence we need to have a level expertise, knowledge and attributes. When I mention Expertise I am referring to professional skills such as, being able to communicate correct information for culturally different people and their communities, the skill to candidly discuss racial and ethnic issues and to react to culturally based signs, the skill to understand the meaning that traditions/culture has for each person, Interviewing skills that help to understand and accommodate the role of language in a person’s culture and the skill to use the idea of empowerment on behalf of culturally different people and communities.

In our today’s society, we are faced with multiple cultures that affect our ways of thinking, acting, and leaving. Cultural competency reflects one’s culture. Culture reflects the way the children are raised, their way of communicating, what is acceptable or not acceptable, the way they overcome challenges, their clothes, and how we go about medical treatment and so on. I know because I come from a very strong cultural background where it is considered bad to look at older people straight in the eyes while talking to them. Culture can be defined as “the learned and shared beliefs, values and life ways of a designated or particular group that are generally transmitted intergenerational and influence one’s thinking and action modes” (Leininger, 2002).

Cultural competence is about having awareness, respect and understanding about the diversity around you. Cultural competence is one of the eight key practices that the early years learning framework features as vital to support a child’s learning. Cultural competence is about learning and building an understanding about different cultures while being respectful and open about different cultures and the people within them. Its more then just awareness of cultural differences, its about the ability to understand people across different cultures and developing constructive attitudes concerning cultural difference.

Some of the author’s major points are the lack of understanding of what cultural competence really means which is bringing confusion about ways it can be utilized in the social work field. The confusion of the utilization of cultural competence is leading to the lack of consensus concerning the effective training that providers should obtain and the population being served with the cultural competence skills lack clear description. According to the author, the most popular cultural competence intervention in the healthcare system is the cultural competency training which is for health care providers and the two approaches that have been utilized in creating the intervention are; the programs aimed at improving knowledge which is group specific,

Providing culturally competence are available constructs in augmentation of patient centered healthcare delivery that has been heavily emphasized in recent years. In particular to this writer’s professional career there have been ongoing improvements seen on a corporate and care level made to the implementation in providing culturally competent care. In this paper, we explore culturally competent and patient centered care with the Mexican female population here in the northeast. In doing so, the demonstration of timely theoretical frameworks of cultural competence must be afforded to our patients; to improve interactions in an interpersonal level. This group was recognized primarily due to identifying the integral role the female plays

Cultural competence is important while dealing with patients from different cultures. Being culturally competent enables nurses to effectively care for people regardless of their background which may be from anywhere around the world. Len Sperry defines cultural competence as “the capacity to draw effectively upon cultural knowledge, awareness, sensitivity and skillful actions in order to relate appropriately to, and work effectively with others from different cultural backgrounds” (Sperry, 2012, pg.3) ¬¬ Cultural competence and class standards are connected because cultural competence is needed in order to adequately follow the CLAS standards. CLAS stands for culturally and linguistically appropriate services. Therefore, I believe it is only culturally competent healthcare workers that can deliver culturally and linguistically appropriate services.

The BusinessDictionary.com defines cultural competency as, “A set of behaviors, policies, and attitudes which form a system or agency which allows cross-cultural groups to effectively work professionally in situations. This includes human behaviors, languages, communications, actions, values, religious beliefs, social groups, and ethic perceptions. Individuals are competent to function on their own and within an organization where multi-cultural situations will be present” (2016).

I believe I can improve my cultural competence by learning to understand the opinions of family members about the intervention process with older and elderly individuals. I enjoy helping and serving people, so it is hard for me to understand that some patients and families do not want to seek help. I need to learn to set my own opinions aside and be competent toward the wants and needs of the family.

Cultural competence can be defined as: “the ability to manage cultural diversity (different cultural characteristics) in a way that allows diversity to contribute to the effectiveness of an organization rather than create misunderstandings and conflict” (Borrego & Johnson III, 2012). Cultural Competency provides a plan or set of policies that enables an organization to serve its culturally di¬verse populations more effectively. With continued increase in population diverse cultural differences become significant. Culturally diverse differences can play a critical role in public service delivery as well as continued or increased citizen trust and participation in government. Cultural differences among local communities have led some local governments to adapt with efforts for increasing their cultural competency (Benavides & Hernandez, 2007).

Diversity refers to an array of differences among individuals, groups, and communities (Pearson, p.1629, 2015).

Understand cultural competence and why is it important especially for that have a diverse workforce.

When educators are culturally competent and gain an understanding of the cultural identities present amongst the children in their care they can have respect and an understanding of the way children and families know, see and live this world. Educators may then celebrate the benefits of diversity and may be able to understand and honour the differences.

Competent is having the knowledge to do something successfully. Cultural competence allows us to believe with a thorough knowledge of traditions and theories of a culture that we can function. We do not have to identify or acknowledge our biases. Being cultural competent does not require