Cultural theorist Campinha-Bacote describes cultural competency as a continuum, which implies continual growth and development (Kersey-Matusiak, 2019). Discuss the following: • What is cultural competence? • Are there steps nurses can take to achieve it? • How does it differ from cultural humility? • Briefly describe how a lack of cultural sensitivity may impact patients’ health and well-being and their future encounters with the healthcare system. • Why is it more important to focus on cultural humility rather than achieving cultural competence?

Alternative Answer

Cultural competence is the ability to appreciate, interact, and understand others cultures or beliefs that are different from their own (DeAngelis, 2015). “Cultural competence is defined as the attitudes, knowledge, and skills necessary for providing quality care to diverse populations” (Kersey-Matusiak, 2019, p.8). Culturally competent nurses are able to deliver care that values the beliefs of their patients (Kersey-Matusiak, 2019). Culturally competent care does not just happen; there are steps nurses must take to become culturally competent.

To become culturally competent, one must learn who they are first (Clay, 2010). Learn about your ancestors, personal background, be curious, and perform a self-assessment (Clay, 2010). Learn about different cultures by immersing yourself in their literature, language, and customs (Clay, 2010). Become comfortable in unfamiliar surroundings, converse with different religious groups, volunteer at community centers, and make friends with people of different cultures (Clay, 2010).

Attend diversity training seminars to collaborate with other professionals (Clay, 2010). If culturally competent training is not offered at your institution, submit a process to formalize educational material for your organization and peers (Clay, 2010).

Cultural humility recognizes that bias may occur and nurses need to understand and eliminate their own prejudices (Kersey-Matusiak, 2019). Healthcare providers need to recognize that their perspectives are influenced by policies that are dominated on the basis of whiteness and maleness (Kersey-Matusiak, 2019). Cultural humility addresses unconscious biases a nurse may possess and empowers the nurse to work towards eliminating these biases while providing culturally competent care.

Cultural sensitivity is having an attitude towards a specific culture or ethnic background and not saying offensive things directed at that background (Kersey-Matusiak, 2019). Cultural sensitivity can also include the avoidance of particular words, phrases, or categorizations of individuals (Kersey-Matusiak, 2019). An example of cultural sensitivity was the removal of the Washington Redskins name from the NFL due to the thoughts and feelings of the Native Americans.

Nursing is a trusted profession by the public. Nurses as well as other healthcare providers must provide culturally sensitive care to know how to communicate with their patients and develop professional relationships (The Role of Cultural Sensitivity in Building Patient Relationships, 2019). Nurses must understand nonverbal communication, inclusive language, cultural customs, relatable medical terms, and the use of personal touch (The Role of Cultural Sensitivity in Building Patient Relationships, 2019). Failure to utilize culturally sensitive care can create unwanted distress for patients and they may fail to seek medical attention when required as a result. Nurses must be able to make their patients feel comfortable in a healthcare setting.

Cultural competence is learning to accept and understand other cultures. Cultural humility is recognizing personal biases that may distort your perception of other cultures. Cultural sensitivity is recognizing those biases and behaving in an acceptable way towards different backgrounds. Providing care with “cultural sensitivity and cultural humility are both means to the end being cultural competence” (Kersey-Matusiak, 2019, p. 6).

References

Clay, R. (2010). https://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2010/09/culturally-competent. www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2010/09/culturally-competent.

DeAngelis, T. (2015, March). In search of cultural competence. American Psychological               Association. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2015/03/cultural-competence.

Kersey-Matusiak, G. (2019). Delivering culturally competent nursing care: Working with diverse  and vulnerable populations (2nd ed.).