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Professional views on cultural competence in social work
Cultural competence by ethical values of social work
Professional views on cultural competence in social work
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Evidence-Based Practice and Culture: A Scenario Discussion
Social Work: Individuals and Families
Megan Barrett
Marywood University
While working in the field of social work with various diverse groups and cultures, it is crucial to maintain a knowledge of cultural competence and cultural humility. In order to be culturally competent, a social worker needs to have both a background knowledge of the culture, and in order to practice cultural humility a social worker needs to be open to the likelihood that they will learn from their culturally diverse clientele. An example of this can be seen in a client from the Muslim-American cultural group. The client to be discussed here is an Iranian Muslim-American woman with OCD, or Obsessional-Compulsive Disorder. In order to address this client's needs regarding her OCD, the Evidence-Based Practice of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy will be applied. Because of this client's cultural background, the pre-sessional tuning-in, as well as the obstacles she might face, are important factors when it comes to
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Even if the client knows some English, there are several terms and complicated aspects of the practice that may need to be re-worded in a way that the client is better able to understand. Instead of stating that she needs to "change her cognitive distortions," the worker may instead want to state that they want to help the client to "change her thoughts so that this can help her feel better." Another special consideration would be to reinforce that she has the choice to change these thoughts, while being cautious not to cause her to have concern for her cultural identity. This is because at her own self-determined pace, the worker should slowly make an effort to enable her to feel like she has a choice, and that she has the power of choice that she may not have had in the
The Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Model provides nurses with a system to formulate a practice question, appraise both research and non-research evidence, and to develop recommendations for practice (Dearholt & Dang, 2012). This model guides nurses through the evidence-based research process with ease and minimal difficulty using a problem solving approach.
Catheter Acquired Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTIs) has become to be classified as one among the leading infections which most individuals end up being susceptible to acquire while at the hospital. Healthcare-associated or acquired infections (HAIs) are a significant cause of illness, death, and more often than not, have resulted to cost the tax payers potentially high medical expenses in most health care settings. ("Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality," para. 1) Due to this, 1 out of every 20 patients will end up with CAUTI within the US hospitals and this has caused Agency for healthcare research and quality (AHRQ) to embark on nationwide plans to help in the eradication and control of CAUTI incidences. ("Agency
It is important to include cultural issues in the helping process to be more effective. We also need cultural competence because the U.S. is becoming more diverse. Therefore with diversity comes different beliefs, norms, and values. Eurocentric values dominate sciences and began cultural universals which puts the clash of dominate and non-dominate cultural behaviors in motion. In 1996 the NASW Code of Ethics increased the recognition of cultural competence. It is important to know diversity exist within ethnic and cultural groups because social workers need to know that relationships between helping professionals and clients may be strained. This happens because of the distrust between groups. Another important aspect is that the professional realizes their own values, biases, and beliefs. The reason for this is because they must value diversity to start with and understand the dynamics of difference. Culturally competent practitioners have to go through developmental process of using their own culture as a starting point to meet all behaviors. Striving for cultural competence is a long term process of development. The literature on cultural competence is theoretical and conceptual. They have not been evaluated in a systematic way. Roughly there are 2 million Native americans in the U.S. Which survive decimating disease, over-repressed in child welfare system, suffer from health problems, and are among the poorest people in the United States. Working with them clearly falls within the social work clearly mandate to serve vulnerable and oppressed clients. However, we do not know how many people from this group is actually receiving help from social workers. Even though it is important to train social workers to provide care in th...
Counselors are very dependent on the research of others. Counselors are among many who are responsible for producing evidence based practice. Counselors have a responsibility to be eager and capable of locating and using evidence based interventions. Research reports are used to help summarize the findings of different types of research in the counseling profession. The results of a research report should summarize the findings of the research. According to Sheperis, Young, and Daniels 2010, “it should be easy for the reader to connect the findings with the stated research questions and to determine whether the finding support or refute your hypothesis” (p.239). The following are two challenges that the counseling profession is faced with when it comes to outcome research: (1) producing sufficient volumes of evidence and (2) being able to find, interpret, and use the evidence from previous research. These challenges place a limit on the variety of interventions that are available to the counseling profession. One intervention that works for one child, might not produce the same results for another child. So it is very important that research provides information that is useful and effective. The lack of studies makes it more challenging to determine whether or not an intervention is an effective solution that will improve a student’s behavior or academics. “Ultimately, regardless of how effective a counselor may be, if the problems are not properly measured and assessed, intervention is disadvantaged and treatment is comprised” (Sheperis, Young, & Daniels, 2010, p. 3). In order to best serve clients we have to complete comprehensive research and use the results to the advantage of the client.
Culture can be defined as behaviors exhibited by certain racial, religious, social or ethnic groups. Some factors in which culture may vary include: family structure, education, and socioeconomic status (Kodjo, 2009). Some may think cultural competence is something that has an end point, however, when the big picture is seen, it is a learning process and journey. From the writer’s perspective, the client-therapist relationship can be challenging. Culturally competent therapists must realize that behaviors are shaped by an individual’s culture. Many changes are taking place within the United States cultural makeup. Therapists and healthcare professionals are being challenged to provide effective and sensitive care for patients and their families. This type of culturally sensitive care requires the professional to be open and seek understanding in the patients diverse belief systems (Kodjo, 2009).
Cultural Competence Understanding culture is an important aspect of being a social worker; this does not mean learning common cultural traits is of great significance to the social work profession. “Consider the second-generation Japanese-American social worker whose practice consists of Mexican-American and African-American families. Memorizing national traits or cultural rituals would be interesting and informative, but ultimately these would be an inaccurate basis on which to “know” these particular families” (Dorfman, 1996, p. 33). When understanding cultural competence, it is important to learn from the client about their culture in order to serve them in the most helpful and efficient way possible. There is a major drawback to memorizing information, and that is, this information will not give you a real understanding of who your client is and what life experiences they have personally faced.
Within this essay Evidence based Practice will be identified and the significant effect it has on the nursing profession, barriers will also be explored in the implementation of Evidence Based Practice.
In today’s society, it is very important for the healthcare professional to be educated about the culture of their patients. It can be seen that the number of patients who are Muslim are increasing throughout the healthcare system. It is challenging for healthcare workers to care for the needs of Muslim patients when they don’t understand their cultural beliefs. Muslims don’t necessarily have the same health beliefs, outcomes, or priorities that their providers have, therefore making it more difficult to come to a final healthcare decision (Al-Oraibi, 2009.) “This intercultural gap in understanding between clients and providers may result in poor care services and low levels of satisfaction” (Al-Oraibi, 2009.) Muslims are not being properly accommodated in healthcare settings because of a lack of education from healthcare workers about the Muslim culture and religion.
Sympathetic responding means achieving emotional and rational harmony by supporting the client’s feelings (Hepworth et al., 2013). Although, while trying to engage with a Muslim client, a social worker needs to be aware that the difference in beliefs can affect the engagement process and needs to be prepare for it. According to Draguns, a culture shock happens when the professional providing the services is immersed in a foreign culture in which familiar interventions are no useful anymore and the professional must create new ways of relating to the client (as cited in Diller, 2007). Although, if the social worker is not familiar with a Muslim client’s beliefs, could be an opportunity for the client to educate the social worker and build rapport. Diller (2007) stated that the client might take on the position of cultural expert, teaching the practitioner, who is ignorant of the client 's culture. The author goes on saying that this strategy could help clients become more comfortable in this new role and empowered by learning new behaviors in relation to it. Muslims clients have very specific ways of dealing with illness. Abdullah (2015) stated that in Islam, personal development is view as the transformation of the self-based on compliance with God and in adverse circumstances can delay personal change, requiring a return to this state for personal growth to happen. In order to be able to engage a Muslim client, it would be important to be empathic and respectful of his or her
According to the article, Empirically Supported Treatments are treatments that have medical evidence including high-quality research to show their work. Evident-Based Practice is research findings from a collection of data through observation and experiment, formulations of questions and testing of hypothesis. EBT applies the best available research result/evidence when making decisions about health care. The therapist employs the knowledge, cumulated experience, and clinical skills. According to the article, APA endorses multiple types of research evidence such as efficacy, effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, treatment utilization that contribute to effective psychological practice (APA, 2005).
I am determined to understand all aspects, related to the emotional well-being and developing skills in multicultural counseling regardless of personal beliefs. I am more than confident, my personal life experiences, and work history as a clinician will allow me to be loyal and devoted to all and any culture. Therefore, my love and desire to listen carefully, and respond in a genuine matter, will allow the diversity in culture greater in growth and human development regardless of social class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and cultural
When working with clients of diverse background and cultures, it is important for counselors to be conscious of this fact during assessment and subsequent counseling. Due to fact that much of Western psychology and counseling theories and approaches stem from a White, European viewpoint, experiences and symptoms of marginalized groups are also evaluated by this same perspective (Sue & Sue, 2016). Furthermore, Hays (2015) stated, “psychological assessment involves standardized procedures that have been developed and shaped by dominant culture, which largely ignores or dismisses cultural influences. As a result, cultural questions and consideration are commonly left out,” (p. 128).
Standards for cultural competence were implemented by the NASW to address the need for definition, support, and encouragement for the development of a high level of social work practice. Those guidelines include knowledge on how to respond in a sensitive, skillful, and respectful manner (NASW, 2001). It is important for social workers to be properly and professionally educated on how to handle challenges they face with diverse populations. The NASW provides guidelines that promote respect and appreciation for acculturation, biculturalism along with other primordial values. The intention of these standards or guidelines is to provide insight on objectives and goals within the social work practice, not only
Sharing personal thoughts with the clients helps to set up positive relationships with the clients. Since I’m a generalist social worker in the making I thought that it was important to do a short interview on a person from a different culture in order to better understand that everyone doesn’t come from the same background/culture. It is so important to find and accept your own strengths and areas for growth. Understanding our own cultural history and identity is a prerequisite for culturally sensitive social work. Sophia an Hispanic girl from Spain who came from a different background then I did. She grew up in Spain where she was raised and learned to speak Spanish. She moved to America when she 16 years of age and at that moment she noticed that her life begin to change. She had to learn how to speak a new language all over again. Sophia said that it took her about three years to be able to speak English though she had been speaking Spanish her whole life. She grew up with a family who was really close together and had very strong values and beliefs. Her family was not very friendly, and they didn’t just trust people right off the back. If you weren’t part of the family, then you had to gain trust and that was just that. Unlike when she first moved to US she had to grow to be friendly to those around her at school cause that’s not what she was used
In social work, a social worker has to come to the client’s level and start from there. The client does not have to come to the social workers level. In order for this to happen the social worker has to know the importance of culture, race, gender, sexual, diversity and other forms of diversity to make the best decision for choosing a type of intervention. Understanding the client’s culture, race, gender, sexual diversity and other form of diversity is important because they affect each person differently. An example, Roberto is Latino and in their culture they believe in machomism, so this is something his social worker needs to know when addressing Roberto or someone of the Latino culture. Hispanic women bring machomism