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Diversity in a health care setting
Diversity in a health care setting
Diversity in a health care setting
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Globalization and immigration are two major forces increasing cultural diversity around the world. Technological advancements, increasing international travel, and ethnic strife in countries such as Syria are some of the factors contributing to this trend. As a result, most individuals live in a multi-cultural society and are trying to preserve their identity while interacting with people from varying backgrounds. The health care industry is not immune to increasing diversity and to adapt, organizations and employees must learn how to provide culturally congruent care (Emami & Safipour, 2013). In this post I will define diversity, discuss the benefits of a diverse workforce, discuss the barriers to attaining a more diverse nursing profession, and describe how my cultural background affects the nursing care that I provide.
Definition of Diversity
Workplace diversity includes the attributes, elements, and differences that set a person apart from others in the work setting. There are many factors that influence diversity including age, race, culture, gender, ethnicity, birthplace, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, education and work
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The more diverse the workplace population is, the more likely the organization will be able to solve problems and make decisions because diversity brings with it varied outlooks, approaches, ideas and points of view. Staff members and leaders with different backgrounds can offer different perspectives when evaluating goals and unintended consequences from policy-making and procedural changes. For patients seeking health care, having a diverse workforce increases positive outcomes. Patients receiving care from someone with a similar background leads to increased satisfaction, increased treatment compliance, improved productivity, and a reduction in health disparities (Andrews & Boyle,
The healthcare workforce is suffering critically due to its lack in diversity. As healthcare organizations are growing and the number of patients is increasing, so is the diversity of the patients. There are more minority patients are the number of minorities increase in the United States. The need for minority employees is crucial in that they are needed to help assist patients who have the similar cultural, racial, and ethnic upbringings. There are many barriers in healthcare workforce that are keeping minorities from reaching their full potential to become employees in healthcare, particularly upper-level leadership positions; as patients continue to become more diverse, so does the need of employees.
Going to a different country or area of the world can open up anybody’s eyes to see that culture makes a huge impact on the understanding and practices of healthcare that seem to be so common to other areas of the world. When a person lives in one country their whole life, that person may not realize how different the life they live is from someone in a foreign country. If a person is going to receive treatment from someone with a different cultural background, they should be expected to get treatment to respects their own culture. Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences having such a diverse variety of students has their own cultural competency definition that states “effectively and comfortably communicate across cultures with patients of differing backgrounds, taking into account aspects of trust in order to adopt mutually acceptable objectives and measures”. In the book Dancing Skeletons: Life and Death in West Africa by Katherine Dettwyler, the issue of culture and healthcare are greatly prevalent. Katherine Dettwyler herself goes to West Africa as an anthropologist and her horizons are broadened when during her research she comes in contact with how much culture has an impact on healthcare and everyday life.
In respect to diversity, one may wonder, “What is diversity?” Diversity is defined as all the ways in which employees differ. Diversity
research on healthcare practices in a culturally diverse setting has established the importance of cultural awareness, competence, and diversity for healthcare workers.
Management activities include educating the group and providing support for the acceptance and respect for various racial, cultural, societal, geographic, economic and political backgrounds.” Management should encourage and spearhead an increase in both ethnic and racial diversity amongst health care workers into management positions. According to Cohen, et-al, (2002) “by having medically trained health care policymakers who will accurately reflect the diverse American culture can eventually, have a substantial influence on the future of health care policy for all Americans”
According to Andrews and Boyle (2016), having a diverse workforce provides a greater satisfaction among employees, which will result in higher retention of employees as well. By hiring a diverse culture within an organization this increases a workplaces economy and becomes a culturally competent organization. Otherwise, a high turnover can be very costly to an organization and the functionality can decrease. Many organizations have developed policies to help recruit and retain people from different backgrounds. When employees feel that they are valued because of their diversity, the employees will feel protected from discrimination, feel that there is room for advancement within the company, and increase employment retention (Kaplan, Wiley, & Maertz, 2011). With the increase of minorities across the nation, having diversity in nurses and healthcare workers to accommodate this diversity also improves the quality of care to the patients while also increasing their health outcomes and satisfaction (Ayoola, 2013). We have learned in the previous weeks that being able to communicate with our patient’s and understanding their culture can positively increase the outcome of the health. Having a diverse staff will also help establish trust and make them feel at ease. However, there can be barriers to having a diverse culture in the
In the healthcare system, it is needed even more. Many healthcare facilities need to have their workforce diverse in order to reap benefits. In the 2000 U.S. Census, African Americans accounted for nearly 12.7 percent of the workforce, that number hasn’t increased exponentially today. Many minorities are underrepresented in the healthcare workforce, which can affect delivery of healthcare. Some benefits that many organizations see from a diverse work environment are: varied ideas, a larger talent pool, reduced discrimination, and more productivity. These benefits can impact the healthcare delivery system by improving quality of care and quality in the
The importance of promoting diversity in the nursing workforce is acknowledged by various nursing agencies and health organizations, including the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN, 2013). Diversity in the nursing workforce provides opportunities to deliver quality care which promotes patient satisfaction and emotional well-being. Reaching across the boundaries of culture is very important in delivering patient-centered care. Nurses are to be trusted by their patients. If a diverse population is not met with a diverse workforce, that trust may not be gained. This recommendation promotes the bonding of individuals based on culture and
Lee, W. K., Wong, V., & Judd, N. (2010, May). Promoting Diversity of the Health Care Workforce. Hawaii Medical Journal, 69(5), 130-131.
The understanding of global awareness in the nursing profession prepares nurses to address global issues affecting the quality of health in patients (World Health Organization, 2007). In correlation, cultural awareness in the nursing profession is crucial to understanding a patient’s beliefs, values, thoughts, and behaviors to provide high-quality, effective care. Regardless of geographic location, both global and cultural awareness heightens the education of nurses to deliver culturally competent care to diverse populations (Douglas et al, 2011). Culturally competent care focuses on the patient as a whole and allows the patient to remain as a unique individual (Campinha-Bacote, 2011). The twelve, Standards of Practice for Culturally
Cultural sensitivity means being aware that cultural differences and similarities exist and have an effect on values, learning, action, and behavior (Stanhope, et al., 2005). Beliefs and practices about health and illness are different with different cultures. With appropriate respect and interaction, nurses can win the patients’ trust. A culturally competent nurse must discard the assumption that all patients evaluate the quality of the care they receive the same way. Nurses should understand that culture is a fundamental part of patients' lives, and cultural barriers may impede care access and delivery (Hagman, 2007). A nurse needs to have varied beliefs and strategies for handling situations and patient care issues. She needs to listen and be tolerant. Being understanding of differences will not only broaden her own horizons, but also will help her to become a better nurse. A cultural competent nurse should ask questions and listen carefully to the answers in order to better understand the cultural diversity issues in health care that affect her patient. This approach emphasizes the patient’s role in promoting his wellness and in his responsibility for his own care. Being sensitive and showing respect for different cultural patients are nurses’ job (Quan, nd).
Companies such as Buzztronics are leading the way in the global economy because of their dedication to diversity in the workplace. In order to build a diverse and successful workforce, a business needs to recruit, train, and retain capable and talented minorities.
Knowledge of cultural diversity is vital at all levels of nursing practice. It is of the utm...
Managing Diversity in the workplace is more than just an acquired skill; it is "a way of thinking”. It is reflective of an attitude that organizations and their staffs must adopt that allows them to change their basic concepts about workers and converts “them” into “us”.