Cultural Safety in Health Care Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Cultural Safety in Health Care. Answer: Personal reflection In health care sector cultural safety is the matter of great concern. This concept involves the empowerment of the patients and the health care practitioners. In Australia, cultural safety was a response to the poor health outcomes of the Indigenous population. However, it currently encompasses a broad range of cultural determinants (Freeman et al., 2014). Health care practitioners are responsible for providing culturally safe care. The importance of cultural safety is placed on identifying the personal values and beliefs and evaluating the same. The importance is also placed in recognising the potential for these values and beliefs to impact on others. Australia is the multicultural society, and there is an increasing concern related to racial and cultural inequalities owing to increase in immigration rate. Thus, cultural competencies or cross-cultural skills have become imperative over time in the complex health care setting (Jeffreys, 2015). Cultural safety in the health care refers to the ability of the care professionals to deliver health services that meet the patient's cultural, linguistic and social needs. The objective of this culturally competent care is to overcome the health care challenges posed by the increasing diversity. Such care will reduce the disparities related to the race and ethnicity and improve the quality of care. It will eventually improve the health outcomes (Shen, 2015). In this essay, the personal values, beliefs, behaviour that may contribute or detract from being a culturally safe practioner is discussed. Reflection is an effective tool in determining ones own cultural values and beliefs. It is the first step to understand the objective of cultural safety education. It is not just reaching the standardised level of cultural competence. Instead, it is the increase in the desire to enhance own cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills (Truong, Paradies Priest, 2014). Reflecting on my cultural identity will help recognise personal ability to provide culturally safe care as health care practitioner. Lack of ability to adapt to the cross-cultural interactions in the health care environment will lead to poor patent satisfaction. Cultural safety is the ongoing learning process, and there is no coherent approach to integrate this skill in health services. In the last two decades, there is the increase in emphasis on cross-cultural training for the health care professionals. It is an important requirement the nurses must fulfil as per the NMBA (Nursing Midwifery Board Australia) accreditation (Pairman Donnellan-Fernandez 2012). I was born and bought up in Nepal, which is a multicultural society. It has played a great role in shaping my values, beliefs, and behaviours. My cultural identity is the product of my social relationship, personal experience, and education and family values. I belong to the Hindu society where people believe in upbringing their children in conservative fashion. However, they are kind and respectful in dealing with others. Being a part of such society has instilled in me the cultural values of honesty, persistence, kindness and respect. Although I am Hindu, I was educated in school where I could interact with other children from Christian, Muslim, and minority groups. My parents have also supported me to accept individual differences and have always been a part of festivals of different cultures. It was easy for me to build rapport and establish trust with my friends and colleagues. Considering nursing as my calling, I have faith that I can deliver non-judgmental care to the patients irrespective of their lifestyle choices, financial status, race and spiritual beliefs. Therefore, I hope to contribute to the culturally safe care as I can build positive rapport with the co-workers in the culturally diverse workplace. Health care professionals work in the complex setting. Thus, interpersonal collaboration is imperative from a team-based perspective. It is known as complex partnership. It allows every member of the interdisciplinary team to communicate and share their ideas. It is also considered to be the trademark of successful health care innovation (Moore et al., 2017). With the help of my values and ease of accepting differences, I would be able to contribute to the multicultural context and tolerate the ambiguity through cooperatively and flexibility. According to NMBA national competency standards for registered nurses collaborative and therapeutic practice requires demonstrating empathy, respect and trust for the dignity of an individual which once again align with my cultural values (NMBA,2018). Nursing is the profession that has no scope of boredom. There is always much to learn, and it is an advantage for me as I love to engage in continuous learning process. I seek new opportunities. This behaviour will help me take advantage of the cross-cultural training for nurses. As I moved to Australia for studies, I had to learn and adjust to new societal norms and cultural practices. Therefore, I am confident to adapt to the cross-cultural interactions in the health care setting in the long run. According to the national competency standards (standard 2.3) for the registered nurse by the NMBA, nursing must be practised in the way that acknowledges the culture, dignity, values, beliefs and rights of the individual groups (NMBA, 2017). Ever since I was teenager, I developed the interest in gaining cultural awareness. I respect others culture and dignity. It will help me build healthy relationship with patients in future, who will feel safe. Therefore, I can contribute towards cultur al safety in health care setting. I believe in ethical conduct as I have always observed my Hindu family and friends reap benefits of being ethical. I also do believe in non-judgmental attitude. Both the beliefs will help me adapt to the cultural interactions in the health care setting and promote safety and quality care. Owing to my values and beliefs, I can well recognise and respect the patents rights. I will be honest in my work and respect the patients dignity. It will contribute to high quality care when confronted with patients cultural values and beliefs that are different from mine. My beliefs are in alignment with the NMBA standards for registered nurses on practising within the code of ethics and conduct (NMBA Code of ethics, 2018, NMBA code of conduct, 2018). Nursing is the most honest and ethical profession. Therefore, patients trust nurses for their safety. Therefore, my ethical behaviour will help me contribute to the culturally safe care. I can continue my profession without any discrimination, as I b elieve in protecting patients rights while maintaining privacy and confidentiality. I have compassion for people and love to care for elders and those in need. These are the very essence of nursing (Bramley Matiti, 2014). I am passionate about nursing. I would use my knowledge and skills to help sick people, who are unable to help themselves irrespective of their background. Nurses must be empathetic to share the distress of the patient and act with compassion and kindness towards them (Paley, 2014). With values of compassion and kindness I can listen to patents, involve them in decision-making, and it will make them safe and improve their experience. My belief of gender equality may detract me from being a culturally safe practitioner. I consider this to be the fundamental human right. However, gender discrimination is highly prevalent in certain cultural practices. In some cultures, the women have poor access to reproductive health services (Namasivayam et al., 2012). I need to improve in this area and develop strategies to handle challenges pertaining to harmful traditional values. In case of failure, my cultural values of persistence would come to aid. According to Shea (2015), the key to nursing success is the professional persistence. Persistence is considered to be the backbone of nursing. Also avoiding discrimination may detract me from being culturally safe practitioner. I am not aware of the needs, lived experiences, and expectations of physically and mentally disabled persons. To improve on this area, I must be aware of the existence of the Disability Discrimination Act and what it implies for health-care delivery. Only then I can care for immigrant parents of children with disabilities (King et al., 2015). Based on reflection on my cultural values, beliefs and behaviours I have recognised areas that may contribute my personal growth as culturally safe practitioner. My family and society have shaped my beliefs and values that make me competent to work in culturally diverse workplace. The nursing code of practices and standards for nurses in Australia is centred on respecting other peoples values and beliefs. However, there are areas where I must improve. I believe that promoting culturally safe care is no single step process. It requires dedication and persistence. It is the continuous learning process through education and personal experience. In conclusion, cultural safety is central to health care delivery. My behaviour as nurse would demonstrate the respect to patient's irrespective of their cultural background. I will acknowledge the patient's culture and deliver person-focused care. Thus, my multicultural awareness will ensure positive health outcomes. References Bramley, L., Matiti, M. (2014). How does it feel to be in my shoes? Patients' experiences of compassion within nursing care and their perceptions of developing compassionate nurses.Journal of clinical nursing,23(19-20), 2790-2799. DOI:10.1111/jocn.12537. Freeman, T., Edwards, T., Baum, F., Lawless, A., Jolley, G., Javanparast, S., Francis, T. (2014). Cultural respect strategies in Australian Aboriginal primary health care services: beyond education and training of practitioners.Australian and New Zealand journal of public health,38(4), 355-361. Jeffreys, M. R. (2015).Teaching cultural competence in nursing and health care: Inquiry, action, and innovation. Springer Publishing Company. Retrieved from: https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=enlr=id=kVQICwAAQBAJoi=fndpg=PP1dq=cultural+competence+graduating+nursing+studentsots=NdLrTyDZwFsig=pmea4U39GsnojXv80YT8foXbxVI#v=onepageq=cultural%20competence%20graduating%20nursing%20studentsf=false King, G., Desmarais, C., Lindsay, S., Pirart, G., Ttreault, S. (2015). The roles of effective communication and client engagement in delivering culturally sensitive care to immigrant parents of children with disabilities.Disability and rehabilitation,37(15), 1372-1381. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3109/09638288.2014.972580 Moore, T. L., Casiday, R., Cortes, C. G., Davey, K., Stoltzfus, K. M., Terry, P. H., Robertson, A. S. (2017). An interprofessional review of cultural competency education: Approaches to strengthen healthcare management education in preparing culturally competent healthcare managers.Journal of Health Administration Education,34(2), 319-343. Retrieved from: https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/aupha/jhae/2017/00000034/00000002/art00010 Namasivayam, A., Osuorah, D. C., Syed, R., Antai, D. (2012). The role of gender inequities in womens access to reproductive health care: a population-level study of Namibia, Kenya, Nepal, and India.International journal of women's health,4, 351. DOI: 10.2147/IJWH.S32569 NMBA code of conduct (2018).Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia - Nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au. Available at: https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Search.aspx?q=code%20of%20professional%20conduct%20for%20nurses [Accessed 25 Jan. 2018]. NMBA Code of ethics. (2018).Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. Nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au. Available at: https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Search.aspx?q=code+of+ethics [Accessed 25 Jan. 2018]. NMBA. (2017). Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia - Professional standards. Nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au. Retrieved 16 December 2017, from https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines-Statements/Professional-standards.aspx NMBA. (2018).Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia - Professional standards. [online] Nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au. Available at: https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines-Statements/Professional-standards.aspx [Accessed 25 Jan. 2018]. Pairman, S., Donnellan-Fernandez, R. (2012). Professional frameworks for practice in Australia and New Zealand.Joints and Connective Tissues: General Practice: The Integrative Approach Series, 267. Retrieved from: https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=enlr=id=T5fmUbge2kUCoi=fndpg=PA267dq=cultyral+comptence+mandted+by+NMBA+ots=nsnYim8o6bsig=m-xNKaSC_rirlCy1pFH12cZmH-s#v=onepageq=cultyral%20comptence%20mandted%20by%20NMBAf=false Paley, J. (2014). Cognition and the compassion deficit: the social psychology of helping behaviour in nursing.Nursing Philosophy,15(4), 274-287. DOI:10.1111/nup.12047. Shea, M. L. (2015). Determined persistence: Achieving and sustaining job satisfaction among nurse practitioners.Journal of the American Association of nurse practitioners,27(1), 31-38. Shen, Z. (2015). Cultural competence models and cultural competence assessment instruments in nursing: a literature review.Journal of Transcultural Nursing,26(3), 308-321. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1043659614524790 Truong, M., Paradies, Y., Priest, N. (2014). Interventions to improve cultural competency in healthcare: a systematic review of reviews.BMC health services research,14(1), 99. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-14-99