CULTURAL COMPETENCE & DIVERSITY in HEALTHCARE

Summary

In this video, Dr. David from doctorregisternerds.com addresses the importance of cultural diversity and combating racism in healthcare. He shares personal experiences with racism and emphasizes the need for healthcare providers to be sensitive to patients' cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Dr. David stresses the significance of providing culturally competent care, respecting patients' customs and beliefs, and ensuring that all individuals receive equal, high-quality care regardless of their race, ethnicity, or language.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The importance of cultural diversity in healthcare is emphasized, as healthcare providers must care for all patients regardless of their ethnicity, race, or language.
• 📚 Dr. David's personal experience as an immigrant from the Dominican Republic highlights the challenges of adapting to a new culture and language, and the importance of learning English in the United States.
• 🚫 The script addresses the reality of racism and its impact on individuals, including Dr. David's own experience of being racially targeted.
• 🌍 The acknowledgment of the United States as a melting pot of cultures, where healthcare providers encounter patients from various backgrounds.
• 🏥 The necessity for healthcare providers to be sensitive to the customs and beliefs of different cultures, including the use of interpreter services when language barriers exist.
• 🤔 The script encourages providers to consider whether patients are nodding in understanding or out of respect, and to ensure clear communication.
• 👥 The call for healthcare providers to treat all patients equally, regardless of race, ethnicity, or culture, to ensure a positive patient experience.
• 🍽 The need to respect patients' dietary restrictions and cultural beliefs, especially during the admission process.
• 👁️ The importance of maintaining eye contact with patients when using interpreter services to maintain a personal connection and ensure understanding.
• 🚫 A reminder for healthcare providers to leave their personal biases at the door and to provide care without letting their own beliefs interfere with patient care.
• 🌈 The American Academy of Nursing's definition of culturally competent care, which involves sensitivity to various social factors and the ability to extend care across cultural lines.

Q & A

What is the main focus of Dr. David's special video?

The main focus of Dr. David's special video is on cultural diversity and racism in healthcare, emphasizing the importance of caring for all patients regardless of their ethnicity, race, or language.

Why is cultural diversity important in the context of healthcare as mentioned by Dr. David?

Cultural diversity is important in healthcare because it represents the variety of patients that healthcare providers encounter, each with their own customs and beliefs that must be respected and understood to provide appropriate care.

What personal experience does Dr. David share regarding racism?

Dr. David shares a personal experience of being called a derogatory name while in his car with his daughter, highlighting the reality of racism and its impact on individuals.

How does Dr. David connect the current protests to the issue of racism in healthcare?

Dr. David connects the current protests to racism in healthcare by noting the peaceful protesters' efforts to convey that racism and differential treatment based on race, ethnicity, or culture are not acceptable.

What role does language play in providing healthcare according to the video?

Language plays a crucial role in providing healthcare as it is essential for understanding patients' needs and ensuring they understand medical instructions. Interpreter services are highlighted as a way to bridge language gaps.

Why is it important for healthcare providers to be sensitive to cultural differences?

It is important for healthcare providers to be sensitive to cultural differences to ensure that all patients receive equal and appropriate care, respecting their customs and beliefs, and avoiding misunderstandings or feelings of inferiority.

What does Dr. David suggest healthcare providers do when they feel their personal beliefs may conflict with patient care?

Dr. David suggests that healthcare providers should voice their concerns to a charge nurse or manager if their personal beliefs conflict with patient care, potentially leading to reassignment to ensure the patient receives optimal care.

How can healthcare providers ensure they are providing culturally competent care?

Healthcare providers can ensure culturally competent care by integrating knowledge, attitudes, and skills that are sensitive to issues related to culture, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and social or economic class.

What is the significance of maintaining eye contact when using interpreter services, as mentioned by Dr. David?

Maintaining eye contact when using interpreter services is significant because it helps to create a personalized experience for the patient, making them feel more comfortable and ensuring they understand the conversation.

What advice does Dr. David give regarding biases in the healthcare setting?

Dr. David advises healthcare providers to leave their biases at the door, ensuring that their own beliefs and preferences do not interfere with the care they provide to patients from diverse backgrounds.

What impact can cultural insensitivity have on a patient's mental health?

Cultural insensitivity can negatively impact a patient's mental health by making them feel inferior or disconnected, potentially exacerbating conditions like depression and affecting their self-esteem.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 Embracing Cultural Diversity in Healthcare

Dr. David from doctorregisternerds.com addresses the importance of cultural diversity and combating racism in the healthcare field. As healthcare providers, it is crucial to care for all patients regardless of their ethnicity, race, or language. Dr. David shares his personal experience as an immigrant from the Dominican Republic and the challenges he faced learning English. He emphasizes the need for sensitivity towards patients' customs and beliefs, especially when it comes to language barriers and cultural practices. He encourages the use of interpreter services to ensure clear communication and understanding, highlighting the importance of treating all patients equally and with the highest level of care.

05:01

📞 The Role of Interpreters and Cultural Sensitivity

This paragraph delves into the specifics of providing culturally competent care, including the use of interpreter services to facilitate communication with non-English speaking patients. It stresses the importance of maintaining eye contact and treating the interpreter as a 'voice over' to ensure a personalized experience for the patient. The paragraph also touches on the need to respect patients' cultural and religious beliefs, especially in terms of dietary restrictions and customs. Dr. David advises healthcare providers to leave their personal biases at the door and to be sensitive to issues related to culture, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and social or economic class.

10:02

🤝 Cultivating Cultural Competence and Personalized Care

Dr. David discusses the concept of cultural competence in healthcare as defined by the American Academy of Nursing, emphasizing the integration of knowledge, attitudes, and skills that respect cultural differences. He provides examples of questions that healthcare providers can ask to better understand their patients' cultural backgrounds and beliefs. The paragraph also addresses the importance of mental health considerations and the impact of recent social events on patients' trust in authority figures. Dr. David encourages providers to offer personalized attention, compassion, and to make patients feel valued and comfortable, regardless of their cultural background.

15:04

🌟 Promoting Positivity and Unity in Healthcare

In the final paragraph, Dr. David reflects on his personal experiences with racism and the importance of maintaining a positive attitude in the face of adversity. He calls for unity and the need to treat all individuals with respect and equality. The paragraph concludes with a reminder to avoid stereotyping and to provide the best care possible, ensuring that patients feel valued and understood. Dr. David also encourages viewers to engage with the content by asking questions, liking, and sharing the video, emphasizing the power of positivity in creating a better world.

Keywords

💡Cultural Diversity

Cultural diversity refers to the existence of a variety of cultural or ethnic groups within a society. It is a key theme in the video, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and valuing the different cultures that contribute to the richness of a community. The script mentions the Caribbean and the Dominican Republic as examples of cultures that have migrated to the United States, highlighting the need for healthcare providers to understand and respect these diverse backgrounds.

💡Racism

Racism is the belief in the inherent superiority of one race over another, which often results in discrimination and prejudice towards people based on their race or ethnicity. The video discusses racism as a real and pervasive issue that healthcare providers must confront, with the speaker sharing a personal experience of being racially targeted, illustrating the impact of such incidents on individuals and the broader community.

💡Healthcare Providers

Healthcare providers are professionals who deliver healthcare services, including doctors, nurses, and other medical staff. The script stresses the responsibility of healthcare providers to care for all patients equally, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or language, and to be sensitive to cultural differences in order to provide appropriate care.

💡Interpreter Services

Interpreter services are professional translation services provided to facilitate communication between individuals who do not speak the same language. The video highlights the importance of interpreter services in healthcare to ensure that patients who do not speak the local language can understand their medical care and communicate their needs effectively.

💡Cultural Competence

Cultural competence in healthcare refers to the ability of healthcare providers to deliver services that are respectful to and effective for people of all cultural backgrounds. The American Academy of Nursing is cited in the script, defining cultural competence as a complex integration of knowledge, attitudes, and skills that extend across cultural lines, emphasizing the need for healthcare providers to be sensitive to issues related to culture, race, religion, and other factors.

💡Patient Experience

Patient experience encompasses all aspects of care that affect a patient's satisfaction and perception of the healthcare they receive. The video emphasizes the goal of healthcare providers to ensure a positive patient experience by treating everyone with respect and providing the highest level of care, which can encourage patients to return for future healthcare needs.

💡Bias

Bias refers to a preconceived opinion or preference that can influence judgment or decision-making. The script discusses the importance of healthcare providers leaving their personal biases at the door to ensure that they provide care that is not influenced by their own beliefs, customs, or preferences.

💡Stereotyping

Stereotyping is the act of assigning fixed, oversimplified characteristics to a person or group based on the perception of that group. The video script advises against stereotyping, emphasizing that each patient is unique and should be treated as an individual, not as a representative of a stereotype.

💡Positivity

Positivity refers to a constructive or optimistic attitude, which the video script encourages as a means to improve patient care and interpersonal interactions. The speaker suggests that spreading positivity can help to bridge divisions and create a more harmonious and supportive environment.

💡Personalized Attention

Personalized attention involves providing care that is tailored to the individual needs and preferences of each patient. The script highlights the importance of giving patients personalized attention, such as sitting with them, holding their hand, and ensuring they feel valued and understood, which can contribute to their overall well-being and trust in the healthcare provider.

💡Mental Health

Mental health refers to the emotional, psychological, and social well-being of an individual. The video script touches on the importance of considering the mental health of patients, especially in the context of recent societal events that may have caused emotional distress, and the role of healthcare providers in addressing these mental health needs.

Highlights

Dr. David emphasizes the importance of cultural diversity and the responsibility of healthcare providers to care for all patients regardless of ethnicity, race, or language.

He shares his personal experience as an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, highlighting the challenges of adapting to a new language and culture.

Dr. David discusses the prevalence of racism and its impact on individuals, including his own experience of being racially targeted.

The video addresses the current protests and police brutality, advocating for peaceful demonstrations against racism and inequality.

Healthcare providers are urged to be sensitive to cultural differences, including customs and beliefs, when caring for patients of diverse backgrounds.

The importance of using interpreter services in healthcare to ensure clear communication with patients who do not speak the same language.

Dr. David explains the significance of understanding cultural nuances, such as the tendency to nod 'yes' in certain cultures, which may not indicate comprehension.

He stresses the need for healthcare providers to treat all patients equally and to the highest level of care, regardless of their background.

Culturally competent care is defined by the American Academy of Nursing as a complex integration of knowledge, attitudes, and skills that extend across cultural lines.

Dr. David encourages healthcare providers to be sensitive to issues related to culture, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and social or economic class.

He supports peaceful protests and believes that they are an essential way to communicate the message that racism and inequality are not acceptable.

The video discusses the importance of healthcare providers leaving their personal biases at the door to ensure unbiased care for all patients.

Dr. David suggests that if a provider feels conflicted due to personal beliefs conflicting with a patient's needs, they should seek support or reassignment.

He provides a list of cultural assessment questions that healthcare providers can ask patients to better understand and cater to their cultural needs.

Mental health is highlighted as an important aspect to consider when providing culturally competent care, especially in the context of recent social issues.

Dr. David shares his personal experience with racism and its emotional impact, and how he overcame it by focusing on the positive and accepting people in his life.

The video concludes with a call to action for healthcare providers to be positive, make someone smile, and provide the best care possible to every patient they encounter.

Transcripts

[Music]

hello everyone it's dr david from

doctorregisternerds.com thank you for

subscribing to this channel

today i wanted to make a special video

regarding cultural diversity

and racism as healthcare providers we

are deemed with the task

of caring for all patients regardless of

ethnicity their race or even language

that they speak

and as you know this is the land of the

free the land

where everyone is welcome and with that

comes

different cultures for example we have

people migrate here from the caribbean

like i am from the dominican republic so

i came here at the age of six

and i only knew spanish so i had to

learn english in order to

be like when i was in school uh in order

to be able to understand everyone

because english is the primary language

of the united states although we have so

many others because we have so many

individuals that come from

many many countries and that's what

makes a place great that diversity

however as you know we have faced

so long with people that are might not

be accepting of others

racism is a true thing

and we see this every single day

wherever we go

for example i experienced a couple of

years ago my first

incident of racism where i got called a

very bad name

um and i was in in my car and my

daughter was in my car

and i was like very shocked but then i

realized that so many individuals go

through this

every single day of their lives so it's

something that is real

and as you can see the current protest

is evident

with um all the uh police brutality that

is happening

uh with certain individuals where you

know it's so sad to see

um doing nothing and things happen to

them

and it's unfortunate but i'm so glad

that we have peaceful protesters

that are trying to get that message

across that

racism is not okay and treating

others differently because of race

ethnicity or culture is not okay either

so as healthcare providers we have to

make sure that we are super sensitive

to those issues we are going to care for

hispanic individuals asian individuals

african-american caucasian all different

types of individuals

so we have to be sensitive to the fact

that they have their own customs and

beliefs

so when you're caring for your patients

if you have a patient for example that's

spanish speaking only

my first language is spanish and my mom

speaks spanish she doesn't speak english

and she's been here for many many years

so i always put myself in the situation

where if that was my mom

laying on that bed how i want her to be

treated

and that is exactly how you should treat

all the patients

that you care for if the patient does

not know the language

the hospitals have an interpreter line

which makes

the conversation better between your

patients and yourself

because you want to understand what

their needs are and you also have to be

sensitive to the fact that some cultures

have a tendency of always nodding yes

and i'm sure that you've learned this

so is it are they saying yes because

they understand what you're saying or

are they saying yes because they're

trying to show respect

and in many of those cases is because

one they might not understand what

you're saying and two in some cultures

not in yes when they are taught speaking

with an authority figure

like a physician a registered nurse a

physical therapist someone that has a

level of education

they are accustomed or brought up or

raised by nodding yes

but does that truly mean they understand

no so we have to make sure that we

provide

these services needed in order for them

to receive

appropriate health care appropriate care

from us as

nurses as physicians as nurse

practitioners as physical therapists

as any type of health care provider we

have to make sure that we're treating

everyone equally to the highest level of

care

because when we when when they leave

when they get discharged we want them to

have a positive patient

experience we want them that if they

need to come back

to this healthcare facility that they do

that they say you know what

i love that excellent care that i

received i felt special even though i

know that they were caring for so many

other patients

there was not one minute that i felt

that they were rushing

or that they felt that they made me feel

any less than what i

am so it is super important that you

take everybody's culture and beliefs

into account when caring for your

patient

for example when you're doing a patient

admission

make sure you ask them are there any

cultural beliefs that

may affect the way that we care for you

are there any

food restrictions that you you that you

hold

for example there are some religions

where they can eat pork

so that is super important for you to

assess during that admission because you

want to make sure that that

those that patients religious beliefs

are respected

if the patient does not know english and

their primary language is spanish

it is very important that you activate

that interpreter line and

make sure that they understand

everything that is being said

and when you are using interpreter

services make sure that you as the nurse

or nursing student or health care

provider

are looking at your patient having a

conversation with your patient

because an interpreter if they are

physically present

are going to be translating what you are

saying so think of them as

a voice over while you are having a

conversation with your patient while you

are having

what you are looking at your patients

having that eye contact

so that they can feel that is a

personalized experience

other times you may have an interpreter

via a telephone

so when that is happening the patient

has one

line in one ear and you have the other

but at the same time

you want to have that eye contact

because there

it becomes impersonal if you're just

holding the phone looking another way

and your patient is that way so if

you're actually looking at them

it is a seamless conversation and you

are able to know if your patient

understands the instructions that are

being given

or is answering the questions adequately

that you're asking for example if you're

doing a pain assessment

if you're trying to listen to the breath

sounds it is super important for you to

understand that

although they might not speak the

language you speak then we need to

provide the services that

are given to us that are provided to us

in order for for them to

feel comfortable and for them to trust

that the care that they are receiving

is optimal again you're going to

experience

many different things when you are

working in a hospital setting in a rehab

setting in an

office setting but the most important

thing is that you have to leave your

biases

at the door you cannot come in the

hospital

believing that the patient has to

conform to your beliefs

to your practices to your custom

in order for us to be accepting of other

people's cultures and religious

preferences or sexual preferences

we have to make sure that our own

beliefs and our

own preferences are not interfering with

the care that we are providing to these

patients

so what does it mean to provide

culturally competent care

according to the american academy of

nursing culturally competent care is a

complex integration

of knowledge attitudes and skills that

extend across

cultural lines you need to be sensitive

to

issues related to culture race religion

gender

sexual orientation and social or

economic class

we want to be sensitive to what they

believe

and also make sure that we are providing

them optimal care

there are a lot of times when certain

individuals

let's say a healthcare provider might

have their own beliefs and

customs and they face a conflict when

taking care of patients and if that is

one of you that's

fine that you recognize that because at

that point you can talk to a charged

nurse or a manager and say you know

i am very conflicted because i believe

this and my patient believes that and i

don't feel

comfortable caring for this patient i

want to make sure that i provide them

a hundred percent of quality optimal

care

but i feel that my own beliefs are in

the way of that and guess what a lot of

times they will reassign that patient to

someone else so don't be scared

to voice that to the appropriate person

because

that is what we want you to do we want

you to feel comfortable and we want that

patient to get a hundred percent

optimal care but that can't happen if

you

have your own beliefs and aren't unable

to detach from them while you are

working and caring for other people

you need to be sensitive to issues

related to culture

race religion gender sexual orientation

and social or economic

class i totally support

the peaceful protests that are happening

due to so much brutality that is

happening in in

in this country as long as it is

peaceful but i know that we're getting

the messages across you know there's a

lot of movements that are happening

that you know every time i see that on

television i'm just happy because i

think that now

the voices will be heard and i consider

myself

part of the culture of cultural

diversity of

this country as i said i wasn't born in

this country

i was born in the dominican republic and

i migrated here

at the age of six and my entire family

you know i've raised them here they were

born here and

i have felt um the disconnect at times

when someone's caring for me

and that's not something that i would

ever

have another person feel because it

feels

horrible when you're being treated

differently

it's it's like something i can't explain

um

you feel like you're below others and

that's not a feeling that it's a good

thing to have

because it can play a role in that

patient's self-esteem

and how that patient feels if they

suffer from depression

they can get worse so we want to always

make sure we have a smile when we're

caring for our patients and that we

truly dedicate

time to them and not have you know not

rush through these assessments not

you know trying to um don't show the

patient that you're just trying to

complete a task

give them that attention sit next to

them you know if you have to hold their

hand because they're going through

something hold their hand it's okay

try to give them that personalized

attention because a lot of

individuals that come to this country

already feel inferior

and the last thing we need is when

caring for these patients

that they continue to feel this way

their art hair

so what are some cultural assessment

questions you can ask your patient

the first what is your primary language

how would you describe your cultural

background

are there any special healthcare

practices within your culture that

address

your particular mental or emotional

health problem

are there any special foods that you eat

what are the attitudes toward mental

illness in your culture

what do you do to get better when you

have physical problems

are there any special culture beliefs

about your illness that might help me

give you better

care who do you seek when you are

medically ill

mentally upset or concerned these are

all valid questions that will allow you

to provide

culturally competent care mental health

is also another part that you need to

take into account when caring with

for these patients because they might be

going through so much think about those

families that have lost their loved ones

due to brutality in the recent days how

do they feel

how is how are their emotions will they

even trust

a authority figure that's maybe in the

police department or in

healthcare we don't know and i doubt

that they too

so how can we make them feel better so

always come in

knowing that you're going to be taking

care of so many individuals

and everyone should be treated the same

and make sure that you're providing that

100 percent

optimal care that's going to allow that

patient to feel

great about themselves to want to come

back because

you provided such good care and they

felt such equal to you

that they want to be here that they want

to be under the care of wherever you

decide to work in so again always look

at

the different cultures beliefs religions

and respect them because individuals

you know expect that from you they

shouldn't be pushed

into believing other things or

um they shouldn't feel less they

shouldn't feel that they don't

understand something you're explaining

because maybe an interpreter wasn't

provided

but most importantly they want to feel

that you

care for them and that you're not seeing

them as someone else that's inferior to

you

you know you're their greatest

cheerleader because you want them to get

better you want them to get healthy

from personal experience i've

faced the racism and the disparities

that are happening

in this country and honestly like i was

depressed for like three weeks after

that

um and but i got over it because i said

you know what

there are so many other individuals that

are great that um

shows respect and that are accepting of

everyone

that it basically dumps that one person

that made me feel for three weeks like i

was no one so we can do better

think of it as every day you're gonna

get up and you're gonna give the best of

yourself

be positive make someone smile

you know have them feel loved because

honestly

humanity cannot survive without that

as you see the disparities are causing a

major division in this country

so we need to come together as a nation

and say how can i make someone's day

better today how can i

make someone say you know what this was

like one of the best days of my life

and remember avoid stereotyping

one size does not fit all i am so

appreciative for you watching this video

if you have any questions make sure you

put them down below in the comment

section

like this video and share with all your

friends and family

we need to think about positive thoughts

every day positivity positivity

positivity

the more positivity you put out in the

world the more positivity

they will exist and that will come back

to you thank you again don't forget to

subscribe to this channel

bye

[Music]

you