Karen Silva – S12085480 – CHIR13009 - PCP2 – Reflection 1

IDENTIFY A CENTRAL CONCERN:

Culture influences all aspects of human life. It defines health, illness, and
the search for relief from disease or distress (Ayonrinde, 2003). Up until this
year, globalization facilitated the increased mobilization of people across
geographical and national borders, thus multicultural trends emerged in many
countries. This is reflected in the cultural diversity presenting to healthcare
professionals in their daily practice.
Patients bring their own world views, expectations, norms and taboos to
the clinical transaction. Cross-cultural transactions occur when two or more of
the participants are culturally different. A central concern is: How do we
manage behavioural expectations of a healthcare professional in a multi-
cultural Australia?

RESEARCH A STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THE CENTRAL CONCERN:

Most healthcare education endeavour to develop the professional to
abide by the codes and standards free of bias (Fong & Gibbs, 1995). Our
human experience inadvertently instils cultural and ethical roots that influence
how we think and practice (Smith, 1998). The first step toward achieving a
multicultural perspective is acknowledging that our personal cultural heritage
gives us a sense of who we are in relation to perspectives, goals, learning
patterns, socialization and identity (Smith, 1998).
Culture influences help-seeking, care pathways, and may bias the
process of assessment and choice of management (Ayonrinde, 2003). The
interplay of patient culture, clinical setting and clinician culture can pose
significant challenges experienced against a backdrop of other factors such as
age, gender, religion, and acculturation (Ayonrinde, 2003).
Language, even when shared, does not ensure skillful clinician-patient
communications as there are different culture codes for interpersonal
relationships, disclosure, privacy, and non-verbal communication (Ayonrinde,
2003). Linguistic difficulties can be partially overcome with the use of an
interpreter, a triangular relationship with its own dynamics requiring skill and
sensitivity (Ayonrinde, 2003).
The Australian Human Rights Commission (2014) video “Bringing them
home: separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their
families” brought to my attention the history and current realities that some
aboriginals in our communities may be facing. Psycho-social trauma was
inflicted upon the entire bloodline of aboriginal people. Several generations
down the track, aboriginal culture will continue to feel the consequences of
the psychological, emotional, and physical damage that was caused. Those of
the stolen generations continue to feel the trauma and mental illness as a
consequence of what was done to them. By acknowledging this, there is hope
for reconciliation.

IMPLEMENT CHANGE STRATEGY TO ADDRESS CENTRAL CONCERN:

Although it is impossible to be acquainted with all cultures, clinicians
should be sensitive to the role culture plays in their practice without
stereotyping patients. The cultural matching of patient and therapist is
complex and may be complicated by the emergence of other differences.
However, awareness of this should serve to reduce the number of differences.
Building rapport with a patient may take time, but it is crucial to do so in order
to assist the communication, assessment, and treatment process. Cultural
sensitivity in patient care is associated with numerous positive health
outcomes, including improved patient satisfaction.
Knowledge, flexibility, and a nonjudgmental perspective will enhance
multicultural interactions. Thus, health care professionals need to listen,
acknowledge, discuss similarities and differences with our patients. From
there, we can negotiate any behavioural changes or clinical duties to better
serve the patient while maintaining our professional and personal integrity.
Asking patients to clarify their cultural needs and expectations is one of the
best ways to gain knowledge in multicultural situations. Achieving cultural
competence requires continued contact with individuals from different
cultures as well as a willingness to learn, cultural sensitivity and awareness.
This needs a team approach because everyone working in health care
needs to be aware of these issues and how this could be affecting their
interactions with patients.

REASSESS IF CHANGE STRATEGY HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL:

 Awareness, compassion, and respect are key to supporting and
enhancing the skills of a multicultural workplace. If health care professionals
are aware of how cultural differences can impact their interactions with
patients, then there is a greater chance that we can work through these
differences. We may encounter language barriers, or some cultures may have
different clinical expectations, but keeping an open mind and coming from a
place of compassion and respect can help us overcome some of these barriers.
As barriers to multicultural groups start to shift, mindful professionals will feel
they have contributed to a successful outcome.

WORD COUNT: 723

REFERENCES:

Australian Human Rights Commission. (2014). Bringing them home: separation

of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families.

Retrieved 30 August 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=Sl82VMuuKI0&sns=em

Ayonrinde, O. (2003). Importance of cultural sensitivity in therapeutic

transactions. Disease Management & Health Outcomes, 11(4), 233-248.

https://doi.org/10.2165/00115677-200311040-00004

Fong, L.G.W. & Gibbs, J.T. (1995). Facilitating services to multicultural

communities in a dominant culture setting: an organizational

perspective, Administration in Social Work 19, no. 2: 1-24.

Smith, L. S. (1998). Trends in multiculturalism in health care. Hospital Materiel

Management Quarterly,  20(1), 61-69. Retrieved from https://search-

proquest-com.ezproxy.cqu.edu.au/docview/234265936?

accountid=10016