Cultural Sensitivity in Healthcare Essay Example
Cultural Sensitivity in Healthcare Essay Example

Cultural Sensitivity in Healthcare Essay Example

Available Only on StudyHippo
  • Pages: 3 (567 words)
  • Published: April 18, 2022
View Entire Sample
Text preview

Introduction

Cultural sensitivity means that one is aware of the similarities and differences in cultures held by people. It therefore implies that one is aware that there are cultural variations and that no culture is superior to another. In the health care field cultural sensitivity means that the medical practitioners should be responsive to the perceptions and values of the community members regarding their work which can differ from their own perceptions for example many Muslim and Asian females are normally uncomfortable with the attires worn in hospitals and hence there is need to consider them (Seibert, 2002). There is a remarkable cultural diversity in United States with statistics showing that over 29% of the population consists of the minorities. Still with the projected increase up to around 50% come 2050, it means that cultural sensitivity must be empha

...

sized in the nation. Pharmacists and other medical practitioners should therefore clearly understand the beliefs of the patients and theirs so as to ensure that they can provide individual services and hence ensure that the best health services are achieved in a manner which is patient centered.

Cultural sensitivity is clearly in cooperated in the pharmaceutical profession in that it demands that the pharmacists to always understand the state of the patient and communicate to the patient. This ensures that the patient can clearly adhere to the prescribed counseling and regime. The pharmacists must not only pay attention to the verbal language by the patients but they should also be keen to body language as used by patients (Seibert, 2002). Cultural diversity and sensitivity is an issue which the medical practitioners must address critically by fully understanding its impac

View entire sample
Join StudyHippo to see entire essay

and the possible differences it can bring in the treatment, evaluation and also the rehabilitation process. The promotion of an environment to which the patient is always free and comfortable to share any information regarding his or her cultural beliefs should be created by the pharmacist. The pharmacist too has a role to minimize the beliefs and any stereotypes while engaging the patient. The plan to satisfy both the patient and the pharmacist must be formulated by the practitioner (Subiros, 2011). Therefore although it is true that the pharmacists cannot have information about all the patients, cultural sensitivity and its awareness will help in providing the necessary treatment services that are required by patients.

A very good example to illustrate the need of cultural sensitivity is the case of the Mexican migrant who had serious TBI while he was working. The communication with his family members made the recovery process possible since there was already a language barrier as he could only speak Spanish unlike his attendants who could speak English.

In my site, cultural sensitivity is fully practiced since we normally integrate the varying experiences and knowledge so as to ensure that our decisions are informed. Consideration of the patient’s perceptions also helps us in having valuable health care services to our patients (Subiros, 2011). Paying attention to the information given by the patients has helped us in the recognition of the need of cultural sensitivity. Trusting the medical professionals ensures that patients as well as their families can give the necessary information required during treatment.

References

  1. Subirós, P. (2011). Don't Ask Me Where I'm From: Thoughts of Immigrants to Catalonia on Social Integration and Cultural Capital.
  • Seibert, (2002). A Checklist to Facilitate Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity: Journal of Medical Ethics, V28 (3) pg. 143–146
  • Get an explanation on any task
    Get unstuck with the help of our AI assistant in seconds
    New