Question

How to integrate what learned about cultural competence and humility when working with populations.

Answer 1

Cultural competence is widely accepted in the field of nursing. The word competence implies to a set of knowledge and skills that can be easily achieved as well as mastered. For eg taking patient's BP. However partening with effectively and efficiently with patients and families from different background needs more than knowledge and clinical skills. Additionally it requires an attitude of openness as well as willingness to learn, listen and negotiate. This attitude is the difference which we see when cultural humility is practiced.

Cultural competence involves five key elements which are cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural skill, cultural encounters and cultural desire. The motivation or desire of the nurse to provide culturally responsive care is an essential key to his or her cultural competence.

To make cultural competence more effective two factors must be present -

1.awareness of the dynamic

2.the practice of cultural humility

The starting point to achieve cultural competence is not an examination of the client’s belief system, but rather having health care/service providers give careful consideration to their assumptions and beliefs that are embedded in their own understandings and goals of their encounter with the client.

Cultural humility - The concept of humility was developed in 1998. It is considered as a process of inquisitiveness, self reflection, and life long learning. This can never be mastered unlike cultural competence. This yes considered to be an on going process. Shaped more and more as an on we get encounter with different person and as long as we maintain an open mind and heart. This is a process of openness, self-awareness, being egoless, incorporating self-reflection as well as critique after willingly interacting with different individuals.

When we come in contact with individuals with most vulnerable moments we need to sit with them, be present and listen especially when they are facing difficult decision. Additionally we need to be aware of our baises and withhold our own judgement about what the patient as well as family say and choose.