Question

1. Microaggression is a statement, action, or incident regarded as an instance of indirect, subtle, or unintentional discrimination against members of a marginalized group such as a racial or ethnic minority. Jenny is a White nurse practitioner at a large community hospital. She was educated at one of the best nursing programs in a large urban city and she prides herself on being fair and equal to all her patients. She turned down many jobs at private hospitals because they did not have a diverse clientele. One day Jenny is working with a Hispanic patient who speaks with a heavy accent. Becoming a little frustrated Jenny asked the patient to speak slower and clearer because she does not understand Mexican very well. The patient becomes visibly upset and becomes very short with his answers. When the session is over the patient leaves the room, angrily speaking to himself in Spanish. Jenny didn’t understand why the patient was angry, and from that point on avoided working with Hispanic patients. What microaggression did the patient encounter? Which microaggression dilemma do you believe he experienced? Why? What kind of racist is Jenny? Provide and analyze more microagression situations you have encountered in your life.

2. A physical therapy organization serves a diverse community in the inner city of Boston which consists of African American, Cape Verdean, and Hispanic members. The physical therapists, of which the majority are White, are concerned because they know little about the cultures of the groups with which they are working. What should be an important step for physical therapists in terms of preparing to receive cultural competence training?

3. A physical therapy office in "Little Haiti" in Miami is closed due to lack of funds. All patient appointments are routed to a nearby hospital's physical therapy department in which the predominant population served is Cuban. What steps do you believe the department has to take to meet the needs of the patients from a culturally competent perspective?

Answer 1

Ans 1) In this case, although Jenny did not mean to make a statement considering the race of the person, but what she said led to microaggression. In this the patient becomes upset because Jenny made an unintentional microaggression asking him to speak slow and clear. He intention to understand the patient better but she made a comment that she does not understand Mexican very well which was an unintentional but direct reference to Mexicans. Hence, it was more of a racial microaggression the patient received. The dilemma of microaggression he received is being insulted for being a Mexican as Jenny mentioned she does not understand Mexican well and for him to speak clearly and slow.

Jenny is a type of subtle racist as she believes that a certain type or category of people will always believe in a certain manner. She decided not to work with Hispanic patients anymore based on her experience with the patient. This means that she believed all Hispanic people are the same due to their race and ethnicity. This is a subtle type of microaggresion.