Week 8: Cultural Competence & Care in Communities

This week we explored community contexts and relationships between health care providers and various community groups, and a number of sub-groups within the community that have complicated and unique health care needs. We also looked at the challenges faced by rurally based patients and health professionals when accessing and providing health services. An interview was also viewed, with Rosalie regarding the care of her disabled daughter, Rikki, and how nurses can provide quality care for her.

In the interview with Rosalie and Rikki, Rosalie speaks about times when the care provided to Rikki in hospital was lacking. Her request that nurses treat Rikki, and all patients, with dignity made me reflect on how this is such a simple request yet crucial when caring for patients. All patients deserve to be treated with dignity and respect be it the disabled, illicit drug users and/or homeless people. This week’s readings helped me to understand that these sub-groups already face numerous health issues and by encouraging them to access health care and to be active in their treatment, can lead to their lives improving (Howie & Heidke, 2015).

This image captures a health care worker caring for a patient with dignity (Dignity in Healthcare, 2013).

This week I have learnt the importance of nurses building relationships within the communities and cultures they practice in. Grant and Luxford (2011) stress that the way health care professionals understand and work with various cultures impacts on how these groups utilise health services going forward. I also discovered during my research that while there is a high rate of childhood vaccination in most countries, those that conscientiously object to immunisation tend to cluster together, meaning that the required level for herd immunity is not met, therefore putting at risk members of the community who for medical purposes are not able to receive vaccinations (Pearce, Marshall, Bedford & Lynch, 2015). Tafuri et al. (2014) advises that doctors and health care workers need to be trained, committed, enthusiastic and have up to date knowledge about vaccinations and know the contents proposed by vaccine sceptics in order to promoted and educate the public on childhood immunisation.

Immunise Australia Program Logo (Australian Government: Department of Health, 2015) 

The topics discussed this week will enable me to be better at my practice as I have learnt the importance of acknowledging patient’s beliefs, allowing them to be actively involved in their care and treating them with dignity and respect all of which will result in a positive health experience and/or outcome for them.

References

Australian Government: Department of Health, Immunise Australia Program [Logo]. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.immunise.health.gov.au/.

Dignity in Healthcare [Photograph]. (2013). Retrieved from https://www.uctv-cart.tv/cart/shopexd.asp?id=8211.

Grant, J., & Luxford, Y. (2011). 'Culture it's a big term isn't it'? An analysis of child and family health nurses' understandings of culture and intercultural communication. Health Sociology Review, 20(1), 16-27 12p. doi:10.5172/hesr.2011.20.1.16

Howie, V., & Heidke, P. (2015). NHLT12002 - Inclusive Practice: Study Guide. Rockhampton, Qld: CQUniversity Australia.

Pearce, A., Marshall, H., Bedford, H., & Lynch, J. (2015). Barriers to childhood immunisation: Findings from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Vaccine, 333377-3383. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.04.089

Tafuri, S., Gallone, M., Cappelli, M., Martinelli, D., Prato, R., & Germinario, C. (2014). Addressing the anti-vaccination movement and the role of HCWs. Vaccine, 32(Vaccine-preventable Diseases and Vaccinations Among Health-care Workers), 4860-4865. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2013.11.006