What Is The Importance Of Cultural Competency In Nursing Practice?

The term “cultural competency” is used to describe the ability of healthcare providers, such as nurses, to understand and interact with people from diverse cultural backgrounds in an effective and sensitive manner. Cultural competency has become increasingly important in nursing practice due to changes in patient demographics, growing diversity among healthcare professionals and increasing demand for culturally-sensitive care (Fisher et al., 2012).

Cultural Competency Improves Patient Care
Health disparities are a serious concern within the United States healthcare system, particularly among minority patients who may face language or cultural barriers that can prevent them from receiving optimal care (Blumenthal et al., 2011). Nurses who are able to recognize and address these barriers through culturally competent practices can help ensure that all patients receive equal access to quality care. This includes not only recognizing and responding respectfully to individual beliefs about health and healing but also understanding how different cultures approach medical decisions (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services [HHS], n.d.). For example, some cultures place greater emphasis on family involvement when making medical decisions compared with other cultures where individuals might make autonomous decisions without consulting their families (Moloughney et al., 2013). By demonstrating cultural competence, nurses can help bridge these gaps between patient expectations related to treatment protocols while still providing evidence-based care tailored specifically for each patient’s needs.

Cultural Competence Enhances Communication
Effective communication between a nurse and a patient is essential for delivering quality care; however, it can be challenging if there are differences in culture or language that impede understanding (Berryman & Johnson-Masotti, 2014). Cultural competency helps nurses better connect with patients by providing them with the knowledge necessary to assess nonverbal cues that could indicate potential miscommunication issues due to varying cultural norms (Stender et al., 2015). Through culturally competent practices such as active listening techniques or using open-ended questions instead of direct commands, nurses can foster more meaningful conversations with their patients (Orta Rodríguez et al., 2018) Ultimately this can increase trust levels between provider and patient which leads to improved satisfaction outcomes overall..

Improving The Quality Of Interprofessional Collaboration