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Cultural Awareness, Sensitivity and Competence

Introduction, cross-cultural communication.

The 20 th century has seen a steep rise in the levels of diversity on a global scale. Due to the increase in the number of cross-cultural interactions and intensity thereof, the necessity to develop an in-depth and intrinsic understanding of other cultures has emerged (Holland, 2017).

Indeed, without the ability to avoid culture clashes and the areas that representatives of other ethnicities may find questionable, one is likely to face numerous conflicts, as well as hurt other people’s feelings. Thus, without the promotion of cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity, and cultural competence, interactions in the global environment are doomed to fail miserably. Although the identified notions are often conflated, they, represent different concepts, each being a critical element of the communication process in the modern context.

The phenomena of cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity, and cultural competence are quite close in what they denote, yet the function of each concept and the ideas that it supports are slightly different. For example, cultural awareness, in its essence, can be described as readiness to accept new cultural knowledge. Being a rather broad term, cultural awareness is the transitional stage in cultural development since it allows one to change their attitudes and perceptions regarding intercultural communication (Repo, Vahlberg, Salminen, Papadopoulos, & Leino-Kilpi, 2017).

Although the described phenomenon does not involve the ability to understand other cultural groups and their needs, it should not be underestimated since it provides the platform for the acquisition of relevant knowledge in the future. Cultural awareness makes one ready to overcome cultural prejudices and accept the differences between one’s own culture and one of the opponents (Holland, 2017).

Compared to cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity is the understanding and acknowledgment of differences between representatives of different cultures without diminishing the value of either (Foronda, Baptiste, Reinholdt, & Ousman, 2016). Cultural sensitivity can be seen as the conception of the ability to discern between unique properties of different cultures. Specifically, when developing basic cultural sensitivity, one recognizes the uniqueness of each culture.

It is noteworthy that cultural sensitivity itself does not imply possessing unique knowledge about other cultures; instead, it is the recognition of intrinsic differences between representatives from different cultural backgrounds that makes the basis of cultural sensitivity. Therefore, the concept of cultural sensitivity can be deemed as the next logical step toward gaining cross-cultural communication skills after developing cultural sensitivity.

Cultural sensitivity helps one to understand what emotional impact certain issues have on representatives of other cultures (Foronda et al., 2016). Furthermore, cultural sensitivity enables one to develop the strategies that will help one to steer a conversation away from the topics that are awkward, unpleasant, or downright offensive to an interlocutor.

To counteract the threat of a culture clash that one can sense with the help of cultural sensitivity, one will need cultural competence. Representing the third stage of building the ability to communicate in a diverse, multicultural setting, cultural competence is traditionally defined as the ability to use cross-cultural tools for achieving understanding and conveying a particular message to an interlocutor of culturally diverse background (Repo et al., 2017). Garneau and Pepin (2014) define cultural competence as “learning cognitive aspects of culture such as values, beliefs, and traditions of a particular group and applying this knowledge in practice” (p. 9).

Therefore, the third stage enables one to systematize the knowledge that one has gained during the development of cultural awareness and sensitivity, thus helping one to build effective communication strategies and implement them successfully. Moreover, cultural competence suggests that one is capable of discerning the implications of different approaches that can be used to manage communication in different cultural settings.

One should also bear in mind that the definitions for cultural competence as a phenomenon may vary depending on which aspect thereof is critical for the selected area. For instance, in learning, the ability to connect to learners’ perceptions of a particular phenomenon and build a mutual understanding is important, whereas, in nursing, the need to address health disparities caused by cultural misconceptions is typically emphasized (Borrego & Johnson, 2017). Nonetheless, the concept of cultural competence as the general ability to utilize the available cultural knowledge to reach an understanding with an interlocutor remains consistent.

In addition to being used for regular cross-cultural communication, cultural competence is crucial when the need to address a conflict arises. There is no secret that culture clashes are unavoidable in a diverse setting due to the inability to foresee and address every possible misunderstanding that may arise due to differences in worldviews, philosophies, or languages (Repo et al., 2017).

Cultural competence, in turn, can be used to develop a constructive approach toward conflict management and apply negotiation strategies based on compromise and cooperation (Foronda et al., 2016). The described framework involves benefits for all parties involved since it encourages participants to derive important lessons about multicultural communication from their experience, thus shaping their worldview and creating new communication approaches.

Therefore, it is important to view cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity, and cultural competence not as separate notions but as the components of a single phenomenon of multicultural dialogue. The serving as the stages of building cultural knowledge and gaining the skills required to participate in a multicultural conversation, the specified concepts need to be learned since they allow one to engage in a meaningful dialogue with members of other cultures. Thus, each of the three notions is essential nowadays for successful social interactions in any setting. Indeed, due to the globalization process, most environments such as a workplace or school setting have become quite diverse (Borrego & Johnson, 2017).

Gaining cultural competence is currently a requirement for successful social interactions. Furthermore, cultural competence will help one grow personally and professionally by learning more about the needs of different cultural and ethnic groups. The specified process is particularly important for people employed in the healthcare industry, counseling, and any other environment that makes cross-cultural communication critical to the well-being of customers (Holland, 2017). Thus, each of the three stages described above has to be regarded as inseparable parts of the process of cultural, personal, and professional growth and adjustment to the diverse setting of the modern world.

While the notions of cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity, and cultural competence seem very similar to each other, they are unique concepts that constitute the bulk of cross-cultural communication. With the enhancement of cultural awareness, one can acquire the needed cultural competence to engage in a dialogue with diverse community members, whereas cultural sensitivity will help one to avoid conflicts in a culturally diverse setting.

By integrating the described concepts into the process of cross-cultural communication, one will create a welcoming setting for diverse participants and prevent the harmful impact of biases from affecting the conversation. Moreover, with the enhancement of cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity, and cultural competence, one will build the set for the continuous acquisition of skills for intercultural communication. Thus, the global community will thrive, with its members sharing their experience and learning more about each other to enrich their cultures and support their communities.

Borrego, E., & Johnson, R. G. (2017). Cultural competence for public managers: Managing diversity in today’ s world (2nd ed.). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Garneau, A. B., & Pepin, J. (2014). Cultural competence. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 26 (1), 9–15. Web.

Foronda, C., Baptiste, D. L., Reinholdt, M. M., & Ousman, K. (2016). Cultural humility: A concept analysis. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 27 (3), 210-217. Web.

Holland, K. (2017). Cultural awareness in nursing and health care: An introductory text . Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Repo, H., Vahlberg, T., Salminen, L., Papadopoulos, I., & Leino-Kilpi, H. (2017). The cultural competence of graduating nursing students. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 28 (1), 98-107. Web.

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Cultural Awareness: Embracing Diversity in a Globalized World

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Cultural Awareness Essay

Cultural awareness is the ability to understand and respect the culture of others. It is an important aspect of communication and helps us to avoid misunderstandings and offense.

Culture includes many things, such as language, customs, beliefs, values, and behaviors. It is passed down from generation to generation and can be shared by groups of people who have common experiences or backgrounds.

Cultural awareness allows us to see the world from different perspectives and to better understand and appreciate the rich diversity of our planet. It also helps us to build bridges between cultures and to create a more peaceful and just world.

It is important for people to be aware of different cultures, so they can understand how that culture shapes a person’s values and behaviour. This cultural awareness is crucial not only for countries, but also for the children growing up in them.

It is especially important in today’s globalised world, where people from all corners of the world are brought together.

There are many benefits to cultural awareness. For one, it can help to prevent misunderstandings and conflict. It can also promote respect and understanding between people of different cultures, and provide a greater appreciation for the world’s diverse range of cultures. Additionally, cultural awareness can help to foster economic opportunities by opening up new markets and business relationships. Finally, it can simply make life more enriching by providing a deeper understanding of the world around us.

There are many ways to become more culturally aware. One way is to travel to different countries and experience different cultures first-hand. Another way is to learn about other cultures through books, films, and discussions. Additionally, many schools and universities offer courses on cultural awareness.

No matter how you choose to become more culturally aware, it is an important step in promoting understanding and respect in our increasingly globalised world.

To begin with, cultural awareness protects a nation’s culture by passing on the people’s values and beliefs from generation to generation via parents or elders to their children, who in turn do the same for theirs. Preservation of culture becomes more difficult as people are increasingly exposed to various cultures and because of that, young people are gradually adopting “foreign” customs instead of their own.

Cultural awareness also allows for people to be able to understand and embrace the differences in cultures, which is important in today’s society as there is a lot of cultural diversity. By being aware of other cultures, it allows people to be more understanding and tolerant of others, which can lead to a more harmonious society.

Cultural awareness also helps people to better understand and appreciate the differences in cultures. It is important to be aware of one’s own culture and how it influences their thoughts, actions and beliefs. It is also important to be aware of other cultures and how they differ from one’s own. Cultural awareness leads to cultural sensitivity and understanding. It is a process that enables us to recognise our own culture and the impact it has on our lives, as well as other peoples’ cultures and how they differ from our own.

The second point is that cultural awareness fosters a sense of pride and belonging by encouraging people to respect and appreciate their talents more than others, as in Kenya there is a village, Luhya, who are excellent at football. For children, this feeling of pride encourages them to value their culture more and thus do all they can to protect it. It also gives youngsters the notion that they belong to a wonderful community.

Cultural awareness also helps people understand and appreciate other cultures. By learning about the customs and traditions of other cultures, we can come to better understand and appreciate the differences that make us all unique. Cultural awareness can also help to break down barriers that exist between different cultures, and can help to build bridges of understanding and respect.

When we are culturally aware, we are better able to communicate with people from other cultures. We are better able to understand their perspectives, and they are better able to understand ours. We can avoid misunderstandings and conflict, and can instead work together towards common goals.

Cultural awareness is an important part of being a global citizen. In today’s world, it is more important than ever to be aware of the cultures of the people around us. We are all connected, and by understanding and respecting other cultures we can create a more peaceful and just world for all.

Cultural awareness is not only about understanding and respecting other cultures, but also about understanding and respecting our own culture. It is important to know where we come from, and to be proud of our own traditions and customs. By being aware of our own culture, we can better appreciate the beauty and richness of diversity in the world around us.

In short, by familiarizing ourselves with other cultures, we can learn to coexist peacefully. We act disrespectfully when we ignore a community’s customs and values–which often leads to hostilities such as feuding, hatred, anger, and rivalry. If enough people fail to show cultural awareness on a international level, it could even result in war.

When we are cultural aware, we show sensitivity and knowledge about the cultural norms of others. We don’t make assumptions based on our own worldview and instead take the time to learn about other cultures.

Cultural awareness also allows us to embrace diversity. We can celebrate the differences between ourselves and others, rather than view them as threatening.

Lastly, cultural awareness helps prevent misunderstandings and communication breakdowns. By being open to others’ cultures, we are more likely to effectively communicate with them.

There are many benefits to being culturally aware. For one, it leads to more peaceful interactions between people or nations. If we understand a community’s preferences and dislikes, we are less likely to act in a way that would be disrespectful.

One way is to travel to different countries and immerse yourself in the culture. This will give you a first-hand look at different customs and traditions.

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Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity Research Paper

Introduction and problem identification, literature review, study methods, conclusions and recommendations.

Having no other opportunity but to move as well as trying to make their dreams come true, people from different locations come to the USA. Some of them return home after a couple of months or years while others become residents of this country so that it turns into a melting pot that unites a diverse population. During the first ten years of the 21st century, the number of people who represented the Hispanic minority increased by more than 35% (Committee on Health Care for Underserved Women, 2011). In a similar way, the Asian population increased. Associated but less significant changes dealt with American Indians, Alaskan Natives, and African Americans. These alterations are critical, as there are more minorities than whites in some US communities. Needless to say that all these individuals require high-quality healthcare services. They consult providers in order to receive preventive care and to improve their health conditions when they are ill. Minorities cannot be ignored in this perspective because they can affect the rest of the population if they are ill. To avoid the possibility of such an issue, providers should reveal both cultural sensitivity and awareness because only understanding people’s values and beliefs they can develop positive patient-provider relationships and improve the quality of care.

In daily operations, the culture of a consumer and a medical establishment can come into opposition because of different major concepts, such as views on abortion or particular treatment options. Taking into consideration the fact that current services are patient-centered, it is not surprising that the client’s culture prevails in the majority of cases. Unfortunately, provider-patient relationships are often negatively affected by this discord. Enhancing their understanding of other cultures, physicians can become more open-minded, which will influence their performance positively.

According to the Committee on Health Care for Underserved Women (2011), cultural competency (awareness and sensitivity) is “the knowledge and interpersonal skills that allow providers to understand, appreciate, and work with individuals from cultures other than their own. It involves an awareness and acceptance of cultural differences, self-awareness, knowledge of a patient’s culture, and adaptation of skills” (p. 1). As many providers fail to develop it, many cultural groups avoid seeking a consultation even if they have severe health problems. As a result, the members of the LGBT community, individuals with disabilities and specific faiths, people with low income, ethnic minorities, and immigrants are underserved even though they are to be treated like other Americans. Poor cultural competence of healthcare providers is one of the main reasons these groups fail to obtain appropriate medical care.

Even though some interventions targeted at the improvement of this situation have already been implemented, the needs of many patients remain unsatisfied. The proposed research study is likely to benefit these populations, as it reveals the most important steps that should be made by healthcare management to enhance cultural diversity in the sphere and meet the needs of minorities.

The necessity of the development of cultural awareness and sensitivity among healthcare providers is theoretically supported, which proves that this topic is to be thoroughly discussed. First of all, nurses and physicians should improve their understanding of people’s everyday way of life, their health-related problems, and associated beliefs. In this way, according to Leininger’s culture care theory, professionals will improve patients’ health, meeting their needs and demands and focusing on “culture care preservation and or maintenance, culture care accommodation and or negotiation and culture care restructuring and or repatterning” (Russell, Brunero, & Lamont, 2014, p. 1). Moreover, Papadopoulos, Tilki, and Taylor’s model encourage focusing on all components of cultural competence, including

• cultural awareness,
• cultural knowledge,
• cultural sensitivity and
• cultural practice (Kouta, Vasiliou, & Raftopoulos, 2016, p. 2).

Thus, the necessity of providing culturally competent care and services to patients is theoretically supported.

The population of the USA becomes more diverse with the course of time, and its demographics continue altering even today. The number of non-white citizens who come from abroad constantly increases and the members of the U.S. Census Bureau consider that they will turn into majorities before 2060 (King, 2014). Hispanics, Africans, and Asians, etc. have their own views and believes that come from their cultures. They define the way these people act in particular situations and treat various things. In this way, it is not surprising that they also affect their decision-making associated with healthcare. Thus, it is vital for medical providers to understand and accept the opinions of their clients even if they do not agree with them. Otherwise, there will be no opportunity to provide patients with the best possible services. Practitioners should not make their clients follow those recommendations that oppose their beliefs. Instead of acting this way, they should ensure clients’ freedom to choose those interventions that do not interfere with their views. This adaptation to the culturally diverse patient population can enhance the quality of care and improve patient-provider relationships, as people will feel that they are respected. To facilitate this process, healthcare management teams should be involved, as they have enough power to implement associated changes.

The promotion of cultural awareness and sensitivity in healthcare systems presupposes the necessity to involve its management in the development and implementation of specific education and training programs that can improve the knowledge and skills of healthcare practitioners, including both physicians and nurses. These programs should be targeted at the acquisition of the most significant information related to US minorities, at least the most populous ones (Health Research & Educational Trust, 2013). In addition to that, it is significant to provide education that is targeted at patients. In particular, they should acknowledge the way the healthcare system works. As a result, it will be easier for them to receive care and associated services. Nevertheless, the focus should not transfer to patients because physicians and nurses are to be the ones who should alter the way they perform their duties. It will be advantageous for them to be able to work with diverse clients because they are not able to choose the population they want to serve. Moreover, if some clients remain unsatisfied, it will have an adverse influence on providers’ performance.

Along with the development of cultural awareness and sensitivity, professionals should improve their knowledge of foreign languages. Rather often the representatives of the minorities do not have good knowledge of English, which affects their ability to communicate with healthcare providers. These people may not contact professionals because they are afraid to be ignored or poorly treated by others. Moreover, they may think that they will not be understood anyway, so there is no sense in trying to contact practitioners. If healthcare workers know at least the basics of those languages used by the most populous minorities, they will be able to serve these people better because they will understand what issues they have. However, this problem can also be managed in another way. For instance, the management of a healthcare facility can hire an interpreter who will provide services when needed. This can be a full-time employee or just a person who comes when being called. In addition to that, healthcare systems should have patient navigators who assist clients while they are in a hospital (Truong, Paradies, & Priest, 2014). As a result, those individuals who do now know how the US healthcare works will still be able to benefit from it.

It will also be advantageous to hire diverse medical staff so that its members represent minorities. As a result, there will be providers who understand different cultures and languages as well. Reconsideration of recruiting strategies is likely to be advantageous because it can encourage a diverse student population to start their career in the sphere of healthcare. Fantacone (2017) states that currently, more than 90% of practitioners are European Americans, which means that people with different cultural backgrounds comprise less than 10% of these professionals. In an ideal situation, the number of practitioners should be representative of the population. In this way, there should be many more professionals from other cultures. In this way, it will be much easier for healthcare systems to address the needs of the diverse client population. The management should focus on the changes connected with recruiting more because this initiative will give them a chance to minimalize spending associated with the necessity to provide specific education targeted at the development of cultural awareness and sensitivity. Even though this training cannot be ignored at all, its simplification can be rather advantageous for providers.

Thus, the necessity for the representatives of the healthcare systems to be culturally competent cannot be neglected. The population they are expected to serve is very diverse, and they are to be able to build positive and trust-based relationships with each patient, regardless of one’s background. The management should focus on the implementation of the most advantageous changes, considering this issue, such as training of practitioners, interpreter’s and navigator’s services, and new recruiting approaches. Patient education is likely to be beneficial as well because it will improve clients’ understanding of practitioners’ decisions.

As the USA is a country that turned into a home for numerous immigrants who have diverse cultural backgrounds, it is significant for it to ensure that its population can understand each other. The number of people who represent minorities increases constantly, but this fact does not make Americans acknowledge other cultures. As a result, the gap in cultural awareness and sensitivity keeps growing. In the framework of healthcare services, all patients are usually treated in the same way regardless of their origin because practitioners start operating in a robotic manner, failing to adopt various approaches depending on those patients they serve. Nevertheless, patient recovery is tightly connected with their health-related decisions and individual background. For professionals to streamline this process and ensure that it is properly managed, they need to be aware of clients’ cultural beliefs and align recommended interventions with them. As a result, patients will have an opportunity to find comfort in those rituals that return them to good health. Therefore, a qualitative research study aimed at the improvement of patient-provider relationships, and the quality of provided care through the development of cultural awareness and sensitivity should be conducted.

To reach its purpose, this research will answer the following major research questions:

• Why can the lack of cultural awareness and sensitivity lead to critical problems associated with patient-provider relationships?
• Is understanding patients’ background a key to the delivery of high-quality care and improvement patient-provider interactions?
• What should be done to reduce the gap associated with cultural diversity between patients/families and healthcare providers?

In order to gather all the required information, professionals conducted an interview. The sample needed for this research study included nurses who performed their duties in individual private practices. In particular, 4 professionals participated. Initially, the sampling method was opportunistic, as those nurses who are easy to reach were approached. Further, it also became volunteer sampling, as all participants agreed to take part in this research due to their free will and desire to assist the researcher. The setting took place in an area that is full of minorities. These decisions can be explained by the fact that nurses are those professionals who interact with patients and their families more than all other healthcare employees. They note everything that should be considered by a physician and shape the way patients communicate with other professionals. That is why if some improvement considering these interactions is needed, nurses are those parties whose involvement is to be initially discussed. Thus, cultural awareness training/education should be targeted at them. Interviews allow gathering the most explicit information, as they provide an opportunity to ask additional questions and clarify something. Finally, a recording device is needed to ensure that all information is gathered and nothing is overlooked during analysis.

Interview questions were the following:

• Can you just provide me with some background of your professional career and end with what it is you do here along with the timeframe you have been here?
• How would you describe the patient population here in terms of their backgrounds?
• If resources mentioned then ask, “Do you believe that those resources are enough to provide quality care, or is there something you would like to see offered?”
• If answered with barely any services available or not sure then ask, “What is your professional view should be available for providers and patients to help communicate and understand better?
• At this time after explanation, provided a scenario from the literature review as an example to contradict that.
• If no then ask, “Why and what would you propose then?”
• Was it because you did not want to offend them or step over any cultural boundaries?
• Were you aware of what cultural limitations might there be in the first place?
• If you were in that situation that your colleague was in or the one you were in again, what would you do differently?
• What resources would you have liked or the approach you would take?
• How was the situation handled?
• If no, then provide another example to depict a scenario where cultural awareness would avoid a significant problem and improve the patient-provider relationship.
• If response is none then ask, “Why they believe that?”
• Follow up by asking, “If hypothetically speaking, a situation or two does arise where lack of sensitivity and cultural awareness leads to a problem, would there be an acceptance and effort to educate staff via a training program by the practice?”

Those 7 interview questions that nurses answered provided enough data for analysis of what their response means in terms of the outlined 3 main research questions. They revealed information on patient demographics, available resources, nurses’ experiences, their attitudes towards cultural competence.

All participants stated that they serve a diverse population with varied backgrounds. 4 out of 7 nurses stated that standardize care approach is needed because it ensures that all patients are treated equally, and no one is discriminated. In this way, professionals highlighted that interactions with patients should not be biased. They added that nurses could not reveal their unwillingness to work with particular clients because of their nationality or beliefs. However, they clarification aligned with the response of the rest 3 participants, as they stated that specific needs of their clients are to be addressed.

Nurses 1, 2, and 6 admitted that the lack of cultural awareness and sensitivity had negative effects on their relations with clients in the past. For instance, a male nurse insisted on the necessity for a woman with Islamic background to work with him, as other professionals were too busy. These actions offended her, and she addressed the management. The nurse thought that she was arrogant and did not realize that her behavior was triggered by her culture. This case allows answering the first research question, revealing that the lack of cultural awareness and sensitivity can ruin patient-provider relationships.

In this way, participants managed to realize that understanding patients’ background improves patient-provider interactions and answer the second research question. 5 nurses claimed that it is the key element that should be considered while 2 of them stated that it is among the most important ones. This decision was supported by personal experience. Nurse 2 tried to work with all patients, in the same way, ensuring the absence of personal bias. However, when a Hispanic woman needed a cesarean delivery, she did not just insist on the necessity to sign the surgical consent form because it is needed for better health outcomes but explained to her and her family members all risks of avoiding this intervention. As Hispanic families have a great impact on medical decisions, this approach allowed overcoming associated issues. The nurse admitted that she would have addressed the patient directly if she had not known about relatives’ influence. In this situation, the women might have refused to sign a form, which would lead to further issues.

The participants of the research study shared their ideas regarding the ways the gap of cultural diversity between patient/families and healthcare providers can be reduced. 5 nurses stated that those resources that are currently available are not enough for them to improve their cultural competence. The rest 2 nurses claimed that they needed to look for everything themselves because their management does not pay attention to cultural competence as a part of high-quality care even though it requires all professionals to reach their potential. Nevertheless, all of them try to search for information about different cultures. 4 nurses surf the Internet from time to time, 6 share information with their colleagues, 2 read periodicals. 3 nurses believe that their healthcare facility should have an interpreter, 4 believe that patient navigators are needed, and 7 want to participate in a training program that does not affect their workload. In this way, the third research question is also answered.

Thus, it can be concluded that nurses often work with diverse populations, which requires them to be able to meet the needs of different clients. Even though patient-centered care makes professionals treat all clients equally in order to avoid personal biases, it is also vital to ensure that provided services are aligned with a personal background. Unfortunately, the research study reveals that nurses do not have appropriate access to those resources that can enhance their understanding of other cultures. As a result, those professionals who do not have much experience in the sphere face issues associated with the lack of this knowledge. They try to use a standardized approach when working with diverse clients, which leads to problems that worsen their relationships with patients. Nurses fail to understand what shapes patients’ decision-making and make them face discomfort. With the course of time, they usually realize that they cannot build positive patient-provider relationships without knowing their background. That is why nurses start changing their behavior to reduce the gap associated with cultural diversity. Nevertheless, this process is often time-consuming, which means that those clients who are served by an inexperienced provider are not treated appropriately. They suffer from the nurses’ mistakes and face increased risks of complications because of this issue.

Even though healthcare providers have an opportunity to learn on the basis of their personal experience and self-education, it will definitely be better if their management addresses the observed issue as well. In particular, they should implement programs that increase cultural awareness and sensitivity of professionals. Being targeted at nurses, these programs should include information related to the peculiarities at least of the most populous groups of minorities. Professionals should acknowledge the way they treat their own health and medical services in addition to some general elements, such as interactions between opposite genders, etc. It can also be advantageous to provide some basic education for patients to find out how the US healthcare system works. This information can be summarized and printed so that people who come to a hospital can access it without any difficulties.

Except for education, the management can think of hiring an interpreter and patient navigator to make it easier for the newcomers to interact with providers and receive required care. However, it is also significant to motivate nurses to search for some information themselves. They can have a forum that they can use to share their experience of working with minorities. Moreover, it is significant to ensure that during their education, even those nurses who prefer using standardized approach are encouraged to develop their cultural competence. In particular, they should become curious about the way people differ due to their cultural background. They should visit various cultural events and try to speak with people who use different languages. Nurses need to educate themselves at home, they can read books, watch movies, interact with people, or just surf the Internet, noticing related information. Using their own practice, professionals should notice how people with different backgrounds behave, what they think about health-related elements, what are their habits, etc. They need to find a common language with all clients that is why it is significant for them to know several ways to connect with patients that can be appropriate in a particular situation. Thus, only a complex approach that includes practitioners’ and management’s efforts to develop cultural awareness and sensitivity can lead to positive results.

Committee on Health Care for Underserved Women. (2011). Cultural sensitivity and awareness in the delivery of health care. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: Women’s Health Care Physicians, 493 , 1-4.

Fantacone, J. (2017). Looking to the future: Improving the diversity of the health care workforce . Web.

Health Research & Educational Trust. (2013). Becoming a culturally competent health care organization. Web.

King, M. (2014). The importance of cultural diversity in health care . Web.

Kouta, C., Vasiliou, M., & Raftopoulos, V. (2016). Improving the cultural competence level of community nurses through an intervention. Journal of Family Medicine, 3 (9), 1088-1093.

Russell, R., Brunero, S., & Lamont, S. (2014). Reflecting on transcultural care; culture care theory and mental health nursing. Austin Journal of Nursing & Health Care , 1 (2), 1-4.

Truong, M., Paradies, Y., & Priest, N. (2014). Interventions to improve cultural competency in healthcare: A systematic review of reviews. BMC Health Services Research, 14 (1), 99-116.

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