Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Thank you

Class,
Thanks for making this course a success. For many of us cultural competence will continue to be a work in progress. The foundation is already set however, so there is no doubt that success will be achieved as you go forth, striving to improve outcomes for all patients.
Your journal in the final stages shows that great strides have been made. I do appreciate the contribution made by everyone. I have no doubt that the patients entrusted to your care will receive appropriate care.

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Crossword puzzle-Test


Across: 
             1.  Includes not only sensitivity but also openness to differences in lifestyles, opinions, values, and beliefs.
3.    Cultural                 is one way to ensure that individual differences related to culture are incorporated into the plan of care.
5.    Culture             is a sense of confusion and uncertainty sometimes with feelings of anxiety that may affect people exposed to an alien culture or environment without adequate preparation
7.     Cultural modification of an individual, group, or people by adapting to or borrowing traits from                               another culture.
9.    Ethnic                  is the expulsion, imprisonment, or killing of an ethnic minority by a dominant majority in order to achieve ethnic homogeneity.
11.  A personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment.
13.  A thought, idea, or opinion formed or a remark made as a result of meditation.
DOWN: 
            2.     U.S. population is made up of racial and ethnic                  groups.                  
4.   These must be tailored to the uniqueness of each family and patient to provide an accurate plan of care. 
6.    The integrated pattern of human behavior that includes thought, speech, action, and artifacts and depends upon the human capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations.
8.    Unless cultural differences are taken into account, optimal health           cannot be provided.
10.   Recently consumer activism has increased; consumers are                            for quality health care that is both cost-effective and humane.
12.  One that pleads the cause of another.
14.  Cultural                 holds that "good" means what is "socially approved" by the majority in a given culture.
16   A belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Diversity music video

Try our video maker at Animoto.


Class I wanted to share this musical piece that I created with Animoto videos. Hope you find it fun!! You too can create 35 second vidoes for free, and incorporate class photos if you are comfortable, as this is a very diverse group. Let me see what you come up with!! It will be fun!

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Helping those who face cultural diversity

The ANA makes it clear in their goal and mission, their intent to advance cultural diversity, by their statement of commitment to serve the health needs of all people. There has been much advancement made in the area of becoming culturally diverse in nursing. The ANA is requesting for a professional commitment to be made to increasing one’s understanding of diversity issues in order to be able to apply this knowledge in caring for all patients (ANA, 2012).
This makes it clear that as ascribing nursing professionals, it is the expectation that there is the realization of the scope of involvement required to deal with the rapid growth of minority/ethnic populations in our environs. It is only as we become passionate about the cause, will we be able to apply the true essence of cultural diversity in the clinical setting. One area also which is gaining focus in helping those who face cultural diversity issues is by ensuring response to the demands for increased ethnic and cultural minorities in the profession of nursing and in the nursing faculty (Lowe & Archibald, 2009).

Reference
ANA (2012). Diversity awareness mission statement. Retrieved from
http://nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ThePracticeofProfessionalNursing/Improving-Your-Practice/Diversity-Awareness/Mission-Statement.html

Lowe, J. & Archibald, C. (2009). Cultural diversity: The intention of nursing. Nursing Forum, 44(1), 11-18.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

GROUP PRESENTATIONS

Class today we are going to complete our presentations about ways in which we differ as individuals, and how may we overcome our differences. We have 90 minutes, so each group will only have ten minutes for presentation. At the end of each presentation, the audience is free to ask questions. I will continue to be a resource in helping with answers, and of course others who do not belong to the group presenting can also share their thoughts:


• The way we speak- This could range from difference in accent to difference in language
• The clothes we wear
• The food we eat
• How we view our personal space
• Our religion
• The color of our skin
• Our age
• Our talents or intellect
• Our sexual orientation
• Opinion


Some differences are minute, while others are more noticeable. Our differences may be impacted by our background, or the environment in which we grow up. Underlying things about our culture shape our behaviors.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Cultural diversity video

Class, lets look at this video clip as we discuss the various ways in which we are different.

Reference
You Tube (2008). Diversity video. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJyCGltS95k&feature=player_embedded

Blog pp Cultural Diversity

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Scope of this course


The aim of this course is to provide education in the area of cultural diversity to ensure the beginner nurse is able to give excellent care to patients and families of diverse cultures.

Objectives:
 
1.Students will gain an in-depth understanding of the cultural challenges individuals face in a multicultural society.
2. Students will understand their own biases, and be able to relate to individuals from different cultures despite their past experiences and how they themselves feel about others culture.
3. Students will be able to detect other’s barriers, share their experience and promote an atmosphere of cultural competence in the classroom.
4. Students will gain the tools necessary to become culturally competent.
5. Students will be able to provide safe care for patients and families from other cultures.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012


Cultural diversity in the classroom

Having been on either side of the spectrum and having experienced frustrations working with colleagues from other countries and cultures as a nurse, presenting such a course is a rather exciting idea. To be able to effectively present this course on cultural diversity, and to ensure success, the professor must first demonstrate cultural competence. Evident in this class will be the fact that every student will be treated the same, regardless of race, gender or culture.  Educators must ensure all students are treated the way the professors would want to be treated.  This will play a major part in not just presenting the information, but role modeling, setting the example for the expected outcome.  This course hopes not only to prepare the nurse upon graduation to be culturally competent, but also to help students who are in the minority and experience unfairness, to share their experience and provide the opportunity to enhance cultural sensitivity and competence among others. The hope is that at the end of this course, and upon graduation the nurse will be able to, appreciate differences that exist between people such as language and traditions, work efficiently with individuals from different cultures, have an increase in cultural awareness and be able to communicate effectively across cultures.

Sunday, April 15, 2012


Cultural diversity

Just look around, and the sudden realization hits home regarding the explosion of culture that is taking place in our society. This change in the ethnic and cultural composition of the population, not only continually challenge the nurse to ensure quality of care in meeting the diverse needs of the clients, but also competence in relating to the diverse population in the classroom, being a student. This has now created a sense of urgency for the inclusion of cultural diversity in the nursing curricula. The necessity in preparing and assisting nursing students to be able to meet the health needs of a culturally diverse population is of utmost importance. It must also never be overlooked that society expects nurses to be culturally competent in response to the increasing prevalence of diverse people entrusted to their care (Lowe, & Archibald, 2009). It is the hope that the inclusion of this course will not only create awareness but also provide training to ensure the nurse upon graduation is able to provide culturally competent care.
Reference
Lowe, J. & Archibald, C. (2009). Cultural diversity: The intention of nursing. Nursing forum, 44(1), 11-18