As a Pediatric Home Care Nurse, you will be meeting and working with children from various backgrounds. It’s important to practice cultural sensitivity to build strong relationships with patients and their families.
Cultural sensitivity is an awareness and appreciation of the specific values, norms, beliefs, and other characteristics of different cultures, races/ethnicities, genders, religions, socio-economic statuses, and sexual orientations. Cultural sensitivity goes hand-in-hand with cultural competence–the ability to collaborate efficiently with individuals from different cultures in personal and professional settings.
Oftentimes, cultural differences can create barriers between healthcare providers and their patients from language differences, cultural tradition differences, health literacy, and cultural assumptions.
According to a 2022 study, pediatricians who implemented a culturally sensitive approach to care helped reduce health disparities for patients from communities with barriers to equitable care. At Thrive SPC, we believe that any individual working in the healthcare field needs to be aware of these cultural differences when treating patients and adapt to their unique needs.
It’s important to have direct communication with your patient and their family to learn more about their health history. If you speak a different language from the child and family you are working with, it can cause communication to get lost which can be extremely frustrating for everybody involved.
If you’re having difficulty communicating with a family member due to a language barrier, ask if there is a friend or another family member who can serve as a translator. You could even look at it as an opportunity to learn a new language. At Thrive SPC, there are many opportunities for nurses who speak multiple languages.
When working with a new patient, it’s important to know about their family and understand their culture. Ask questions so you can avoid crossing boundaries. For instance, if your patient’s family practices a certain religion, they might not agree with specific medical procedures, medications, or even food.
Being aware of cultural differences can help you be a more compassionate healthcare provider. Here are some books to help you become more informed.
Maintaining a good relationship with your patient is all about building trust and respect. To build trust, the most important practice is to actively listen to your patient and their families/caregivers. Never be afraid to ask questions, but make sure you are always listening without holding judgment. Once you take the time to learn about a patient, they’ll begin to put trust in you, knowing you are there to help them to the best of your ability.
Work for Thrive SPC, where we provide high-quality clinical home care for ALL medically fragile children.