Rita K. Adeniran, RN, MSN, CNAA, Department of Nursing Education & Development, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
The forces presented by the changing demographics, technology, multiculturalism, and new accountability present a significant challenge for health care providers across the spectrum of health care delivery. Effectively working with a culturally diverse population and caring for them requires new knowledge, thought process, and a commitment that often will confront the status quo. In addition, a detailed review of the literature reveals a noticeable gap in the plan for developing and implementing an effective cultural competence education program. With the pace of change in relation to the forces, health care organizations can no longer be reticent from these new realities. They must begin to deal with the forces and ultimately embrace the change in order to benefit from the richness of talents that exist in diverse groups. This presentation will highlight effective principles for helping health organizations and leaders to work effectively across cultures. Through anecdotes from best practice organizations and evidence based findings, participants will be able to examine their organization’s current infrastructures, learn techniques for establishing effective culturally competent educational programs and identify processes for implementing and monitoring these services. In order to cross cultures with competence, health care leaders, as well as their clinicians, must be willing to undergo a fundamental change by first recognizing and respecting their own personal cultural values along with the cultural diversity of their clients and also their workforce.