SYMPOSIUM
Friday, July 13, 2007: 1:45 PM-3:15 PM
Cultural Competence: An Effective Tool to Improve Global Health
Learning Objective #1: Discuss the changing local, national and global demographics.
Learning Objective #2: Explain how cultural competence can serve as a tool for improving health globally.
The safety and quality of health services received by culturally diverse patients are affected by dynamics such as different verbal and non-verbal communication styles, explanatory models of illness, social economic status, sexual orientation, life experiences, geographical locations, and generational values, among many other factors. One of the products of globalization is increased diversity within and across cultures. Culturally competent healthcare services can make a significant difference in improving health globally. Globalization has further expanded the variables of cultural diversity, with increased challenges to clinicians across the spectrum of healthcare delivery. Nurses, the frontline of healthcare professionals, having inherent roles as patient advocates and holistic care providers, are positioned to take the lead in improving global health through culturally competent care. Cultural competent skills can serve as tools to effectively address patients’ individual needs, regardless of the patient values, cultural health beliefs, or the geographical location. Culturally competent providers are aware and conscious of their own personal beliefs, attitudes, experiences and biases. These providers have the desire to provide care that is congruent with the patient health beliefs; they are familiar with both high context and low context cultures. Strategies utilized to meet the needs of the patients include a commitment to life long learning, acquiring knowledge about diverse health beliefs and specific genetic predispositions. Ultimately, cultural competence skills serve as a tool in improving health outcomes for all.
Organizer:Rita K. Adeniran, RN, MSN, CMAC, CNAA, BC
 Safety, Quality and Excellence: The Imperatives for Cultural Competence
Rita K. Adeniran, RN, MSN, CMAC, CNAA, BC, Joan U. Bretschneider, PhD, RN, Pamela Mack-Brooks, MSN, CRNP
 The Cultural Competence Vision
Joan U. Bretschneider, PhD, RN, Rita K. Adeniran, RN, MSN, CMAC, CNAA, BC, Pamela Mack-Brooks, MSN, CRNP
 Cultural Competence: What Is It?
Pamela Mack-Brooks, MSN, CRNP, Rita K. Adeniran, RN, MSN, CMAC, CNAA, BC, Joan U. Bretschneider, PhD, RN