Multicultural Competencies
Introduction
Cultural competency refers to ability of an individual to understand and relate to a foreign culture. Multicultural competency enables has the advantage of enabling individuals to communicate and work with people who belong to other cultures. An individual who is multicultural competent should be able to learn from a foreign language and appreciate the ways and practices of that cultural group of people that speak the foreign language. Initially, every individual is competent in his or her own culture. However, the same individual can only be said to be multicultural competent if he/she is able to understand one or more cultures that are from a background that is different from his original environment.
Description of ethical issue in case
Doctor Mercy, a practitioner at Wammy Hospital encountered a patient who could not understand any other language apart from his native language. Doctor Mercy did not understand the patient’s language. Lucky enough, a fellow doctor known as Doctor Michael, had a diversified cultural knowledge. Doctor Michael was able to understand the he patient and he interpreted information given by the patient to Doctor Mercy. The patient was, therefore, attended because Doctor Michael interpreted information for Doctor Mercy.
Explanation
Every individual belongs to a certain culture. It is possible that He/she is only competent in the language and practices of his own culture. Being competent in trans-cultural nursing is, therefore, a vital aspect in society. It enables professionals to attend individuals of different cultures. A nurse who is not multicultural competent, like Doctor Mercy, would not be in a position to attend patient who do not understand other cultures. A patient who does not understand any other language apart from his own e.g. Doctor Mercy’s patient such, may prove difficult to treat. Trans-cultural nursing competency is a necessity in the nursing profession. It enables a nurse to attend and treat patients from different cultures. According to the ACA Code of Ethics (2005) it is important to improve the health of racial and ethnic minority populations through the development of effective health policies and programs that help to eliminate disparities in health. In addition, it is the role of the hospital management to ensure that all patients are attended irrespective of cultural background or language spoken .
Analysis and Evaluation
The knowledge of a variety of cultures would enable nurses to attend and treat all people effectively and efficiently. Doctor Michael had a diversified cultural knowledge and it is through his knowledge that the patient was treated. The management of Wammy hospital should ensure that there are multicultural competence doctors to deal with such cases.
Description of ethical issue in case
Many people in society need education or knowledge on different issues. Doctor Mercy wanted to give a speech on why people should embrace hygienic conditions in their routine chores. The problem was that she did not understand the language of her audience. Mr. Martin interpreted her message to the people. The people got her message through Martin who interpreted Doctor Mercy’s speech.
Explanation
Sue (1992) pointed out that the law required people to work toward the achievement of set development goals, purposely including the elements of diverse cultures in their ongoing operations. This implied that people should not be denied certain services because of cultural background. The services of an interpreter are necessary in a society. This is because the interpreters help in ensuring that a speaker and an audience that are from a different background to be able to speak and understand each other.
In a scenario where interpreter services are unavailable it will be difficult for a speaker from a foreign culture to communicate his message to the intended audience because it would not be understood . An interpreter plays a critical role in society. Many people would not understand each other without the services of an interpreter due to the diverse number of languages that exist globally.
Analysis and Evaluation
In a society, many people do not understand other people language. This makes communication difficult. The services of an interpreter are necessary to aid in the passage messages between parties that do not understand each other’s languages. The interpreter is required to have diverse cultural knowledge in order to be in a position to understand message and translate it.
When an individual is multi-culturally competent, he or she is in a position to interpret information in different language. The information is only useful if the intended audience are able to understand the information that is being passed. Due to diversified cultures and different ways of communication amongst individuals, it would thus be important for people to be multicultural competent .
Description of ethical issue in case
In 19th century when the white people went to Africa to spread Christianity, most of them had a feeling that the traditional beliefs and practices of the black people were dirty and evil. Instead, they used force to ensure people to ensure abandoned their traditional religious ways of worship for the Christian religion. This created religious conflicts amongst the Africans and Christians who lived during that time.
Explanation
Many societies have different ways in which they worship God. There exists a variety of religious practices among different culture. White people normally practice Christianity and black people practice their traditional religious practices. These different cultures may result in conflicts. During colonial times, the white people did not want to learn the African culture and they, therefore, dismissed it. They went to extend of terming it a dirty culture. The black people on the other hand responded by being cruel and tried to force the white people out by force. These resulted to conflicts between the two parties. Different cultural beliefs and practices create religious conflicts.
Conflicts arise because one religious group may feel that its beliefs and practices are more superior to another. For instance, when the white people came to Africa they dismissed the African religious as dirty and evil. This created conflicts amongst the two religions. People ought to understand the cultural practices of different people and appreciate them. This would not only avoid the conflicts but would also enable them to live in peace and harmony
Analysis and Evaluation
Sue (1992) point that ways of worship need to be sensitive to maintaining an open, supportive, and responsive environment. Lack of appreciation of other individual’s culture should be avoided at all cost. It enables people to respect to others without discrimination. It is a policy that knowledge of self with a cultural heritage and varying social identities. The Lack of knowledge of other people cultures would lead to people discriminating against culture of other. The ethical code of conduct requires that people should respect other people way of life. American Counseling Association (2005) states “one cannot solve problem using a problem.”
Conclusion
Knowledge in multicultural beliefs and knowledge is a key factor in decision-making processes. This is because it plays a major role in helping individuals to make decisions on what to social services offer to different societies. It also enables people to appreciate other peoples’ culture. This makes people to live in peace despite their diversified cultural backgrounds. The valuation of other people’s culture is important since it enables people to show respect to each other. Understanding other people’s ways of living and taking active role in them is important. This is because people would avoid acts of rejection and conflicts. Multicultural competencies are skills that need to be appraised by all individuals since it would enable one learn from each other.
WORKS CITED
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