Health issues tend to have a disparity across societies and communities and this is usually attributed to the influence of culture on life choices and decisions that affect health. In this respect, the healthcare sector has to take into consideration that cultural aspect of care if at all holistic and tailored care has to be afforded to deserving populations and thereby bring in desired patient outcomes. The Haitian immigrant population is a typical example of a group that exhibits unique health issues that are tied to their way of life and their decisions which they mainly peg on those particular cultural beliefs. In this specific instance, the focus is on the prevalence of hypertension within the Haitian immigrant group and the role of the healthcare sector and particularly the professionals in regard to how they manage these patients within the concepts of patient-centered care.
Issue/problem for subset population
Within the Haitian immigrant group, there are specific issues that actually have been noted as influencing their health status at the individual and at the community level. The prevalence of hypertension within this community is one of the major problems. However, a more pointing concern is the fact that despite the condition being highly manageable, within this group it has been seen to progress to severity and even so acting as a predisposing factor for other related illnesses. These issues are related to the apparent cultural influence on food choices, social lifestyle that is characterized by highly sedentary lifestyles as well as the preference for care providers of Haitian origin who are more versed with herbal and traditional medicine. This implies that even in the event that there are services available for this community that can help in the management of their health issues, they still abide and stick to the culturally acceptable or preferred choices. This choice of traditional medicine or care providers then eliminates the vital component of patient-centered and tailored care both playing a key role in the management of populations that depict an attachment of lifestyle diseases with their culture (Sollecito & Johnson, 2013).
Exploration of alternatives
Within these realities, the mainstream healthcare sector has to offer a special focus on the health of this group. In this case, the notable aspect of culture has to be managed in such way that it does not limit in any way this group from accessing the available acre services or more so help revamp the healthcare system so that it is the preferred choice for this group (Sollecito & Johnson, 2013). While this revamping does not in any way indicate any complete overhaul of policy, procedures or infrastructure, it focuses on the need to have a nursing workforce that actually appreciates the importance of patient-centeredness so that each patient is treated as a unique and distinct case (Gregory et al., 2009).
Evidence for organizational change
Organizational culture, leadership, and cultural impacts
In the existing environment, there is an apparent element of resistance which is evident from a majority of the experienced workforce. This group of the workforce has a perception that change is not necessary and it is rather a burden and a form of inconvenience that seeks to outdo the proven mechanism that has worked over time. In some cases it is also regarded by the experienced as a threat to their expert power and authority that they believe they have earned over time (Scott, Mannion, Davies & Marshall, 2003).
IOM competencies related to evidence-based practice
Evidence for core competencies
Apparently, the availability of a workplace culture that supports patient-centered care approaches is the basic foundation on which appropriate care that is culturally relevant can be afforded to such populations as the Haitian immigrant group. In this case, a workforce that does not fear change and one that appreciates the role of wisdom as a prevailing element for making decisions as opposed to utilizing a status quo all but acts as the basis for developing an environment that factors culturally relevant care options (Reed & Shearer, 2011).
Integrated best practices that serve as a foundation for your plan
The role of the healthcare provider is to afford the patient the space and time to give their perspective of the illness and the form of care they are hoping to receive. These perspectives are designed to offer the patient a trust foundation with the care team as well as the care process and ultimately the appreciation of the available treatment options that will be afforded in the long run (Reed & Shearer, 2011). A deeper understanding of the patient’s cultural perspective on the health issue affords the care team a deeper and exploratory role in which they can design the care plan and the management of the condition to suit that perspective while adhering to the quality of care (Yoo, Donthu &Lenartowicz, 2011).
Evidence for inter-professional collaboration
Evidence-supported communication skills
In the need to gain a deep understanding of the patient’s perspective on the illness, the care team has to demonstrate the vital competence of communication stands out as a necessity. This is within the understanding that patient-centered care revolves around appreciating the patient as an active participant in the diagnosis and development of the care plan (Finkelman & Kenner, 2009). In this regard, communication should be visible between the patient and the members of the care team and even so among the interdisciplinary care team. Any discrepancies in communication between these parties render the care process ineffective in the long run.
Evidence-supported interdisciplinary and collaboration considerations
The aspects of patient-centered care around managing the patient on the primary illness or condition as well as exploring the larger connect of issues that could be deemed as impacting on the patient’s health. These include the host of social, economic, environmental, family, behavioral, cultural as well as psychological aspects respective of this patient. This in essence implies that the interdisciplinary care team should comprise of a diverse network of professional who can work collaboratively and in a compensatory manner to help afford the patient holistic all round care (Sollecito & Johnson, 2013). Each of these members will thus play a role whose magnitude equals all other roles that are being played by colleagues; a factor that underlines the inclusivity and team work that is required within such settings (Finkelman & Kenner, 2009).
Evidence of compiled literature
When managing populations with unique cultural alignments that impact health decisions, the nursing environment and the professional attitude displayed over the course of the care process determines the outcomes. Patients such as those within the Haitian immigrant community have a higher preference for the care systems that they perceive as being more recognizable by them and in this regard, they may find it difficult to relate with the mainstream care system (Sollecito & Johnson, 2013). The care team has to demonstrate an innate understanding of these populations and help them gradually appreciate the prevailing healthcare system but also integrating those cultural beliefs that support the care process as set out (Reed & Shearer, 2011). It is the ability to integrate the cultural aspects in the fare process that constitutes holistic and patient-centered care. However, this also calls for a workforce that is empowered to accept change and one that regards innovation and evidence-based medicine as a necessity within the contemporary healthcare system (Yoo, Donthu &Lenartowicz, 2011).
References
Finkelman, A. W., & Kenner, C. (2009). Teaching IOM: Implications of the Institute of Medicine reports for nursing education. Nursesbooks. org.
Gregory, J. K., Lachman, N., Camp, C. L., Chen, L. P., &Pawlina, W. (2009). Restructuring a basic science course for core competencies: An example from anatomy teaching. Medical teacher, 31(9), 855-861.
Reed, P., & Shearer, N. (2011). Nursing Knowledge and Theory Innovation: Advancing the Science of Practice. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company, LLC.
Scott, T., Mannion, R., Davies, H., & Marshall, M. (2003). The Quantitative Measurement of Organizational Culture in Health Care: A Review of the Available Instruments. Health Services Research, 38(3), 923–945. http://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6773.00154
Sollecito, W. A., & Johnson, J. K. (2013). Continuous quality improvement in health care (4th Ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Yoo, B., Donthu, N., &Lenartowicz, T. (2011). Measuring Hofstede’s Five Dimension of Cultural Values at the individual level: Development and Validation of CVSCALE. Journal of International Consumer Marketing, 23(3), 193-210.
