Summary

The increasingly multicultural profile of the US population requires that nurses provide culturally competent nursing care. The first step toward this goal is to be self-aware and understand how your own world view affects they way you perceive and interact with others.

Learning about specific cultural groups is helpful in increasing awareness about the impact of diversity on health care practices, beliefs, and outcomes. When cultural beliefs and practices are not appropriately identified, nursing care may be compromised .The most important thing to remember is that everyone is unique, even among the same cultural group, and nursing care must be individualized to each person, family or community.

Used with permission of the artist http://karenblessen.com

Cultural competence is an expected skill for professional nurses. This is a skill that takes time and commitment, but offers great rewards in the form of improved patient satisfaction and patient outcomes. Take the time to listen, learn, and act. Your patients deserve it!

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