Cultural insensitivity
Cultural insensitivity denotes a situation in which a person refuses to acknowledge that cultural differences and similarities exist between individuals, and thus labels their actions as either positive or negative, or even right or wrong. This kind of vice is prevalent, as some people lack a sense of cultural understanding. Caregivers and other providers must learn to be culturally sensitive to promote quality care in health facilities.
In some instances, people responsible for giving care to patients act in culturally insensitive manners. For example, I recently witnessed a private caregiver dictate medical care and decisions for an elderly patient. However, the patient was not happy about the arrangement and kept demanding that her family should be present during decision making. The caregiver’s act was insensitive as some cultures, especially the Koreans, the patient’s family must participate in treatment plans (Dell’ Osso, 2016). In such a situation, the nurse should demand that the caregiver apologizes to the patient, which proves that he or she is sensitive to the cultural norms of the person. Moreover, the caregiver should take courses to help them understand various cultures and learn how to handle different patients.
The Leininger’s theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality for culture-specific and congruent care promotes cultural sensitivity in the work setting by emphasizing the concept of responsibility. This theory was developed by Madeleine Leininger, who felt that the hospital setting should provide a holistic environment that is welcoming to all people, regardless of their beliefs or culture (Daniel, 2016). There are many ways to promote the theory to the workplace. The most relevant one is that healthcare workers can undertake various courses to prepare them to be competent in situations that are culturally oriented (MacFarland & Wehbe-Alamah, 2019). With the knowledge of the different cultures, the workers will be skilled in handling such cases.
Acknowledging that different individuals have distinct norms is essential for every health worker. Most patients will be more comfortable seeking treatment in hospitals that respect their beliefs. Therefore, Leininger’s theory can help promote cultural sensitivity and improve care for patients.