1. Corporate Director of Inclusion
Cultural Competence
Cynthia J. Walters, Ed.D
Corporate Director of Inclusion
Palmetto Health

2. Our Vision

3. By the end of this learning session the learner will:
Objectives
By the end of this learning session the learner will:
Define culture, cultural sensitivity and culture
competence
Understand why cultural competence is important.
Identify ways to be culturally competent.
Discuss the role of culture competence in the
medical/healthcare setting.

4. ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL
WHAT MAKES EACH PATIENT UNIQUE?

5. ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL…
Every patient that enters a healthcare environment has:
Unique clinical/medical needs
Unique circumstances
Personal demographics
Personal characteristics
Unique culture
Those working in a Healthcare environment must be prepared to identify and address each individual with equity.

6. EQUALITY VERSUS EQUITY…
What is the difference?
Give Examples

8. Equity Versus Equality
Equity and equality are two strategies we can use in an effort to produce fairness. Equity is giving everyone what they need to be successful. Equality is treating everyone the same. Equality aims to promote fairness, but it can only work if everyone starts from the same place and needs the same help.

9. Definitions Culture Culture Sensitivity Culture Competence
Defined as the learned, shared and transmitted knowledge of values, beliefs, and life-ways of a particular group
Culture Sensitivity
Understand the values, beliefs, and attitudes of providers and patients during health care interactions
Culture Competence
Healthcare workers have the responsiveness, knowledge, capacity, and skill to meet the unique needs of populations from different cultures

11. Cultural Competency Checklist: The Joint Commission

12. Cultural Competency Checklist: The Joint Commission

13. Cultural Competency Checklist: The Joint Commission

15. WHY DO YOU NEED TO BE CULTURALLY COMPETENT?…
IDENTIFY PATIENT GROUPS YOU WORK WITH?
HOW MIGHT YOUR INTERACTION BE DIFFERENT WITH EACH PATIENT GROUP

16. WHAT COULD PREVENT YOU FROM BEING CULTURALLY COMPETENT?

17. 5 Tips to ensure you are being Culturally Sensitive…
Take an honest look at yourself
Cultural competence begins with an understanding of how your own culture has shaped you and how your attitudes and understandings of other cultures impact your behavior toward individuals from outside your cultural experience. Being honest with yourself is a crucial step.
Pay attention to systems.
Individual attitudes about cultural differences do matter, but it's important to realize that cultural competence also requires attention to the interplay of systems—the family system, the delivery system, the educational system, and many others. When these systems interact, they can create tensions—or opportunities.

18. 5 Tips to ensure you are being Culturally Sensitive Continued…
3. Listen, listen, listen. Culturally competent treatment is by definition patient-centered. So ask questions, and listen carefully to the answers, without judgment.
What do you call the problem?
What do you think the illness will do to you?
What do you believe is the natural course of the illness?
What do you fear?
Why do you think this illness or problem has happened?
How do you think it should be treated?
How do you want to be helped?
Who should be involved in decision-making?

19. 5 Tips to ensure you are being Culturally Sensitive Continued…
4. It's not just about race.
Culturally driven attitudes can arise from shared thoughts, beliefs, and customs that may be less about race, and more about ties to ethnic, religious, social, or even age-related groups.
5. There's no finish line.
You're never "done" with cultural competence. It's a process that requires constant self-assessment, learning, and openness to honest dialogue with colleagues. There are no books or courses that will make you culturally competent—like maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle, cultural competence requires ongoing effort. But the payoff is tremendous.

20. QUESTIONS????

21. THANK YOU
CYNTHIA J. WALTERS, ED.D CORPORATE DIRECTOR OF INCLUSION PALMETTO HEALTH (803)