Instructor
Dr. Susan Strauss
Quality patient care is the goal of nurses, physicians, other healthcare professionals and the healthcare workplace as well.
Quality patient care requires more than just treating infection or getting physical therapy. It requires the knowledge and skill to address the cultural needs of each patient. This is a challenging endeavor. Very few healthcare employees, including not only professional employees like physical therapy or nursing, but also maintenance workers and cleaning staff, have learned how to take care of or communicate with people from various cultures. What knowledge and skills do they need to learn to meet patient's needs? Where will they learn it, who will teach it and how will it be taught? What strategies do healthcare organizations need to design and develop, and implement? Whose responsibility is it to carry out the strategy's mission, goals and objectives?
This webinar will explore the cultural requirements to meet patient's healthcare needs from both the individual professional and the organization's requirements.
Healthcare professionals are uncertain how to best meet the needs of patients that are the least like them. For example, what if a patient desires a shaman to assist in their care? Most healthcare professionals do not know sign language or may not speak the patient’s first language. They may doubt their ability to deliver quality patient care because of those barriers. This may result in fear of taking care of patients with diverse culture needs.