Culture Diversity

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Culture Diversity

• By
• Evelyn Stone, RN., BSN., M.Ed.

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Definition of Culture

• Shared Values, beliefs, and practices of a
  particular group of people which are transmitted
  from one generation to another.
• Patterns that guide the thinking action of the
  group

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Continued

• Patterns are learned from birth through
  socialization and the environment.

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Scope of Culture

• The concept of culture represents
• differing ranges of human behaviors, products,
  and institutions to people with differing
  experiential backgrounds.

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Continued

• Culture includes all of the rules for appropriate
  behavior which are learned by people in the same
  group.
• Culture must be understood, accepted, and
  accounted for in our work settings.

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Health Care Culture

• Set of norms developed over time
• Values sense of worth
• Ceremonies events celebrating success
• Symbols outward sign of success
• Unwritten Rules things that you know
• Unwritten expectation to fit in
• Stories group presentations of the
  hospital/setting history recognize peoples
  contributions to health care

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Who Makes up the Health Care Team Culture?

• Nurses
• Administrators
• Parents
• Doctors
• People in the community
• And other team members

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Positive Health Care Cultures

• Value learning
• Work to improve and enhance facility
• Focus on the clients
• Shared sense of purpose values
• Commitment to a responsibility for the learning
  of all the clients
• Continuous learning and improvement
• Share ideas

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Toxic Health Care Cultures

• Impede change
• Unable to fit in
• Unable to communicate with each other or team
  members
• Resist change
• Facility/unit l does not value professional
  development
• Unable to understand the facility culture
• Negative attitude
• No clear sense of purpose
• Blame others for lack of progress
• Nothing is done to turn around negativity

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Culture Nomenclature

• Enculturation - the process for individuals
  acquiring a second culture.
• Acculturation - the addition of a second set of
  rules for behavior which may coexist beside the
  first, replace them, or modify them.
• Assimilation - merger of cultures until they are
  indistinguishable.
• Melting pot indistinguishable values, beliefs,
  that are indistinguishable.
• Biculturalism - the selective maintenance and
  use of both cultural systems.

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Culture Diversity

• Staff must understand traditions for ethnic
  identity, but the objectives for developing
  positive self-concepts through bicultural
  education will be negated if the actual culture
  of home and community is ignored.

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Culture Diversity(continued)

• A health care worker must be knowledgeable of
  cultural diversity.
• Must have some understanding of the values and
  beliefs of the clients.

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Culture Diversity(Continued)

• People are categorized according to skin color
  and other physical characteristics.
• By the amount of money they earn.
• Where they live.
• Where they work.

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Culture Diversity(continued)

• Many may wish or need to function as members of
  more than one group and be 'bicultural.
• Function according to cultural knowledge,
  behaviors, and identity.

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Summary

• Health Care Providers must understand culture of
  the clients and the facility or community culture
  in order to be an effective team player.
• Health Care Providers must have some knowledge of
  the clients rights and this will guide them in
  making a decision about issues that may arise.
• Staff must be able to respect the values and
  beliefs of groups for in the work setting the
  facility has clients from different areas and
  different beliefs that may impact how they may
  respond to treatment. When an issue comes up that
  is very complicated, the staff member must refer
  the problem to the director or owner for
  resolution.

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Summary (continued)

• Directors and staff members must be knowledgeable
  of cases to be able to work with the public
  effectively and resolve issues satisfactorily.
  Staff must understand the facility culture and
  the culture of the staff in order to be an
  effective staff member. One must have the same
  value system as the administration to be an
  effective Hab tech.

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Reference

• Peterson, K., (2002) Positive or negative?
  Journal of staff development, 23, (3), retrieved
  16 May 2007 from www.nsdc.org/library/publications
  /jsd/peterson23.cfm

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Conclusion

• How to contact Instructor
• Evelyn Stone, RN., BSN, M.Ed.
• 1008 Big Oak Court, Ste F
• Knightdale, NC 27545
• Cell 268-1012 Office 266-7050