CR#2: The Difference
Cultural competence and Cultural humility similar and different by Cultural competence is when an individual in the health care is using their experience to be more fitting for diverse patients. The definition that the article state of the Culture competence is, “in clinical practice is best defined not by a discrete endpoint but as a commitment and active engagement in a lifelong process that individuals enter into on an ongoing basis with patients, communities, colleagues, and with themselves” . While in cultural humility is proposed as more suitable goal in multicultural and medication education. The descriptions that are proposed to show the lack of cultural competence was when the African American nurse refused to pay attention to a Latina patient, and stated, “that she took a course in a nursing school in cross cultural medicine and ‘knew’ that hispanic patients overexpress the pain they are feeling”. This was a misunderstanding and guidance of what a doctor should be. Cultural humility is when individuals try to self evaluate their perceptions of a culture, and try to be understanding. An example would be when there are trainees who are being trained to “think consciously about their … must be taught to repeatedly identify and remedy”. This allows for physicians to fully use both cultural competence and cultural humility in order to progress in their work.
The aspects of his writing/expression make his experience come to life for the readers is when Verghese’s decribes in detail the experience that he encountered. He describes what he sees, and he describes the different emotions he felt. In the beginning of the article that he was being sincere about what he felt, as if the duty as a physician was an armour that was excited and happy to wear. However, when he met the patients from Haiti, he was introduced to the harsh reality and the moment that he had with a patient. A patient told him, “ ‘Thank you, Doc. I needed to hear that. All they got to say is sorry. All they got to say is sorry.’” I think was a powerful moment because it shows saying sorry does not make a difference unless there is a change. In class we talked about strangers coming into a community, and not fully understanding what the root issue is and how long it may take.
Some of the strategies and tools I might want to practice in my weekly observations and documentations of community engagement is by being more detailed on what I see. To be able to connect what the readings are explaining, and what I see in the community partner. I also want to practice writing on how the doctors interact with patients. The article that we read in class was very close to what I do at Rotacare, so from now on I am going to observe more. What I can easily do is talk to the physicians, and ask them to be more detailed.
