Week 4I

Interview One

Throughout this interview, there were many cultural barriers that were discussed. The first example that was discussed in this interview was the belief that the United States is more glamorous than it actually may be. This seems to be a common belief about the United States because the media and television make it seem this way. This can enhance cultural barriers because this can be seen as a stereotype. When anyone experiences a stereotype, either a positive or a negative one, it can create different barriers for that individual. Another cultural barrier that was discussed was a means of conflicting values. Matilda explains that in her country a women’s breasts are seen as being a source of food for babies and just part of female anatomy. In the United States, breasts are often seen as being private and sometimes shameful, like described in the interview when women breastfeed in public. This is a conflicting value that is brought upon by cultural differences. When one experiences a cultural difference, it is important to maintain cultural humility. Cultural humility is “the ability to maintain an interpersonal stance that is other-oriented (or open to the other) in relation to aspects of cultural identity that are most important to the person.” (Rose, 2013). Speaking on the experiences Matilda shared from her time in the United States, there does not seem to be a sense of cultural humility. Cultural humility is to show that although there may be cultural differences, to understand those differences and respect them. Unfortunately, from some of the experiences she had this does not seem to be the case. For example, when she shared her experience when returning to her country. She explained that people in her country told her she was becoming “too American.” This doesn’t represent cultural humility because people from her country were making an assumption about her cultural identity from the way she presented herself. When practicing cultural humility, it is important to recognize how to practice cultural competency as well.

Cultural competency is “behaviors, attitudes and policies that come together and a system, agency, or among professionals that enables effective work in cross cultural situations. Per the cultural competence continuum involves ensuring that the needs of diverse patients/ clients/ customers are met by health service and public health organizations based on the acquisition of specific skill sets, valuing diversity, and taking concrete steps to ensure efficiency and serving minority populations.” (Rose, 2013). During the interview there were many instances where cultural competency should have been implemented. Matilda shared an experience about a professor stating she did well in the class for being an African. This professor assumed something about Matilda because she practices a different culture. This was an unfair statement, and it could have been addressed better. Instead of making this comment, the professor could have just congratulated her for her good grade and not made a comment about her personally. The professor may not have meant the comment in a degrading way, but it did not align with cultural competency.

Matilda shared some thoughts about cultural competency within healthcare that were important. I thought it was a great example that recognizing cultural competency needs to be shown across all cultures and across all people. She shared these biases and stereotypes can go both ways and I think that is important to remember so we all can continue to work on it. I also enjoyed her point that when working in healthcare it is important to make sure everyone always feels comfortable. I believe that goes further than just the healthcare itself. It is important to make sure everyone involved is seen and heard. I also thought her point of apologizing and correcting offensive behaviors when treating patients was important. She describes that

offending a patient can happen but apologizing and correcting the behaviors is imperative. This goes hand-in-hand with cultural competency. Realizing many people practice and believe different things and righting a wrong is part of cultural competency.

References

Rose, P.R. (2013). Cultural competency for the health professionals. Burlington, MA:

Jones & Bartlett Learning