Multicultural Patient Education, Illiteracy, And Effective Communication
Effective communication with patients and health care workers is a key process in safe and quality health care. Patient and health care professional relationships rely on good communication, resulting in improved patient satisfaction, adherence to medical recommendations, and better healthcare outcomes. But sometimes cultural differences, language and method of education can cause poor communication contributing to patient dissatisfaction and poor quality of care. For example, dealing with patients in Saudi Arabia is different from other cultures. They are a unique blend of Arabic with an Islamic influence and they follow the Arabic tribal traditions and customs, and the Islamic worldview (Almutairi, 2015). The healthcare provider should always be familiar with the patient’s cultural belief and practice and always ask them what is their wish and expectation and include them in the nursing care plan and health education. We should ask how we can make their experience more comfortable and congruent with their culture and religion. They have their own way of praying, fasting and especially women do not reveal their face and hands, so we should be more aware of their beliefs during health education. The health teaching should be carried out before and after their prayer time. Some Arabic women patients do not want any male visitor during health teaching so we should always take permission from the patient. The language barrier is another factor for health education, so we must offer and provide language assistance services, including bilingual staff and interpreter services, at no cost to each patient with limited English proficiency (LEP) at all points of contact, in a timely manner during all hours of care and health education. And handouts should be provided in their language. Family involvement during health education plays a vital role in treatment compliance, medication and continuity of care, but we should always take permission from patients because some women patients who do not want male family members with them during education. Saudi Arabian patients prefer same gender healthcare providers so health education would be more effective and interactive and always maintain distance with them. So providing culturally competent health education is our role which improves patient outcomes and satisfaction (Khalifa, n.d.)
Discuss a patient of another culture. How can the health care professional communicate in presenting patient education? Consider language, family, cultural differences, and method of communication.