Cultural competence is about learning facts and abilities about other cultures. In essence, competence means having a certain level of skill. On the other hand, cultural humility is a continuous process of thinking about oneself and growing. Cassidy (2024) notes that cultural humility is the idea that one cannot fully understand someone else’s experience without acknowledging their own. As a result, being humble means always learning and being open to new ideas. It guides healthcare workers to treat each patient as a person with their own cultural experiences, not as a member of a certain cultural group.
A lack of cultural sensitivity can significantly negatively affect patients’ health and well-being. When nurses fail to recognize and respect cultural differences, patients may feel misunderstood, disrespected, or marginalized. This can lead to mistrust of the healthcare system, reluctance to seek care, and poor adherence to treatment plans (Black et al., 2024). Furthermore, patients who experience culturally insensitive care are less likely to engage with healthcare providers in the future, which can result in delayed diagnoses, worse health outcomes, and increased healthcare disparities. In essence, culturally insensitive care undermines the core principles of patient-centered care and jeopardizes the patient-provider relationship.
Although cultural competence is critical, it is worthwhile to focus on cultural proficiency because doctors and other healthcare personnel cannot be familiar with all world cultures. Cultural competence enables the nurse to work with the patients with an open mind and accept any knowledge they may have. This approach strengthens the patient-physician relationship by promoting respect and cooperation, leading to improved and more specific care (Alvarez, 2024; Cassidy, 2024). Cultural humility also acknowledges that cultural competence is developmental, not terminal, and includes the notion that the process continues to evolve on an organizational and individual level. Through the foundation of humility, the nurses are better placed to be sensitive to the change in need and demand of different population groups and demonstrate and embrace respect for cultural diversities.
Alvarez, C. F. (2024). Cultural humility in international relationship research: Perspectives from an international section peer mentor. Personal Relationships. https://doi.org/10.1111/pere.12563
Black, S. W., Wilcox, M. M., Pérez-Rojas, A. E., & West, L. (2024). Identifying and enhancing the necessary ingredients for cultural humility in supervisory relationships. Psychotherapy. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000538
Cassidy, T. M. (2024). Culture, cultural competence, and clinical care. Journal of Human Lactation, 40(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/08903344241232386
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