Enhancing Cultural Communication. Discuss a patient of another culture. How can the health care professional communicate in presenting patient education? Consider language, family, cultural differences, and methods of communication. Patients have different cultural beliefs, norms, and values. As healthcare professionals or providers, it is imperative to effectively communicate with patients despite their diversities in cultures and ensure the provision of quality, holistic and safe health services. Understanding patients’ cultural beliefs and values foster good relationship and enhance communication between healthcare providers and patients. Healthcare professionals are always on the frontline to deliver quality medical services. Interacting with patients from different cultures allows them to properly understand patients’ cultures and their influence on their general health and well-being. Language is key in delivering health services and helps foster relationships between providers and patients. Therefore, healthcare professionals should show interest in learning a few words from the patient’s common language, such as greetings and appreciation, to enhance easy communication (Ferwerda, 2016). Accordingly, it is crucial for healthcare professionals to avoid terms or slang expressions that may seem offensive to patients and instead use simple phrasal words to avoid misinterpretation. In cases of a language barrier, healthcare providers should create a conducive environment and use interpreters to allow fast dissemination of information and influence the delivery of quality services. Enhancing Cultural Communication
At the same time, involving family members and educating them on providing post-discharge medical services at home is paramount. A patient’s family shares the same cultural beliefs or norms, and educating them on how to care for their loved ones is crucial. It is worth noting that family members may have little or no information on taking care of their loved ones, so educating them increases their competencies and allows them to provide quality care to their loved ones. Similarly, healthcare professionals should respect each patient’s culture and values to provide medical services that promote patient experience and satisfaction. In addition, patients’ cultures often vary in behavior, dress code, cognitive constructs, food, and languages. Therefore, healthcare professionals should use a common language that resonates with the patient to communicate and give instructions that facilitate care delivery (Brooks et al., 2019). Providers should avoid patronizing tones and use teaching materials such as videos, handouts, and speech therapy sessions to enhance communication and provide quality medical services. Enhancing Cultural Communication