Assessment Description
Write a 650-1300 word response to the following questions:

Explain multicultural communication and its origins.
Compare and contrast culture, ethnicity, and acculturation.
Explain how cultural and religious differences affect the health care professional and the issues that can arise in cross-cultural communications.
Discuss family culture and its effect on patient education.
List some approaches the health care professional can use to address religious and cultural diversity.
List the types of illiteracy.
Discuss illiteracy as a disability.
Give examples of some myths about illiteracy.
Explain how to assess literacy skills and evaluate written material for readability.
Identify ways a health care professional may establish effective communication.
Suggest ways the health care professional can help a patient remember instructions.
This assignment is to be submitted as a Microsoft Word document.

Issues and Trends in Nursing                                                                    

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Issues and Trends in Nursing

Explain multicultural communication and its origins

Multicultural communication entails communication across different cultural boundaries. Communication between individuals of different cultures has become inevitable since people cannot remain separated in one region of the world anymore (Hsieh & Kramer, 2021). When two or more people from different cultural backgrounds interact and communicate with one another, it is said that multicultural communication is taking place. Multicultural communication came into existence due to trade and immigration that have occurred over the years (Hsieh & Kramer, 2021). These activities brought together individuals from different backgrounds and cultures, making communication among them unavoidable.

Compare and contrast culture, ethnicity, and acculturation

Culture is a set of shared or common beliefs, rules, values, social norms, and attitudes held by a particular group of people. Ethnicity is whereby one is identified with or belongs to a particular group with common values and beliefs (Hsieh & Kramer, 2021). Acculturation is whereby one assimilates a new culture because it is dominant. These three cultural concepts are similar in the sense that they deal with issues such as shared norms, values, beliefs, and practices.

Explain how cultural and religious differences affect the health care professional and the issues that can arise in cross-cultural communications

Cultural and religious differences can have a significant influence on healthcare for one reason or the other. Some regions discourage medical interventions, making it difficult for a health care professional to advise the patient or apply an appropriate treatment regimen (Hsieh & Kramer, 2021). Religious and cultural differences can lead to unfair treatment, prejudice, and discrimination of patients by health care professionals. Additionally, the language barrier in healthcare, associated with cultural differences, is a major challenge in healthcare (Hsieh & Kramer, 2021). Lack of proper communication interferes with the process and outcomes of the treatment plan. A translator may be required in case of a language barrier to enhance communication.

Discuss family culture and its effect on patient education

Family culture can have a significant influence on patient education in several ways. In American culture, the father is perceived as the head of a family. In some families, the father is responsible for making decisions regarding the health care of family members (Hsieh & Kramer, 2021). These families may be hard to understand their autonomy as a patient. Health care professionals need to stress the right of a patient to make independent decisions. A health care provider needs to identify family culture when conducting a family education.

List some approaches the health care professional can use to address religious and cultural diversity

Religious and cultural differences can lead to serious challenges in health care settings. These diversities can be addressed by educating healthcare professionals to provide culturally sensitive patient-centered healthcare services (Hsieh & Kramer, 2021). Culturally sensitive care allows the professionals to handle other peoples’ beliefs and values with care and caution and without hurting them or discriminating against them based on those valued. Also, care providers can learn about other languages or have translators with them to keep cross-cultural communications possible.

List the types of illiteracy

• Functional illiteracy
• Cultural illiteracy
• Moral illiteracy

Discuss illiteracy as a disability

Illiteracy is considered a disability if it happens as a result of a learning disability or other physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as reading, learning, or communicating.

Give examples of some myths about illiteracy

There are several myths about illiteracy that people tend to hold as true across the world. For example, some people believe that all illiterate people are stupid or have inferior brains. The fact is that this problem can be both an educational and economic problem (McQuillan, n.d.). Another myth is that if one can read, there cannot be illiteracy. The fact is that being literate is not about whether or not one can read. It is about being able to understand what one has read to solve a real-life problem.

Explain how to assess literacy skills and evaluate written material for readability

There are four ways to assess literacy skills, including self-reported literacy declared directly by individuals. Here the individual states what they can do and what they cannot and their educational levels (Okan et al., 2019). Literacy skills may also be self-reported by the head of the household. Literacy skills can be tested through proficiency examinations. Indirect estimation or extrapolation is also a way of assessing literacy. Written materials can be evaluated by looking at the author’s profession and whether they are writing within their field of study (Okan et al., 2019). Also, what knowledge is embedded in the test and the year of publication, and the relevance of the information to contemporary issues.

Identify ways a health care professional may establish effective communication

There are certain elements of effective communication that a health care professional must demonstrate. The health provider must demonstrate the 5Cs of communication throughout the encounter with the patient (Hsieh & Kramer, 2021). The 5C’s of communication include clear clarity, correctness, completeness, conciseness, and compassion. Additionally, respect, active listening, feedback, and not interrupting the patient must be demonstrated.

Suggest ways the health care professional can help a patient remember instructions

To help the patient remember instructions, the health care provider can encourage the patient to take short notes. In many cases, medical advice is given orally but only 10 % of what is heard is retained. Also, ask the patient to set an alarm to remind them when to take medications. Technology is important in this case (Okan et al., 2019). The care provider may also encourage visual communication with the patient. Involving family and friends to assist the patient can be helpful.

References

Hsieh, E., & Kramer, E. M. (2021). Rethinking culture in health communication: Social interactions as intercultural encounters. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

McQuillan. (n.d.). Seven Myths About Literacy in the U.S. https://www.readingrockets.org/article/seven-myths-about-literacy-us

Okan, O., In Bauer, U., In Levin-Zamir, D., In Pinheiro, P., & In Srensen, K. (2019). International handbook of health literacy: Research, practice and policy across the lifespan. Policy Press.