Language Barriers in Healthcare Delivery Assignment

The first most challenging encounter was communication problems due to language differences. During my interaction with a patient of African origin, collecting relevant information and data from the patient was greatly hampered by the fact that the patient had limited English proficiency. Ansah and Klugah (2021) asserted that cross-cultural communication problems (include language differences, cultural differences, and low health literacy) may have a detrimental impact on the safety and quality of care offered to a patient who is not proficient in English. From this encounter, I learned the centrality of cultural competence in today’s multicultural environment, and how culturally-competent healthcare practitioners can enhance healthcare encounters with culturally-diverse patients and other underserved populations. Some of the resources available included a Swahili video translator. The evidence-based practice used for this patient was the use of lab test (urinalysis) to check for signs of infection and a comprehensive analysis of the patient’s history and physical examination. Some of the new skills I am learning include cultural intelligence and cultural competency (Cutler, 2018). Language Barriers in Healthcare Delivery Assignment In terms of what I would do differently, I will find proper ways to ensure effective cross-cultural communication with my patients and healthcare professionals as the basic starting point for providing high quality, safe and patient-centered care and support.

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Another challenging encounter was related to perinatal bereavement that occurred after a woman experienced involuntary or unintended loss of pregnancy. Pinkeney (2020) insisted that the provision of emotional support and patient-centered care to such patients is highly needed as the starting point to assisting the affected girls and women to deal with the emotions following the unfortunate demise of a fetus or a newborn infant. This experience taught me the greater need for delivering patient-centered care as the fundamental basis for making informed decisions aimed at improving quality of care, treatment choice and health outcomes. The resources that were available included performing ultrasound checks as well as surgical procedures (dilatation and curettage) as treatment options for an incomplete miscarriage. Tailored counseling sessions were also made available to assist the patient cope with the pregnancy loss. The evidence-based practice applied for this patient was a caring-based nurse home-visit intervention, and it essentially sought to offer a supportive and safe environment, reduce depression and anxiety through stress reduction capabilities, and manage infections (Davidson, 2018).  Language Barriers in Healthcare Delivery Assignment The new skills I am learning included active listening skills, which enabled me to learn about the specific concerns and feelings of the patient, and information-seeking skills, which allowed me to gather and analyze information to aid in the clinical decision-making) (Pinkeney, 2020). What I would do differently would be to offer a compassionate care and support to the patient and loved ones and to maintain emotional resiliency as the basis for providing patient-centered care.

Last but not least, I had an experience with a patient (a young mother) who sought to treatment for sexually-transmitted infections (gonorrhea and chlamydia). This particular case was complicated by the allegations that the husband had played a role in spreading the STIs due to his involvement in extra-marital affairs. Some of the available resources made available for this patient included medications for treatment of gonorrhea and chlamydia and a referral to talk to a counselor for STI counseling and education (Money, 2019).  Language Barriers in Healthcare Delivery Assignment The evidence-based practice for this patient involved the use of evidence-based STI management and treatment guidelines. The new skills learned included counseling skills. What I would do differently touches on involving a duty to warn, through requiring the patient (woman) to be open and honest with the husband as far as the serious threat of harm is concerned following the known STI diagnosis (Rhodes, 2019).

Management of patient flow and volume was made possible by the scheduling plans by my preceptor. Improving my skills and knowledge would be made possible through continuous learning and turning the research into practice. So far, I am doing well as reflected by the positive feedback from my preceptor amidst the greater need to improve further through exploring the available opportunities for growth. Language Barriers in Healthcare Delivery Assignment

References

Ansah, M. A., & Klugah, M. A. (2021). Language barriers in healthcare delivery. Communication and Medicine, 16(3). https://doi.org/10.1558/cam.39671

Cutler, J. (2018).Recognizing and overcoming barriers to cross-cultural communication. The Cross-Cultural Communication Trainer’s Manual, 267-332. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315240466-10

Davidson, D. (2018). The need for bereavement support following perinatal loss. Bereavement Care, 37(1), 31-34. https://doi.org/10.1080/02682621.2018.1444316

Money, D. (2019). S17.4 Prematurity and STI – value of screening and treatment. Symposia Presentations. https://doi.org/10.1136/sextrans-2019-sti.80

Pinkeney, A. (2020). Perinatal bereavement care. Perinatal Palliative Care, 247-275. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-34751-2_12

Rhodes, S. (2019). S21.3 Authentic and successful community engagement for STI/HIV prevention, screening and treatment in rural and urban settings. Symposia Presentations.  Language Barriers in Healthcare Delivery Assignment