Culturally Responsive Assessment and Treatment in Physiotherapy

Running head: ESSAY
Essay
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

1ESSAY
1. Culturally responsive assessment and treatment with an inclusion of client-centered care
ensures attention to the cultural and social factors during physiotherapy session. Firstly,
as a physiotherapist, I need to develop non-verbal communication skills like greetings,
handshakes, simple gestures and small talk to engage the clients in the assessment and
treatment program. This would help me to build rapport with the client drawing their
attention towards the presenting program. LEARN model can be used to overcome
cultural and communication barriers for successful physiotherapy session. L-listen, E-
explain, A-acknowledge, R-recommend and N-negotiate for cross-cultural healthcare
practice. In this context, cross-cultural communication needs to be improved by me using
plain and simple language for conversation.
Drawing or graphics can be displayed and I should provide little amount of
information at a time so that client can understand assessment and treatment process.
Moreover, teach-back method can help to explain the client in nonthreatening way
explaining or showing what they have understood. In case, if I face communication
barrier, an interpreter can be hired highlighting the culturally responsive behaviors during
the interview. Secondly, clients need to be familiarized with the procedures of assessment
and treatment. For this, I need to be culturally responsive as they are new to treatment
language. In my physiotherapy session, I need to reflect not only my own culture, but
also takes client’s cultural beliefs into consideration engaging them relevant to cultural
safety. Thirdly, clients are unfamiliar with the assessment and treatment planning and
ways to participate in it.
Collaboration can be encouraged by emphasizing on input and interpretations of
clients through client feedback. This can be helpful for me in interpreting results and