Literature Review - Research Process :: Step by Step

Running head: HEALTHCARE ADMIN CAPSTONE
CULTURALLY SENSITIVE COMMUNICATION
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LITERATURE REVIEW1
Introduction
Communication is an effective approach that helps healthcare providers or healthcare
professionals in understanding the needs of the patients. However, diversity in culture
becomes a barrier to developing effective communication among healthcare professionals and
patients. Healthcare professionals should be able to understand the needs, circumstances, or
pain of the people that belong from the common nation, cultural heritage, or race to improve
effective culturally sensitive communication with the patients (Kourkouta, & Papathanasiou,
2014). Therefore, it is important for healthcare providers or healthcare professionals should
be aware of cultural knowledge along with cultural skills. Communication is important as it
helps in building trust and avail of efficient information from the patients. Besides, patients
and their families would also be benefited from effective communication regarding the
current health status or possible health outcomes. Nursing professionals are the advocate of
patients, and culturally sensitive communication would enable the nurses to deliver along
with administering quality care. Many kinds of the literature suggest the implementation of
culturally sensitive communication strategies or practices among healthcare professionals to
provide effective care to patients and families.
Background of Culturally Diversity Communication
Globalization has resulted in increased cultural diversity at the national and
international levels. According to Crawford, Candlin, & Roger (2017), communication is
complicated and, therefore, suggests that building a strong relationship with patients and their
families would ease the communication. Successful healthcare professionals would
effectively communicate with the help of effective communication that results in the ability
to empathize and associate with patients. Cultural diversity communication refers to the
communication where the healthcare professionals would reflect their perspectives and

LITERATURE REVIEW2
culture along with understanding the culture and perspectives of patients and their families.
Thus, it is essential to provide culturally sensitive communication in the framework of
patient-centered care as the structure works on the perspective of patients. Reflecting on the
needs and demands of patients by engaging the culture and their beliefs.
Barriers in Communication
According to Hart & Mareno (2014), nursing professionals find it difficulties in
availing education along with remembering the preferences and beliefs of multiple cultures.
Further, nurses also shared their views that the blending of multiple cultures makes it difficult
to understand the exact expectation and opinions of patients. Therefore, the major barrier to
communication is great diversity. There is a vast number of cultures and numerous ethnic
groups. In healthcare settings or hospitals, people visit from diversely cultural backgrounds.
Healthcare professionals often find difficulties in addressing their viewpoints. Person-
centered care needs to deliver care in accordance with the preferences and needs of the
patients. Thus, the diversity of culture may obstruct the delivery of quality care services to
patients and families. The increased diversity has also influenced the stress on the healthcare
professionals in delivering services (Purnell & Fenkl, 2019). Many culturally diverse people
often find reluctance in specific treatment or procedures; they tend to avail of traditional
home treatment.
Another major barrier is the lack of resources in healthcare settings or hospitals for
effective, culturally sensitive communication. According to Hart & Mareno (2014), there is a
lack of knowledgeable people or persons who would help the healthcare professionals in
delivering the specific answer about a particular population or particular ethnic group. It is
difficult for a single person to hold knowledge about every cultural group. Apart from
experience, nursing professional also finds a lack of time. Time is another valuable resource;