Analyzing Media's Influence on Cultural Safety in Australian Health

This essay examines the role and power of Australian media in shaping perceptions of healthcare, with a specific focus on cultural safety. It critically analyzes two media items, highlighting both positive and negative influences on culturally safe healthcare practices. The essay discusses how media can act as a watchdog, promoting public awareness and protecting against malpractices, while also acknowledging instances where media has spread misinformation and perpetuated negative stereotypes. The analysis covers topics such as anti-racism training for nurses, the importance of cultural competence, and the need for self-reflection to address disparities in healthcare access and outcomes for diverse cultural groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Ultimately, the essay emphasizes the media's responsibility in fostering a more equitable and culturally sensitive healthcare environment in Australia.

Running head: CULTURAL SAFETY IN HEALTH CARE
Cultural Safety and Healthcare
Name:
Institutional Affiliation:

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Introduction
Media plays a critical role in the lives of Australians in addressing health-related matters.
The significance of media is manifest from the significant quantity of time various people spend
on watching television sets, listening to radios and reading newspapers. There has been a rising
concern on how media is used to depict the status of health care of the Australian population
because of health care being a primary concern. There have been instances where the public and
private healthcare sectors utilise media to mould health behaviours and attitudes. In various
scenarios, media has been used for healthcare promotions which enhances the progress of
healthcare industry. Other instances, media has been used to depict the healthcare industry in a
discouraging and pessimistic manner.
The Australians hold power to shape the industry since the way they intercept
information from media impacts on the culturally safe health care in the Australian society that is
multicultural. This paper discusses the role and power of media and its influence it has on health-
related matters. It further critically analyses two media items, focusing on the positive and
negative influence the media has on cultural safe health care. The matters discussed herein is
critical in reinforcing Australia’s culturally safe health care.
Role and Power of Australian Media
The word media originates from the word medium which is a mode, which is used to
reach and give information to a large audience or target group. Media is an integral part of
healthcare because media has become part of people’s day-to-day needs. It plays a significant
role in creating and shaping the opinion of its audiences which in turn solidifies the society. Artz,
(2016) notes that the media is a watchdog, therefore, protects the interests of the public, hence,
creates public awareness and protect them against malpractices. In Australia today, those charged

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with health care leadership may take full advantage of their high-end positions and engage in
health crime syndicate and evil connections which results in making the common Australian
citizens miserable. Such evil engagements also result in loss of taxpayer’s money which used for
their gain. In such occurrences, the media becomes the fourth pillar of democracy after the
judiciary, executive and legislature. The media is responsible for upholding an embarrassing role
which guarantees that there is action against health oppression, misdeeds, injustices, bias and
oppression (Ibrus, 2015).
Since the introduction of television in the twentieth century, visual media has become a
critical tool that strongly engages in forming current news to Australians. This makes visual
media to be a strength for shaping the public opinion. The media plays a significant role in
impacting the citizens. Therefore, media representatives should be responsible for every news
that is presented to the citizen. It is imperative to note that media normally have an interpersonal
and mutual influence on the society. The content provided by media as denoted by Artz, (2016)
to the public makes the public to be tied and bound closely with material and development that is
spiritual to the entire population.
In recent times, the media’s role has immensely changed where they actively engage in
reconciliation and searching for the truth and also creating a public perception where they (the
public) would be shown respect. Barkow, O’Gorman and Rendell, (2012) reiterate that they
have been forced to rectify their past mistakes and therefore try to release facts that are
determined and confirmed. They expose information about the plight of other ethnic groups in
the Australian society which is an important step forward for empathy enhancement in the
society. There have been previous cases where the media only exposes the sufferings of one
ethnic group, and this resulted in spreading of hate among the varied ethnic groups. In such

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instances, it is expected that there will be loss of trust and satisfaction of victims of the particular
origin. Public education is one of the key roles media plays in Australia and all over the globe.
The media forms the new generations opinions about the health occurrences in the nation (Rolph
et al., 2015).
In the health sector, the media is powerful too. The power comes in because it acts as a
tool that maintains equilibrium in the nation whereby the public is well informed and have social
and democracy that is effective. In modern times, I have exceptional influence in most aspects of
the Australian’s lives. As much as media has three core function which includes to enlighten,
influence and entertain, the effects of the functions involve several dimensions in modern
Australia. Media has provided awareness in the health industry and is capable of shaping the
country’s economy, politics, individuals and social values.
Media has been able to provide health awareness to the public due to its supplemented
authority from its cementing force. It strives and ensures that citizens rights are served. The
media also has the power to connect governments, therefore, playing a role of ensuring that there
is a liaison between two nations. Through this, the public is capable of knowing the
government’s policies, feelings and opinions. In the Australian Digital Health Partnership,
according to the World Health Organisation, there is a need to share evidence and policies that
offer them support to provide improved digital services. Ibrus, (2015) notes that media has been
utilised to enable engagement by varied governments which have been witnessed from Hong
Kong. The mutual relationship is strengthened by media which can enhance good governance in
the country.
Critical Analysis of Media Items
The first article

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https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2018/03/28/cultural-safety-not-about-saying-sorry-
being-white-nurse-1
The first article reflects the content of the headline as the author tries to create awareness
about the wrong information spread in the media. The author Summer May Finlay wrote the
article in the SBS news piece, its intended audience is the general public aiming at addressing the
misconception about the new code of conducts for midwives and nurses. SBS is a public service
media aiming at providing educating and information the Australian society on different issues
across the nation.
The campaign to promote cultural safety in healthcare has led to the development of the
code of conducts that the healthcare professionals are expected abide by while carrying offering
the healthcare services to the individuals from different cultural backgrounds such as the
Aboriginals and non-aboriginals. The topic has caused overreaction among people (Australian
Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, 2017). The author addresses the topic and
makes it clear from the headline.
From a negative perspective, the media has provided false information causing confusion among
the citizens of Australia. The article addresses the information reported by some of the media
platforms promoting the notion that white midwives and nurses are supposed to acknowledge
their white privilege verbally. Media has a role in communicating information in society and
spreading the wrong information about cultural safety can cause a disturbance in society. The
author also acknowledges that the media are using the state of the indigenous people at their
benefit.
The author begins by explaining the roots of the rumours that are spreading across social
media based on the new code of conducts that highlights the need for healthcare practices to be

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culturally safe when taking care of the aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander patients. The
misconception quoted in social media stating that the nurses and midwives to use the statement
that “I acknowledge my white privilege” before serving their patients. It acknowledges the
difference in culture while treating patients and the discrimination that white people have over
the other cultures.citr the author addresses the issue by providing evidence on what is stated in
the code of conduct.
From the article, it is noted that people do not understand the meaning of cultural safety
and spreading rumours based on ignorance. The article addresses the issue and defines cultural
safety. This is a positive perspective as the article can provide the right information where he
refers to it as a self-reflection aimed at understanding how the culture and beliefs of the
healthcare providers towards the patients from various cultural backgrounds impacts the outcome
of the service and their practices. The author illustrates on the issue of white privilege which has
caused the disparities in health care services is also acknowledged, and a brief history with
evidence is provided to shade light and more understanding of the concept white privilege
(Freeman, Edwards, & Baum, et al., 2014). The concept is accurately explained. White privilege
is passed through institutions, and it is unconsciously done (Kowal, 2011). The author
acknowledges that the systems are set by the white people who align with their expectations and
values.
The author explains the disparities in health care among the different cultures and gives
an example of how articles that support the idea of the aboriginals and Torres Strait people
receive poor health services. People cannot be treated the same due to different cultural values
but judgement when offering services can be avoided. Bennett, (2015) adds that the aboriginals
would like an improvement in the relationship when receiving different services.

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The author also notes and acknowledges the differences in gender preference when it comes to
services. The same should be done in practicing healthcare services to the different cultures as
people do have different beliefs as supported by (Doran & Wrigley, 2018). Therefore, the article
states the importance of reflecting on white privilege and how it affects the practice to achieve
cultural safety. Cultural safety is important to enable equality in access to health care services
despite the cultural differences in values and beliefs (Martin, McDermott & Calma, 2017).
The second article
https://www.hospitalhealth.com.au/content/facility-admin/news/anti-racism-training-required-
for-nurses-898833368#axzz5U2SCS7cW
‘Anti-racism training required for nurses’
The negative and positive elements of the article can be established from the title ‘Anti-
racism training required for nurses.’ The negative aspect noticed is the availability of racism in
healthcare. The author illustrates that there are instances of racism in healthcare practices
especially with the nurses working with the children.
The positive perspective of the author is the main aim of the article which is to express
the need for the introduction of anti-racism in the training of the nursing workforce. There is a
growing concern on the skills of the nurses in handling and recognizing incidences of racism
during practice. The training of the nurses needs to be introduced especially for child health
nurses. The author refers to a past study that showed that nurses do not feel equipped enough to
handle structural racism. The intended audiences are the bodies nursing bodies, education
reviewers, the nurses and the general public. The publication is owned by ‘Westwick-Farrow Pty
Ltd’ best known for the healthcare magazine and hospital. It has an influential role in the medical

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field providing insight into various issues. The article aims at shading light into the need for
training and education of nurses on anti-racism, particularly for the child health care.
The author illustrates the interests of the lead researcher at the nursing college who
identifies instances of racism or possibilities of racism during service delivery. The nurses lack
the required education to assist them handles such cases. There is a gap between what is
considered racism and how different nurses understood racism when dealing with migrants,
aboriginals, and refugees (Robinson, 2014). They considered some acts to be racists as they’re
not supported by the organizations they work with to provide support for the culturally
appropriate practices (Willis, & Elmer, 2011). Being unable to support the families made the
nurses feel racists. This highlighted the misunderstanding of the term racism in the nursing
workforce, hence the need for anti-racism education.
The author shows that the nurses failed to recognize that their values and beliefs
influenced the care they provided to families. They provide healthcare service based on the
knowledge they have acquired and believe to be doing their best. The author also acknowledges
that little research has been done on the health professional understanding of racism when
providing health care services and how to manage racism. The author notes the need for
providing services to all the children from diverse ethnic backgrounds and racial groups are not
disadvantaged by receiving culturally unsafe healthcare practices (Berlin, Hylander & Törnkvist,
2008). Therefore the need for the nurses to be trained to gain cultural competency needed to
provide culturally safe practices (Milne, Creedy, &West, 2016). The author also acknowledges
the need for studies to determine the various anti-racism approaches that would be effective for
Australian families. The author acknowledges that the idea of respectful and cultural safety is not
new.

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