NR 451 Week 4 Discussion: Advocacy and Cultural Competence

NR 451 Week 4 Discussion: Advocacy and Cultural Competence

Name

Chamberlain University

NR-451: RN Capstone Course

Prof. Name

Date

Week 4 Discussion: Advocacy and Cultural Competence

Using the CLAS Standards in Nursing Practice

The National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services Standards (CLAS) serve a critical role in advancing health equity, enhancing quality of care, and addressing healthcare disparities within organizations. According to the Think Cultural Health website, the primary goal of these standards is to eliminate inequities in healthcare by ensuring that healthcare professionals and organizations actively implement them in their practice. My colleagues and I utilize the CLAS standards in various ways to uphold these objectives.

First and foremost, we prioritize recognizing the cultural diversity of our patient population. We strive to respect and honor the cultural backgrounds of the individuals we serve. Our training emphasizes culturally sensitive approaches to patient care, which means we are mindful of specific practices that may not align with certain cultural beliefs. While we always aim to provide high-quality care, we ensure that our services are respectful and aligned with the cultural values of our patients. This practice reflects the core principle of the CLAS standards, which emphasizes the provision of effective, equitable, and understandable care that is responsive to diverse cultural health beliefs, preferred languages, and health literacy needs (Think Cultural Health, 2019).

The Nursing Action to Improve Cultural Competence

To enhance cultural competence in my practice, I will focus on advocating for the recruitment and support of a culturally diverse workforce. The third CLAS standard highlights the importance of having a healthcare workforce that is representative of the population served, emphasizing the need for cultural and linguistic diversity in governance and leadership (Think Cultural Health, 2019). By promoting this diversity, I will help ensure that the cultural needs of all patients are effectively met, thereby enhancing the quality of care provided (Barksdale et al., 2016).

References

Barksdale, C., Rodick, W., Hopson, R., Kenyon, J., Green, K., & Jacobs, C. (2016). Literature Review of the National CLAS Standards: Policy and Practical Implications in Reducing Health Disparities. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 4(4), 632-647.

NR 451 Week 4 Discussion: Advocacy and Cultural Competence

Think Cultural Health. (2019). The National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services Standards (CLAS). Think Cultural Health. https://thinkculturalhealth.hhs.gov/clas/standards