Learning Guide

© Cook Ross Inc. 1

Cultural Skills

Open Attitude

Cultural Knowledge

Self- Awareness

Awareness of others

STUDENT NAME: Chasity Johnson

Comprehensive practice of cultural competence requires an open attitude, self-awareness,

awareness of others, cultural knowledge, and cultural skills. Let’s review the following

model, which lays out these five building blocks along a cyclical path:

We start at the top with open attitude. To possess a fully open attitude, you must not only

know what you intend to learn, but also try to move forward with a spirit of curiosity about

yourself and others. Consider that there is much you do not know and be ready to receive new

information with an open mind. Be prepared to expose yourself to diverse ideas and alternative

viewpoints, through clinical encounters, use of CultureVision, and anywhere else you have the

opportunity to engage with people you might consider different from yourself. Some key

elements of an open attitude include:

• Being open to a wide variety of ideas and approaches

• Seeking out divergent views and contrary arguments

• Considering the full range of pros and cons on an issue

Another element of cultural competence is self-awareness regarding your own worldview. In

order to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes, you first have to take your own shoes off. In other

words, you must turn a flashlight onto your own culture, beliefs, values, and background. This

THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF CULTURAL COMPETENCE

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allows you to more objectively explore what you may subconsciously be bringing to every

interpersonal interaction. Components of self-awareness include:

• Understanding your personal background and culture

• Awareness of your assumptions, biases, and judgments

• Awareness of how others might perceive you and your role

• Knowledge of strengths and limitations

• Ability to recognize your personal biases, cultural incompetence, or exclusive behavior

• Capacity for self-reflection and intervention

This reflective process of self-evaluation helps facilitate the development of awareness of

others: the recognition that all individuals are uniquely programmed with their own

background, worldview, beliefs and values, and that while these may not match up with your

own, they are equally valid and valuable. The capacity for awareness of self and others is deeply

connected to cultural humility, in which we are able to recognize that our perspective is just

that: our own perspective.

From awareness of others, we move on to cultural knowledge, the acquisition of information

about others’ values, norms, and beliefs. CultureVision is a useful tool for providing extensive

archetypical cultural knowledge. This resource, in addition to other online and offline research,

provides an information base from which you can engage in your own conversations and

inquiries. With practice, the cultural knowledge that you obtain can develop into cultural skills,

which includes asking more informed questions about your patients’ beliefs and practices

around healthcare. Other valuable cultural skills include:

• Ability to adapt your communication style to different individuals, groups, and cultures

• The use of active listening skills

• Establishing relationships based on mutual trust

• Clearly identifying areas of conflict or concern and recognizing their impact

• Making clear requests of others

• Implementing processes that promote organizational cultural competence and inclusion

You’ll note that this process is cyclical and always ongoing. It may, however, not always be

sequential. As we continue to learn more about our self and others, we adjust our approach

and assumptions. Our cultural lenses shift as we engage in new experiences and interactions.

Successfully engaging all components of this model opens the door to the development of

cultural competence, and respectfully meeting the needs of patients of all backgrounds.

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© Cook Ross Inc. 3

Use the space that follows to evaluate your relationship to these five components of cultural

competence. In particular, ask yourself:

• What are my strengths?

o Example (cultural knowledge): My frequent interactions with Chinese patients

have helped me understand the culture’s archetypical concept of health

• In which of these areas have I been challenged?

o Example (self-awareness): I recognize that in the past I’ve judged patients who

didn’t consistently follow my care instructions.

• Are there opportunities for growth?

o Example (cultural skills): I’d like to work on my active listening skills.

Strengths Challenges Growth

opportunities

Open Attitude

My strength is

exposure to diverse

ideas. The exposure to

diverse ideas has

helped me to have a

wide scope of matters

related to health. On

the same note, I have

advanced on my career

path due to adopting

diverse views.

My greatest challenge

is impatience with

others’ viewpoints.

Various people have

different views

regarding the attitude

that they should give

to their health. As

such, I have found it

challenging to take in

some points of view.

An opportunity for

growth is in learning

various perspectives

from others regarding

their clinical

experiences. Having an

open attitude is

important in

transforming my

experience by listening

to how various people

have handled things in

their past lives. In

addition, this gives me

more insights to

develop on how to

navigate through in the

future.

Self-Awareness

My strength is

awareness of my skills.

Also being aware of

my skills, it gives me

the confidence to deal

with clients and

patients.

I am aware of my

challenges in

combining my norms

with my values.

Balancing between the

norms and values is

challenging at times.

I have opportunities

for improvement in

judgement. Being self-

aware has helped me

to realize that there is a

need to have the right

judgment. Therefore, I

have an opportunity to

SELF-EVALUATION

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understand people and

patients in a clearer

way.

Awareness of Others

I recognize everyone

with dignity. I

understand that

everybody should be

treated equally. This

will eventually lead to

positive relationships

with the people I

interact with.

I have challenges in

how I have in the past

viewed the beliefs of

the patients. Patients

always have their own

beliefs at times. This

proves to be

challenging since they

desire to be

understood. Therefore,

getting to guard their

interests and beliefs at

times becomes

challenging.

There is an opportunity

for growth in how I

view the values and

norms of others. Each

person has unique

values and norms.

Therefore, awareness

of others stands out as

an opportunity to learn

what others value.

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Cultural Knowledge

I have appropriate

information

concerning African

American patients and

their beliefs in relation

to health. Being

exposed to the

environment of

interacting with the

African Americans has

helped me to better

understand some of

their views.

I have had challenges

keeping up with the

techniques that are

ideal for dealing with

toxic conversations

with my peers. When

dealing with toxic

conversations, at

times, reacting to that

may lead to one being

misunderstood. As

such, I have a

challenge with

engaging with others.

There is an opportunity

for growth in engaging

people with diverse

cultural grounds.

Learning how to

engage others will

improve my perception

of their ideas and

insights. On the same

note, I will learn to

appreciate their

cultures better.

Cultural Skills

I apply active listening

skills effectively. By

listening to others, I

get to understand their

points of view better.

I have had challenges

in adapting to how

various people

communicate or

express their issues.

Diversity in cultures

leads to different

perceptions about

issues. Also, I have

had challenges in the

past regarding how

people present their

points of argument.

I have opportunities

for growth in

relationship

establishment.

Growing my

relationships with

others will enable me

to transfer my cultural

skills more effectively.

Now that you have examined your strengths, challenges, and growth opportunities, what steps

do you commit to taking in order to develop your culturally competent care?

The steps that will prove vital in the development of culturally competent care include the

identification of all my challenges. In addition, acknowledging my challenges will create room for

alternative solutions. Also, a point of consideration will improve the quality of care. Improving the

quality of care will win the confidence of the patients, thereby leading to an increase percentage of

patients in an organization. Therefore, it is important to prioritize the patients and increase the

management.

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