Week 5 Project Managing Healthcare Work Force

Attached is a copy of the instructions for week 5, which is only 4 pages. 

Also I have attached a copy of my prior week assignments for your review. 

NCF:

This final project assignment is associated with the NCF (non-completion failure) grade. Failure to complete this assignment will result in the issuance of a grade of NCF if the course average would result in a failing grade in the course. Students should contact their Academic Counselor or Program Director if they have any questions regarding the NCF grade and its implications.

Supporting Lectures:

Review the following lectures:

·

Workplace Privacy

·

Credentialing of Healthcare Providers

·

Healthcare Workforce Diversity

·

Diversity as a Multicultural Social Concept

·

The Spectrum of Diversity Viewed as Self

·

Striving to Understand Cultural Competence

Before beginning work on this assignment, please review the expanded grading rubric for specific instructions relating to content and formatting.

In this week, you will have the opportunity to reach back throughout the weeks of the course to develop your final summation response to either one of the topic questions listed below. This is a cumulative course assignment.

Diversity is present in the professional workforce and the patient population. Strategic human resource management’s (SHRM’s) function is essential in the process of recruiting and selecting new talent to assemble an effective workforce. In this process, SHRM must perform a process of credential verification and training. New employee assimilation into the workforce is a crucial process. However, there exists a number of functions SHRM must exercise to be successful and contribute to the strategic vision of the organization.

Review the concepts presented in the prior weeks of the course to develop your response:

· Discuss SHRM as an integral function of identifying need and talent to staff the healthcare organization. 

· Comment on the nursing shortage and address the concerns created in workforce diversity, cultural considerations, licensure, and credentialing. 

· Explain how the employment legislation acts presented in Week 1 of the course might apply to the foreign-born and educated healthcare professional working in the United States.

· Discuss diversity as a difference from the viewpoint of the individual.

· Evaluate the application and theoretical effectiveness of the LEARN and ASK mnemonics. 

Submit your answers in a 2- to 3-page Microsoft Word document. Support your answers with appropriate examples and research.

Diversity and Organizational Cultural

Diversity is likely one of the most shifting and evolving concepts, influenced by situation and environment, thus reducing it to a fluid dogma. Diversity, as recognized through the lens of governance and leadership, is an anchor providing a point of reference in a changing social environment. While the expansive horizon of diversity can be witnessed in the once narrow view of race and gender, diversity today also embraces religion, gender (including life experiences), lifestyle choices, ideas, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation and gives consideration to the social determinants of sickness and health. The climate of the healthcare organization must balance the ideals of diversity and cultural competency.

Organizational culture encompasses a wide range of social phenomena and can be expressed in behavior, beliefs, values, and modes of difference and subversion. It is the philosophy of an organization. Culture is slow to develop and change, but it is essential for an organization’s culture to maintain a strong moral compass. Organizational culture affects all aspects of expectations and performance as well as customer and employee satisfaction (Spataro, 2005). As such, a supportive organization culture in a healthcare setting must be inclusive of diversity and cultural sensitivity and competency. Organizational culture establishes the guiding beliefs shared by members of the organization and is transferred to new members.

Healthcare organizations face unique challenges due to the changing demographics of its members (employees) and the increasing diversity of society. The nursing shortage increases diversity in the workforce but exacerbates the challenges of cultural sensitivity and competence. This influx potentially creates an issue of organizational commitment (OC) among the existing professional staff, which challenges the loyalty to the organization. A challenge for the strategic human resource management (SHRM) is the ability to assess and maintain OC within its professional staff (McNeese-Smith, 2001). Read the article titled “Nursing Shortage: Building Organizational Commitment among Nurses.” Nurses from around the globe migrate to countries experiencing a shortage of healthcare professionals, seeking professional opportunity and personal growth. This influx of multicultural integration creates pressure with healthcare professionals and the efforts to deliver care. The divergence of sickness and health combined with culture, religion, and language must be considered. In addition, as healthcare struggles to meet the needs of a diverse patient population with respect to cultural competency, it must also meet the patient’s demands with a care provider, which is amenable to their culture and expectations.        

References:

McNeese-Smith, D. (2001). A nursing shortage: Building organizational commitment among nurses. Journal of Healthcare Management. 46(3), 173–186.

Spataro, S. (2005). Diversity in context: How organizational culture shapes reactions to workers with disabilities and others who are demographically different. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 23, 21–38. doi:10.1002/bsl.623

Globalization of Healthcare

There is little doubt that healthcare is the “Grand Business,” and its ability to adjust and realign to, identify, and seize the opportunity for growth and profit is unmatched. The genesis of innovation in healthcare is served by the free market concept. Many recognize the US healthcare industry as second to none with respect to innovation, quality, and outcomes. To support this fact, there is a long history of dignitaries and statesmen who seek healthcare at leading teaching institutions in the United States. To further this point, leading healthcare organizations in the United States have established international care centers designed to provide care to this select population. 

A number of leading healthcare organizations have established satellite healthcare facilities, which provide care at locations around the globe. This globalization of healthcare services interconnects the world but poses cultural challenges. The western medical education has some challenges in other cultures and the conceptual idea of globalization in healthcare can present a countercurrent of diversity. The ideas of diversity and difference rest within the individual as well as how he or she perceive their difference and barriers. By no means is it inferred that the issue or idea of diversity does not exist. It, in fact, is real and a challenge for many for a multitude of reasons.

There is an estimated global healthcare workforce shortage of almost 4.3 million consisting of physicians, midwives, nurses, and other professionals. This shortage has spurred the migration of healthcare workers from around the globe to the United States. Healthcare professionals pursue opportunity through the migration process, seeking education, training, compensation, and quality of life. However, while the migration patterns might alleviate the problem for the host nation, they could exacerbate the problems for the country of origin, increasing the healthcare and disease burden. To address the shortage of health professional, education programs and the development of new programs must be a priority.

Satellite Healthcare Services

The United States is renowned for its excellence in healthcare around the globe. Dignitaries and Royalty have been known to access healthcare through international care clinics at leading healthcare centers in the United States. Many of the foremost teaching healthcare organizations offer international care to the world’s elite. These facilities are present, but most people never have the opportunity to have knowledge of the facilities for privacy and security reasons. Individuals from around the globe visit international care centers for specific care. There facilities are designed to cater to healthcare needs for the international client. A partial listing of healthcare organizations offering international care are Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Massachusetts General, Slone Kettering, Johns Hopkins, and a host of others. Many facilities specialize in specific medical need areas. In more recent years, geography has played a role in international care venues. Great Britain has been increasing its capability of elite international healthcare and is a matter of convenience for some European dignitaries.

In addition, some healthcare organizations have established satellite facilities around the globe. These facilities provide healthcare to millions abroad. A partial listing is given below.

Healthcare Ideals and Multiculturalism

The healthcare professional shortage dominates the healthcare industry and is worldwide, furthering the globalization of healthcare ideals and multiculturalism. The supply of healthcare professionals falls far short of the increasing demand in the United States and around the globe.

The migration pattern of healthcare workers is dynamic and creates an imbalance between countries of origin and host countries. In many countries, the departure of healthcare professionals creates a dearth of talent considered a “braindrain,” which exacerbates a concern and increases the number of vulnerable populations (Bieski, 2007). Foreign-educated nurses working in the United States comprise approximately 5percent of the nursing workforce.

This migration of skilled healthcare professionals, directly and indirectly, affects the health system. Its consequences not only affect healthcare delivery and outcomes but also affect the remaining workforce of healthcare professionals. The portion of the workforce that doesn’t migrate remains poorly paid, poorly equipped, and limited in quality supervision and information transfer and experiences stress. On an interesting note, not all countries view the loss of nurses through migration as a detriment. Some countries view the exportation of nurses overseas as new growth opportunity, with nurses repatriating money to assist struggling families remaining in their country of origin (Stilwell, 2003).

It is important to understand that the United States is not the only country faced with an aging population, among other problems. It is also important to recognize that the aging population contributes to the problem, with healthcare workers departing the workforce through the process of retirement.  

References:

· Bieski, T. (2007). Foreign educated nurses: An overview of migration and credentialing issues. Nursing Economics, 25(1), 20–34.

· Stilwell, B., Diallo, K., Zurn, P., Dal Poz, M., Adams, O., & Buchan, J. (2003). Developing evidence-based ethical policies on the migration of health workers: Conceptual and practical challenges. Human Resources for Health, 1(1), 8.

Running head: EMPLOYMENT LAW FOCUS 1

EMPLOYMENT LAW FOCUS 5

Employment Law Focus

Angelica F. Davis

South University Online

HCM3046 Managing the Healthcare Workforce

Week 1 Project

Dr. Vincent Bulzoni

02/22/2021

Employment Law Focus

Employment law usually covers all areas concerning the workplace, whether working in a small or big firm. Therefore, employment law focuses on a complete cycle from hiring and ends at the cessation of employment, either forced or voluntarily. Additionally, it focuses on employee’s obligations, rights, as well as duties. According to the case study, Nurse Shuffle was a registered nurse. Due to personal issues, the nurse became depressed and started using controlled prescription medication from the patient’s medication drawers. She was later realized and was offered treatment in the addiction center. Later, she was employed in another facility but was caught in the same behaviour. She was prosecuted, and her license was revoked.

Due process is regarded as a legal requirement where a citizen should not be deprived of their legal rights without applying the law. Therefore, due process protections are a state clause that usually prohibits the State government from denying people the right to liberty or life (Garrett, 2019). Under due process, an individual cannot be jailed without going through the legal system where an individual is determined to either be guilty or innocent of a crime. When an individual is determined to be guilty, he or she is punished according to the law. In different countries, due process is regarded as essential.

In my opinion, it was fair treatment for Nurse Shuffle to be prosecuted and her license to be revoked. Even though there is no filed record concerning the nurse’s previous offense on controlled prescription medication in a long-term acute care facility, it is clear that the nurse did not learn any lesson when she was first caught. She repeated the same mistake instead of seeking professional help. The professional individual would have helped Nurse Shuffle with her problems, and she would not have found herself in such a situation. Therefore, I support her license being revoked, and she should not be given the option of an addiction treatment program.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) usually provide specific employees with up to twelve weeks of protected job leave which is unpaid every year. Additionally, the Act requires such an individual’s health benefit to be maintained during the leave. Therefore, the Family and Medical Leave Act is designed to enable employees to balance family and work responsibilities (Vohra-Gupta, Kim, and Cubbin 2020). This is achieved by allowing employees to take unpaid leaves that are reasonable for medical or family reasons. On the other hand, the Act seeks to consider legitimate employee’s interests and promote equal employment chances for women and men.

The Family and Medical Leave Act can be used by all public agencies, secondary schools, and companies with more than 50 employees. Therefore, employers’ responsibility is to provide eligible employees with unpaid leave each year of up to twelve weeks. The various reasons that can make an individual qualified for this leave include; birth and care of newborns, taking care of immediate family member who has a severe condition, and when an employee is unable to work due to extreme health conditions.

The Family and Medical Leave Act applies to the Nurse Shuffle situation because it allows an employee to be granted unpaid leave. In the large teaching hospital, Nurse Shuffle worked the night shift. She experienced strain because of working at night, and she could not deal with the strain. According to the Family and Medical Leave Act, Nurse Shuffle was eligible for unpaid leave because she was typically stressed and unable to conduct her duties.

Nurse Shuffle also had the responsibility of requesting unpaid leave by reporting her condition. During the leave, the nurse would have been able to rest and seek professional help. Therefore, the Family and Medical Leave Act is essential in ensuring employees can handle their issues.

The teaching hospital had the responsibility of credentialing Nurse Shuffle to determine whether she was qualified to provide medical services. When credentialing is done correctly, it protects the hospital and healthcare providers from incidents like Nurse Shuffle. Additionally, the teaching hospital was responsible for ensuring Nurse Shuffle was competent and regally qualified to work.

Therefore, the teaching hospital should have looked at Nurse Shuffle’s experience, education, licensure, background, and training. If the teaching hospital were aware of Nurse Shuffle’s background, it would have given her a job that would not strain her. The verification of an agency employee is usually expensive and time-consuming, while regular employees are not expensive since they do not require any experience. Agency employee verification is time-consuming and costly because much information needs to be looked at to ensure an employee is competent.

Reference

Vohra-Gupta, S., Kim, Y., & Cubbin, C. (2020). Systemic Racism and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA): Using Critical Race Theory to Build Equitable Family Leave Policies. Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities, 1-10.

Garrett, B. L. (2019). Wealth, Equal Protection, and Due Process. Wm. & Mary L. Rev., 61, 397.

Running head: INTERNATIONALLY EDUCATED NURSES 1

INTERNATIONALLY EDUCATED NURSES 2

Internationally Educated Nurses

Angelica F Davis

South University Online

HCM3046 Managing the Healthcare Workforce

Week 2 Project

Dr. Vincent Bulzoni

03/01/2021

Internationally Educated Nurses

The professional requirement for internationally educated nurses is a precise practice that needs to be observed based on its overall importance. Migrating to the United States needs the nurse to meet specific criteria that are important to fulfill. The first practice entails meeting up the educational requirements. The nurse needs to meet the educational qualification, including the nursing certification. It is an important part that focuses on ensuring that only qualified nurses are allowed in the country (Rosenkoetter, Nardi & Bowcutt, 2017) taking and passing the proficiency test involved in English. This is an important aspect that would facilitate easy communication between the nurse and the patients. The obtaining of the credential evaluation makes up the other relevant measure that needs to be observed when the interest of the learner comes in place. Passing the NCLEX-RN test is the other important factor involved in the practice.

The IEN nurses play an essential part in the provision of primary care in the country. They have important positions within the healthcare field that have positively played out in delivering better healthcare to the affected individuals. It is a measure focused on the presenting of the positive well-being of society in terms of service delivery. They play an essential part in terms of monitoring the health of the patient and recording the signs. They also perform diagnostic tests, which is vital in delivering better care (Hongyan, Wenbo & Junxin, 2014). They also administer treatments and medication in the required manner, which is vital to observe and practice. The practice is focused on presenting of positive concepts that reflects on the interest of the patients and healthcare practitioners in the appropriate ways that need to be positively addressed.

Healthcare organizations undergo various challenges with the IEN. This is based on the complications involved in the adopting of the appropriate practices that society faces regarding service delivery. Culture shock makes up one of the dominant problems that they usually experience. Difficulty with coping with the culture change seems to be the dominant challenge (Walani, 2015). It takes time to adapt perfectly to the presented changes and implement positive practices focused on promoting of change in society in the required manner. The approach is focused on the presentation of positive ideas that are focused on positive change in society. The approach is focused on the presentation of positive concepts that are ideal and important to reflect on. Dealing with the challenge is a critical practice that triggers a positive change in an ideal way.

The challenges being encountered are adoption to the new working environment. This is a dominant challenge that leads to the development of difficulty in delivering of proper primary care. The measure is focused on the presentation of ideas that are focused on creating long-term outcomes that need to be positively addressed and reflected upon in an effectively and productively way (Rosenkoetter, Nardi & Bowcutt, 2017). The other challenge involved in the practice is the language barrier. Despite the English proficiency, they may have trouble speaking English most of the time, creating a problem. The other issue is the differences cultural differences between the nurses. It is an issue that affects the way people interpret concepts and daily protocols. Adapting to the practice may be quite tricky based on the complications involved in the process.

IEN has the capability of performing in diverse environmental settings. This is because of the different work experiences and educational qualifications that train them to deal with such complications. The aspect is focused on presenting ideas that focus on the presentation of concepts that are important to focus on and reflect upon in a productively way. The practice’s utilization makes the IEN more productive if they perfectly adapt to their working environment (Hongyan, Wenbo & Junxin, 2014). The increase of the IEN in the country’s healthcare practice is likely to improve the service provided productively and effectively way that is productive to focus on and reflect on in a way that is effective and essential. Therefore, diversity involved in their employment is the most crucial aspect.

In summary, the professional requirement for internationally educated nurses is a precise practice that needs to be observed based on its overall importance. Migrating to the United States needs the nurse to meet specific criteria that are important to fulfill. The challenges being encountered are adoption to the new working environment. This is a dominant challenge that leads to the development of difficulty in delivering proper primary care. IEN has the capability of performing in diverse environmental settings. This is because of the different work experiences and educational qualifications that train them to deal with such complications. The IEN nurses play an essential part in the provision of primary care in the country. They have essential positions within the healthcare field that have positively played out in delivering better healthcare to the affected individuals.

References

Rosenkoetter, M., Nardi, D., & Bowcutt, M. (2017). Internationally educated nurses in transition in the United States: Challenges and mediators. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 48(3), 139–144. doi: 10.3928/00220124-20170220-10

Hongyan, L., Wenbo, N., & Junxin, L. (2014). The benefits and caveats of international nurse migration. International Journal of Nursing Sciences, 1(3), 314–317. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352013214000787

Walani, S. R. (2015). Global migration of internationally educated nurses: Experiences of employment discrimination. International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences, 3, 65–70. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214139115000220

DIVERSITY,AUTONOMY, AND BIOETHICS

Diversity, Autonomy, and Bioethics

Angelica F Davis

South University Online

HCM3046 Managing the Healthcare Workforce

Dr. Vincent Bulzoni

03/15/2021

Week 4 Project

Diversity, Autonomy, and Bioethics

Diversity, Autonomy, and Bioethics focus on the interactions between health practitioners and patients to identify models that will expand quality, equal treatment, and healthcare system improvement. Cultural diversity is an essential part of the decision-making process required in bioethical contexts. The doctors, nurses, physicians, and policymakers should develop cultural competence approaches that are patient-centered to improve the delivery of quality healthcare services. The Health system faces significant challenges in handling cultural diversity, resulting in cultural competence, thus creating new operations models.

In a culturally diverse state like the US, individuals have different health beliefs and practices, limiting healthcare practitioners to deliver culturally competent care. The minority groups, according to research studies Johnstone & Kanitsaki (2009), show that health practices and benefits like insurances and medical attention differ. The natives have easy accessibility to health care, unlike the minority group, who have to go through complicated processes to access medical attention. The minority groups become dissatisfied with the services offered, thus reducing their trust in health care practitioners and services to be delivered. Patients from minority groups have extreme fear in completing their care plans in healthcare streams, believing that physicians in main streams might leave them to die. Minority groups do not trust the healthcare system provided in a culturally diverse nation, which enlarges the racism gap. Patients from diverse cultural backgrounds cannot understand, accept and respect the intended benefits of providing advance medical care (Hanssen 2005).

Additionally, values and respect for traditions limit healthcare providers from administering new technological health services to diverse cultural backgrounds. Most patients from culturally diverse backgrounds are rooted in tradition and want health services to be delivered according to their understanding. Due to autonomy, where providers have to intellectually and morally respect the foundation of their practices, they fail to convince and enlighten diverse cultures on the right medical track to take. The diverse cultures are deeply rooted in traditions, making it hard to accept the technological changes they view as threatening to their lives. Health providers have no choice but to respect the significance, uniqueness, dignity, and power of individual rights. The autonomy of providers does not allow them to force medication or a choice to patients but make their health decisions.

Moreover, Saha et al. (2008) described that the language barrier had been the most significant element limiting cross-cultural care. Lack of understanding between patients and health providers results in patients’ dissatisfaction and low-quality health delivery. Patients from diverse cultures hesitate to report widespread problems due to language and communication challenges, according to Johnstone & Kanitsaki (2009). Cultural diverse patients are faced with many health problems but fail to seek health services. Differences in languages break a uniform conversation between providers and patients. Providers fail to understand patient’s troubles, as the patients fail to elaborate their problems. The minority groups with chronic diseases are left to care for themselves, resulting in high death rates among diverse cultural backgrounds. The language barrier, in most cases, is associated with a lack of knowledge and skills to understand and perceive changes in a patient’s body. Diverse cultures that cannot speak common languages fail to take up their health responsibility as they also feel alienated. In other words, communication is an informal language that enhances personal thinking. Through communication, providers would understand patient’s predicaments and act accordingly. Therefore, it becomes a back-and-forth challenge for providers to follow up on a health scenario that lacks clarity and understanding.

Furthermore, social and cultural differences play a vital role in delivering health services to diverse societies (Saha et al., 2008). Spiritual connections, families, education, and social systems influence individuals’ way of life and their choices. Lack of access to formal educations results in low literacy skills in most diverse cultural backgrounds. Therefore, low literacy skills affect minority groups’ ability to read, write, clear verbal communication, and understand instructions on prescriptions, health education structures, and insurance materials, making them take much time to make complex decisions. Acceptable actions in other cultures may be unacceptable in different cultures, making it hard for providers and patients to agree on which health service to administer. Health systems are extensive and are focused on serving all patients regardless of their cultures, which requires providers to understand patients’ environment and beliefs (Johnstone & Kanitsaki, 2009). It becomes a challenge for providers from other cultures to assimilate with different cultures since they are expected to conduct their services within the ethical standards required by their profession and organization.

Handtke et al. (2019) proposed that offering cultural competence training and education for providers would reduce providers’ attitudes and behaviors in delivering quality health services to diverse cultural backgrounds. Practically engaging providers in diversity demonstration programs and projects decrease their biased behaviors, increases their perspectives on diversity, and increases their racial identity. From the projected cultural competence training, the providers embrace diverse cultures. It also motivates them to work for a common goal: to provide quality care regardless of cultures and beliefs.

Human resource development should be integrated into the health system since it encourages individuals and health providers’ assimilation from different backgrounds. Human resources from health organizations should offer a sustainable environment with a welcoming atmosphere to integrate all the nurses (Handtke et al., 2019). Additionally, health organizations should expand pharmacists’ roles and promote ethnic diversity processes in the nursing workforce. This would reduce patients waiting time and decrease their dissatisfaction claims on health systems.

Organizations and health agencies should integrate interpreter services to enhance communication flow and interaction between patients and health providers. The interpreters’ integration should make available interpreter services to reduce the waiting time patients take and reduce the challenges faced by depression patients while having private conversations (Handtke et al., 2019).

Community health workers’ education should also be integrated to create awareness, enlighten and educate patients during home visits. Through community education on the benefits of healthcare services and offering culturally competent clinic-based educational programs, it will enhance patients’ understanding and increase their knowledge of services being offered.

Diversity, autonomy, and bioethics have increased patients, providers, and society’s knowledge to embrace assimilation and cultural competence programs that will ease the burdens of high mortality rates in culturally diverse backgrounds. The interventions and approaches integrated into health systems have reduced beliefs and challenges that health care providers and patients faced while seeking health changes. Health agencies, society, and the federal government should conduct follow-up programs to ensure that health providers follow the guidelines set for cultural competencie

References

Handtke, O., Schilgen, B., & Mösko, M. (2019). Culturally competent healthcare–A scoping review of strategies implemented in healthcare organizations and a model of culturally competent healthcare provision. PloS one, 14(7), e0219971.

Hanssen, I. (2005). From human ability to ethical principle: an intercultural perspective on autonomy. Medicine, Health Care, and Philosophy, 7(3), 269-279.

Johnstone, M. J., & Kanitsaki, O. (2009). Ethics and advance care planning in a culturally diverse society. Journal of transcultural nursing, 20(4), 405-416.

Saha, S., Beach, M. C., & Cooper, L. A. (2008). Patient centeredness, cultural competence, and healthcare quality. Journal of the National Medical Association, 100(11), 1275-1285.

HEALTHCARE MULTILINGUAL AND BICULTURAL CHALLENGES 5

Multilingual and Bicultural Challenges in Healthcare

Angelica F Davis

South University Online

HCM3046 Managing the Healthcare Workforce

Week 3 Project

Dr. Vincent Bulzoni

03/08/2021

Multilingual and Bicultural Challenges in Healthcare

Multilingual and bicultural challenges extensively affect the healthcare environment. Whereas diversity has been celebrated in the healthcare field, it is undoubtedly a challenge that leads to inequality between different ethnic, language, and racial minorities. Some of the outstanding multicultural and bilingual issues that make healthcare services hard are poverty, lifestyle, and literacy issues. These three pose a challenge to providing medical care among the concerned populations in an instrumental manner. This essay considers how they cause inequality in the United States, lead to undesirable healthcare outcomes, and the necessity of addressing them. Besides, the article appreciates increased surveillance, customization of services, and additional awareness of disparities that affect healthcare as some of the approaches applicable in addressing the identified challenges. Ultimately, poverty, unhealthy lifestyle, and illiteracy are bilingual and multicultural issues that negatively affect healthcare in the United States and require requisite redress.

Contextually, poverty presents as a cultural issue in the United States, whose likely effect is weakened healthcare outcomes. Considering the growing global chronic disease epidemic, Cohn (2007) indicated that people in developing countries are more susceptible to chronic diseases such as diabetes than those in developed nations. Besides, the author found that the spread of such diseases weakens national economies and family incomes. Therefore, poverty is an articulate issue in healthcare. It creates inaccessibility to healthcare than is the case among societies that are more economically advanced.

Other than poverty, another aspect that manifests to showcase multilingualism is an unhealthy lifestyle. Regardless of language and cultural differences, growing support for unhealthy lifestyles is undeniably on the rise. Developing nations, for instance, are adopting unhealthy lifestyles from developed ones (Cohn, 2007). According to the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute (2004), lack of cultural competence, for instance, knowledge about healthy lifestyles across cultures, has been a leading factor in presenting a problem for the healthcare environment and needs to be fixed.

Moreover, illiteracy cannot be overlooked as a leading challenge in healthcare. Essentially, dealing with patients is a challenging encounter. However, it is harder for medical officers to work with clients who cannot effectively express themselves. Wildly where people from different social and economic classes coexist, literacy is needed to realize effective outcomes. Putsch & Joyce (n.d.) indicate that low literacy levels weaken cross-cultural care. Research also proves that low literacy negatively affects access to quality healthcare based on doctor communication and in following up prescriptions and doctor’s directives (Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, 2004). Though not constructed on language or cultural grounds, this issue has an affiliation to both, and it is a challenge to the provision of quality healthcare.

As a redress, there is a need for increased medically related surveillance in different localities. Whereas health remains a private concern, enhancing leadership can help create awareness of poverty levels, literacy levels, and the concerned population’s lifestyle traits (Roush, 2011). With this understanding, creating customized service delivery to clients will be easy. Underlying support for this position is that the healthcare fraternity will be more informed about how informed the people they serve are and their acceptance of the medical directives. Lastly, creating awareness regarding how these disparities negatively affect healthcare outcomes will be necessary as a solution. As identified in the research, illiteracy of lack of accurate information is a catalyst for poor health outcomes; therefore, the population is aware of how the identified challenges negatively affect health delivery to achieve better results.

Health is a field faced by many social challenges that span around multilingualism and biculturalism. Illiteracy, poverty, and unhealthy lifestyles are some of the issues that threaten effective healthcare. These issues surround ethnic and cultural constructions, and in their ways, lead to a weak healthcare environment. Through surveillance, their redress through leadership, customization of services for every client, and increased awareness of how they threaten positive healthcare outcomes will be practical approaches. Across societies, language, and cultures, these approaches, altogether, will influence positive changes that will lead to better health outcomes in such an unprecedented way as they will counter the negative influence.

References

Cohn, D. (2007, May 17). The growing global chronic disease epidemic. Retrieved from: http://www.prb.org/Publications/Articles/2007/GrowingGlobalChronicDiseaseEpidemic.aspx

Georgetown University Health Policy Institute. (2004). Cultural competence in health care: Is it important for people with chronic conditions? Retrieved from https://hpi.georgetown.edu/agingsociety/pubhtml/cultural/cultural.html

Putsch, R., & Joyce, M. (n.d.). Dealing with Patients from Other Cultures: Methodology in Cross-cultural Care. 229, 1050–1065. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK340/pdf/Bookshelf_NBK340

Roush, S. (2011). Chapter 19: Enhancing surveillance. In VPD surveillance manual (5th ed.). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/surv-manual/chpt19-enhancing-surv