Running head: CULTURAL DIVERSITY

Cultural Diversity
Salena Barnes, RN, BSN
NRSG 7410
Georgia College and State University

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Culture is the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time
(Culture, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture). Diversity is the state of having
people who are different races or who have different cultures in a group or organization
(Diversity, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diversity). Cultural diversity in our
ever-changing world is an essential component to any degree program. In the nursing profession,
expecting cultural diversity is inherent. In general, people tend to gravitate towards those that
look like them or are from the same area as they are. Yet as nurse practitioners (NP), we must be
at best culturally sensitive and aware to provide holistic patient care.
Reflection on where you were on cultural diversity when starting the program.
Before I decided to pursue an MSN, I worked in a variety of settings as a registered nurse
(RN) to include Medical-Surgical, Surgical Trauma Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Orthopedics, and
at a Pain Management Clinic. I have interacted with people of various cultures and backgrounds.
At this point in my career, my understanding of cultural diversity was that people come from
different socioeconomic backgrounds, races, ethnicities, and cultures. My perception was that I
should be tolerant of different races and religious preferences while serving my patients. I should
treat everyone the same and offer the same level of care to every patient I am serving. It also
meant working with a diverse interdisciplinary team and affording the respect regardless of their
background. My perception of cultural diversity has changed because I now know that being
culturally sensitive and aware are different from being culturally competent.
What parts of the program helped you to become more proficient in cultural diversity?
I have always felt that I was culturally sensitive and aware. However, participating in the
study abroad experience to Honduras changed that perception. Becoming immersed into a
country so unfamiliar from mine was life altering. Basic needs like shelter, food, and clean water

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were not commonplace in this country. Not to mention, the language barrier made me feel less
able to communicate and unsure of the nonverbal communication I may have been displaying.
Even with these barriers, the experience taught me that no matter the race, socioeconomic status,
age, or gender, people truly appreciate help.
In addition, I went on this trip with students from my class as well as undergraduate
students. It gave me the opportunity to interact with a diverse group of students, which helped
improve my ability to socialize and participate in conversations with people I would not have
likely talked to at home. I really enjoyed this time of the program. I felt a unique connection to
my peers, as we were thrust into this new situation, depending on each other for support. I also
learned that new situations can lead to unlikely friendships, which improved my understanding
of cultural diversity.
What did you do to help yourself meet this outcome?
In order to meet this outcome, I did something I never thought I would do. I got
on an airplane! I traveled to Honduras, which is completely outside of my comfort zone. I was
faced with uncertainty, the unknown, and was immersed into a culture I had only read about on
the internet. I had no idea I would gain so much perspective from this experience. It taught me to
have respect for the needs and values of a population of people in which I could not even
communicate. Although communication was a barrier, I was able to coordinate with other natives
such as the interpreters and physicians to ensure I was providing compassionate care.
Additionally, working with the homeless population at Daybreak was also a step outside
of my comfort zone. I found it heart wrenching at times working with these individuals. I have
taken care of people from many lifestyles; however, I found that I have a significant amount of

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compassion for this population. I understand the importance of providing respectful, dignified
care and being sure to communicate my understanding of their preferences and values. In dealing
with this population, assumptions are not a good thing. I know this because thousands of people
in this country are one paycheck away from being homeless. As a result, I am particularly
observant and listen intently to the spoke and unspoken communication in these interactions.
In order to meet this outcome, I had to do self-reflection and examine myself for the
unconscious biases that we all have. In doing so, I discovered that I have a bias toward people
that request pain medication. I found that I question peoples perception of pain when I note a
history of substance or alcohol abuse. As an RN, we were taught that the patients pain is what
they say it is, but I have that little voice in the back of my head that says, They just want pills.
While in clinical, I reflected on my experiences at the Pain Management Clinic I was employed
at as an RN. I believe that this is where I developed this unconscious bias. However, now that I
am aware of it, I believe I can effectively evaluate a patients need for pain management, without
that little voice overtaking my better judgment. While working with various preceptors, Ive
learned some new techniques to gauge patients pain and offer alternatives to pain medications.
What could you have done better to become more proficient?
Cultural diversity is a big part of cultural competence, which is a professional goal I am
continuing to pursue. In this program, I believe that reaching out to different groups of students
would have made me more proficient at this program outcome. Sometimes, we get comfortable
and complacent in those we are familiar with, which actually limits our growth as people and
learners. I have been guilty of this, but moving forward I plan to mix and mingle with as many
people as possible.

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What could the SON have done better to help you or other students with this outcome?
I believe the SON has done a good job of helping us to meet this program outcome. The
self-reflection piece that is included in many of our courses gives us all an opportunity to
uncover and discuss our feelings in a safe, nonpunitive format. An activity that may aid other
students in identifying their unconscious biases is administering the Implicit Association Test. It
can be taken anywhere and no one will know the results. I believe this is one way to identify
personal biases and deal with them accordingly.
Lastly, I believe it is increasingly important for students to learn about various cultures
from experiences, other students, and staff. Achievement of this can be done by assignments
which include exploring various beliefs, case studies that include different cultures, as well as
through moderating discussions on cultural diversity. In addition, this may help students reflect
on their current feelings and bias. Furthermore, exposure to diverse cultures, populations,
students, and faculty would certainly go a long way in helping students embrace this program
outcome.

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References

Culture. (n.d.). Retrieved February 25, 2016, from http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/culture

Diversity. (n.d.). Retrieved February 25, 2016, from http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/diversity