Principal Investigator: Judith Young, clinical assistant professor, IU School of Nursing Indianapolis
Project Title: An Innovative Team Based Case Study to Facilitate Student Cultural Competency and Clinical Leadership With Care of a Refugee Population
Funding Level: $5,000
Abstract:
21st century professional nursing practice requires cultural competency. Nurse graduates must be competent to care for and educate diverse patient populations, and work within multicultural interdisciplinary teams. Being knowledgeable of the cultural and social attributes including values and needs supports social justice and ethical practice. Avoidance of misperceptions and misunderstanding through cultural sensitivity will also support quality patient centered care and patient safety. Indianapolis is home to diverse cultures including Asian, Hispanic and Burmese populations. Additionally, Indiana University has committed to the mission of internationalizing the curriculum by promoting awareness and relationships between diverse and marginalized cultures.
One program outcome for L430 Leadership in Healthcare Delivery and Policy is to develop a “culturally sensitive individual who provides holistic individual, family, community, and population-entered nursing care that will improve patient health outcomes.” Indiana University International Learning goals relevant to this initiative include: recognizing ways “the global is reflected in the local,” appreciating complexity of contemporary cultural systems and knowing the fundamental principles of intercultural understanding and communication.”
This pilot project would address the Burmese refugee population which is a large marginalized patient population within the greater Indianapolis area. The unfolding case study would be designed to promote cultural awareness, knowledge, skills and attitudes required to facilitate cultural sensitivity to care for this population. This teaching strategy would also provide a prototype exemplar or teaching template to be used with diverse patient cultures in other courses across the baccalaureate curriculum.
