Medical Records Staff Person Cultural Competence
Consider the following two case studies. Do they follow the ideas of cultural competence? Why or Why not? If the scenario is culturally competent, please be specific as to why you consider it to be so. If the scenario is not culturally competent, please describe why and how the situation could be different to include the ideas of cultural competent health care.
Case Study A: A Haitian woman has been injured at work and is unable to handle her household chores, which include laundry, washing dishes, and performing other tasks around the home. Her husband accompanies her for her occupational therapy visits where, gradually and over time, she will be able to assume these responsibilities. During the visit, the occupational therapist tries to speak to the wife but realizes her husband speaks for her and proceeds to acquire approval from his wife for her to speak to him to move forward with a treatment plan. The wife agrees. The occupational therapist begins to explain to the husband that, gradually, his wife will regain the ability to move forward with her household chores, including laundry, cooking, and other tasks, but in the interim, given that the two of them live alone in their home, it would be necessary for him to pick up the slack. The husband and the wife seem amenable, leading to an excellent treatment plan as the husband expresses his agreement to the therapist and his wife.
Case Study B: A young woman accompanies her mother to their local clinic where her mother receives her primary care. They visit the medical records department because her mother wants to review specific details in her chart. They approach the clerk at the counter and the young woman explains that her mother would like to see her chart because she has had many visits but does not get a lot of information from her doctor about her care. The medical records staff person advises the young woman that her mother needs to make the request. The young woman explains that her mother is Chinese and does not speak English. The medical records clerk advises the woman that her mother’s signature is needed on a form, which will enable the release of her mother’s chart. As the clerk informs the mother that she must sign, the mother’s eyes are lowered and she will not look at the clerk. “What’s the matter withr her?” the medical records clerk asks. “I think it is kind of strange that she won’t look at me,” she continues in a suspicious tone. The daughter explains that in her culture direct eye contact is a sign of disrespect. “She is showing you respect,” the young woman states further. The clerk looks at the woman, takes the signed form, smiles at the daughter, and hands her the chart.
