Job application example answers (cultural liason) PDF

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400866 Assessment 2 - Job Application What about your profession/discipline, makes you the best candidate for the role of ‘cultural liaison’ within the NSW Physiotherapy Health Service? As a physiotherapist, I possess an array of knowledge and skills that would make me the best candidate for the rol...

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400866 Assessment 2 - Job Application 1. What about your profession/discipline, makes you the best candidate for the role of ‘cultural liaison’ within the NSW Physiotherapy Health Service? As a physiotherapist, I possess an array of knowledge and skills that would make me the best candidate for the role of cultural liaison within the NSW Physiotherapy Health Service. Through my studies, I have come to develop an understanding on dealing with patients of different cultures, and have a desire to gain knowledge on the values and norms of various communities cultural and social diversity. I am continually improving my ability to engage with and implement the APA Code of Conduct (2008) into my practice to enhance my delivery of culturally competent care. My excellent communication skills, such as open-mindness and listening, will enable me to connect the NSW Physiotherapy Health Service with different communities and ensure the needs of the community are met, as well as work with other health professionals to provide a holistic approach to healthcare (Kodjo, 2009).

2. Demonstrate your understanding of the theoretical relevance and relationship between social determinants, human rights, cultural competence and health outcomes. Human rights provide a framework which can assist in achieving optimal social determinants (Kenyon, Forman, & Brolan, 2018). Both social determinants and human rights ultimately contribute to our health outcomes (Kenyon, Forman, & Brolan, 2018). Cultural competency is essential in overcoming obstacles when addressing the social 1

determinants and human rights of a client (Chapman, 2010). When working as a physiotherapist assistant at Westmead Hospital, I noticed that the patient’s did not have access to their own medical notes. I recommended that these medical notes be made accessible to the patients and be translated into their native language, if required. The hospital adjusted their documentation filing system accordingly, improving the cultural competency practices at an organisational level. This aligned with the human right to freedom of opinion and expression; including access to information (WHO, 2019). Since the patients could comprehend their medical documents, they were better able to understand their condition and the progress they were making. Improved health literacy was achieved as the patients were educated on their condition, hence affecting the social determinants of health (Chapman, 2010). The documents also provided them with encouragement to continue to comply with treatment and improve their health outcomes. This case demonstrates my thorough understanding of the relevance and relationship between social determinants, human rights, cultural competence, and health outcomes.

3. Identify, with practical examples and links to your professional guidelines, how you would support and/or enact the five key constructs of cultural competency within the NSW Physiotherapy Health Service. In order to increase CC, I will strive to put the five key principles of cultural competence into practice, as outlined in Table 1. According to the NHRMC (2005), cultural

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competency should be addressed in all dimensions; systemic, organisational, professional and individual. Cultural awareness can be demonstrated by an individual. I have become increasingly culturally aware through my course, as I have learnt about different people’s beliefs, values and ideas and explored my own. Through self-reflection, I came to the realisation that I often made assumptions of people based on their culture. Due to societal influences and media, I had assumed that all transgender people had had gender reassignment surgery. After discussing my unconscious bias with my classmates, I was informed that this is not always the case. I have since come to acknowledge and respect each individual and not to make assumptions. Continued self-reflection will allow me to expand upon my cultural awareness (Grote, 2008). The development of cultural knowledge is often initiated at a systemic and organisational level (NHMRC, 2005). Legislation is in place that ensures there are sufficient resources to educate health-care workers (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2016). This facilitates the process of diversity management within organisations as organisations have access to training resources (NHMRC, 2005). Cross-cultural training would involve learning about different worldviews, beliefs and health frameworks and education on roles and responsibility of providing culturally competent care. As part of a previous role as a physiotherapist assistant in Westmead, I undertook cross-cultural training, specific to the dominant Indian culture in Westmead. Through the training, I came to understand the cultural expectations and beliefs within Indian culture, such as the importance of family in treatment. With this information, I was able to develop a home exercise program with an elderly Indian patient of mine, that 3

incorporated his family in the activities and, with his consent, shared the program with his adult son. This resulted in better adherence to the program which led to improved health outcomes and patient satisfaction (Kodjo, 2009). Cultural skills can be formed through specific professions. Physiotherapists are expected to provide safe and competent treatment, which includes being culturally safe and competent (APA, 2008). Being respectful and empathetic is essential in establishing trust and rapport within a client (Jongen, McCalman, Bainbridge, & Clifford, 2017). Physiotherapists should possess the skills and judgement to adjust their practice to specific cultural requirements. These skills include appropriate communication, active listening, engagement and self-reflection. For example, I once encountered a Chinese lady who spoke minimal English at a volunteer physiotherapy job. To minimise the impact of this language barrier on the consultation, I requested an interpreter and conversed with my clients through the interpreter (Kodjo, 2009). At a professional level, specific professions develop guidelines which promote cultural encounters (NHMRC, 2005). The APA Code of Conduct (2008) outlines that physiotherapists shall not deny people access to physiotherapy on the basis of age, gender, ethnicity, beliefs, sexual preference or health status. This principle encourages cross-cultural encounters by promoting face-to-face cultural interactions and ensuring physiotherapists treat all who seek treatment; regardless of the physiotherapists’ own prejudices or bias (Kodjo, 2009). I am continuously seeking to encounter different cultures. For example, I have been involved in a local cultural group, where people of different races, religions and ages come together to share their lives with one another. This experience allowed me to engage with different people and strengthened my 4

cross-cultural relationships. I will continue to encounter different cultures by involving myself in CALD communities and offering my services to these people. I will have an open mind regarding their beliefs, opinions and values and respect their individuality. Cultural desire is ultimately derived from the individual. I will depict my cultural desire by striving to immerse myself in new and challenging cross-cultural situations (Jongen et al., 2017). For example, I am planning to provide free physical assessments for young Syrian refugees, in order to develop my understanding of their culture and experiences and practice my cultural skills. This is linked to the individual dimension as my willingness to open up and learn from others stems from my intrinsic motivation. Cultural desire links to the APA Code of Conduct (2008) as it requires physiotherapists to aim to enhance health care delivery and better the health status of the community. The desire to achieve cultural competency reflects my attempt to improve health outcomes. I am extremely passionate and enthusiastic about becoming culturally competent as I view culturally competent as the key to achieving improved healthcare to all.

Table 1:

Principles of

NHMRC

Expectations in your How I as a

Cultural

dimensions

profession which

physiotherapist will fulfil

Competency

used to

link to cultural

the principles of cultural

promote

competency

competency and the

cultural

expectations of your

5

profession to support

competency

health consumers Cultural

Individual

Awareness

Principle 1: APA

Through self-reflection, I

members must

will expand my cultural

respect the rights,

awareness and

needs and dignity of

understanding. I will

all individuals.

acknowledge each individual’s beliefs, ideas and values, regardless of whether they align with my own, and demonstrate respect to all. I will continue to communicate with others.

Cultural

Organisational

Principle 4: APA

I will engage in cross-

Knowledge

Systemic

members must strive

cultural training to improve

for standards of

my understanding of

excellence in

different cultures and

physiotherapy.

inform myself of my roles and responsibilities in providing culturally

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competent care. Cultural Skill

Systemic

Principle 3: APA

I will be respectful and

members must

empathetic in order to

practise in a safe,

establish trust and rapport

competent and

in my clients. I will utilise

accountable manner.

my skills and judgement to adjust my practice to specific cultural requirements.

Cultural

Professional

Encounters

Principle 1: APA

I will encounter different

members must

cultures by involving

respect the rights,

myself in CALD

needs and dignity of

communities and offering

all individuals.

my services to these people. I will have an open mind regarding their beliefs, opinions and values and respect their individuality.

Cultural Desire

Individual

Principle 8: APA

I will depict my cultural

members must strive

desire by striving to

7

to contribute to the

immerse myself in new

development and

and challenging cross-

implementation of

cultural situations, in order

health service

to develop my

delivery which

understanding of their

enhances the health

culture and experiences

status of the

and practice my cultural

community and

skills. This is linked to the

promotes social

individual dimension as

justice.

my willingness to open up and learn from others stems from my intrinsic motivation.

4. Demonstrate knowledge of your professional guidelines/policy and their relationship to cultural safety. The APA Code of Conduct (2008) encourages person-centered care by emphasising the importance of the individual and their needs. When working as a student at Blacktown Hospital, I was discussing acupressure with a group of older Hindu people. Due to their limited English vocabulary, I was struggling to explain the concept to them. To address this, I asked the adult children, of the elderly Hindu people, to translate some key words from English to Hindu. By learning these words, I was able to provide

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the clients with useful and comprehensible health information. This helped me promote cultural awareness, skills and knowledge, and I was also able to enact cultural encounters. This practical demonstration aligns with the APA Code of Conduct (2008) principle of ensuring a reasonable level of information is provided to clients about intervention options. By ensuring access to information, a patient is enabled to make an informed decision regarding treatment, hence promoting person-centred care (Kerry, Maddocks, & Mumford, 2008). Physiotherapy philosophy endorses a holistic view of health care; which considers the whole person in treatment (Sanders, Foster, Bishop, & Ong, 2013). Physiotherapists are encouraged to consider the impact of psychosocial and emotional factors, such as social determinants, on a patient’s overall health and their treatment experience (Zubrik et al., 2015). When treating an Aboriginal woman for knee pain, I may notice her reluctance to answer my questions. As a result of my cross-cultural training, I identify that she may be hesitant as she has experienced health professionals whom have not listened to her in the past. I will overcome this by reassuring her and participating in active listening. I will take into account her opinion on what’s causing the pain which will facilitate trust and rapport in the relationship (Kerry et al., 2008). As a result, she will hopefully feel comfortable with sharing information with me and feel more empowered, demonstrating the relationship between physiotherapy guidelines and cultural safety.

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5. Demonstrate an understanding of the barriers and facilitators to culturally safe and competent professional practice for both staff in your profession and health consumers. Barriers to culturally safe and competent professional practice for physiotherapists include the difficulty of implementing cultural competency programs into various situations. It can also prove difficult to develop cultural knowledge and skills as CALD people may not be interested in educating physiotherapists or be hard to locate, or they might provide inaccurate information (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2015). A barrier for health consumers may be negative past experiences with health professionals, making them hesitant to interact openly and collaborate with their treatment team (Grandpierre et al., 2018). An example of a poor past experience is institutional racism. For example, an Aboriginal man seeks physiotherapy treatment from me. However, due to being denied medical treatment as a child and being subject to racism from health facilities, he is hesitant to start treatment. To combat this, I would be culturally awareness of his history and experiences, and utilise my cultural skills to strive to deliver culturally competent care to him and make him feel accepted and equal (Grote, 2008). A facilitator for health consumers would be social support from their family and community to engage in culturally competent care (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2015). For physiotherapists, a facilitator could include education and awareness of different cultures, and the impact of social determinants (Grandpierre et al., 2018). I am committed to continually developing my cultural knowledge as represented by my cross-cultural training and involvement in treating various cultural 10

groups. Education and knowledge facilitates cultural competency by providing the foundation from which one can develop skills to implement the information into practice. The ultimate facilitator for cultural competency and cultural safety is cultural desire, as it initiates and maintains the journey to cultural competency (Campinha-Bacote, 2008).

6. Given your disciplinary expertise, understanding of cultural competence and cultural safety demonstrate how your understanding of health theory (e.g., social determinants, human rights, etc.) makes you the best person for this role/position at the NSW Physiotherapy Health Service? I have confidence that I am highly suited to the role of cultural liaison due to my overwhelming desire to become culturally competent. Due to studies and work experience, I am a high level of expertise as a physiotherapist. I have a thorough understanding of the relationship between social determinants and human rights, and how this is linked to health outcomes. I will operate in accordance with the APA Code of Conduct (2008), which will guide me in acting out the key accountabilities outlined in the job description. By supporting the principles of cultural competence in practice, I will be able to promote self-determination, choice and independence in my clients. My cultural awareness and ability to self-evaluate will be very useful providing culturally appropriate care for clients of diverse backgrounds. Demonstrating awareness will promote trust, which, in combination with my communication skills, will facilitate the establishment of positive therapeutic relationships with clients.

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7. References Australian Institute of Family Studies. (2015, July). Cultural competency in the delivery of health services for Indigenous people. (Catalogue No. IHW 157). Retrieved from https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/4f8276f5-e467-442e-a9ef-80b8c010c690/ctgcip13.pdf.aspx?inline=true Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2016). Australia’s health 2016. Australia’s health series no.15. (Catalogue No. AUS 199). Retrieved from https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/f2ae1191-bbf2-47b6-a9d4-1b2ca65553a1/ah16-2-1how-does-australias-health-system-work.pdf.aspx Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA). (2008, September). APA Code of Conduct. Retrieved from https://vuws.westernsydney.edu.au/bbcswebdav/pid-4068062-dtcontent-rid29307717_1/courses/400866_2019_aut/Physio%20Code_of_Conduct_V2013.pdf Campinha-Bacote, J. (2008, April). Cultural desire: ‘caught’ or ‘taught’? Contemporary Nurse, 28(1-2), 141-148. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed Chapman, A. (2010, December). The social determinants of health, health equity, and human rights. Health and Human Rights Journal, 12(2). Retrieved from https://www.hhrjournal.org/2013/08/the-social-determinants-of-health-health-equity-andhuman-rights/

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Grandpierre, V., Milloy, V., Sikora, L., Fitzpatrick, E., Thomas, R., & Potter, B. (2018). Barriers and facilitators to cultural competence in rehabilitation services: a scoping review. BMC Health Services Research, 18(1), 23. doi: 10.1186/s12913-017-2811-1 Grote, E. (2008, August). Principles and Practices of Cultural Competency: A Review of the Literature. Indigenous Higher Education Advisory Council (IHEAC). doi: 10.1.1.175.6237 Jongen, C., McCalman, J., Bainbridge, R., & Clifford, A. (2017). Cultural competence in health: a review of the evidence. Retrieved from https://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/51293/1/Cultural_Competence_in_Health.pdf Kenyon, K.H., Forman, L., & Brolan, C.E. (2018). Deepening the Relationship between Human Rights and the Social Determinants of Health: A Focus on Indivisibility and Power. Health and Human Rights, 20(2), 1–10. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6293351/ Kerry, R., Maddocks, M., & Mumford, S. (2008). Philosophy of science and physiotherapy: An insight into practice. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 24(6), 397407. doi:10.1080/09593980802511797 Kodjo, (2009). Cultural competence in clinician communication. Pediatrics in Review, 30(2), 57–64. doi: 10.1542/pir.30-2-57 National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). (2005). Cultural competency in health: A guide for policy, partnership and participation. (Publication No.

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1864963085). Retrieved from https://www.mhahs.org.au/images/cald/CulturalCompetencyInHealth.pdf Sanders, T., Foster, N.E., Bishop, A., & Ong, B.N. (2013, February 19). Biopsychosocial care and the physiotherapy encounter: physiotherapists’ accounts of back pain consultations. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 14(65). doi: 10.1186/147...