Culturally Competent Is the Psychiatric

¶ … culturally competent is the psychiatric nursing care is in the U.S. According to author, Wilson (2010), mental illness in a disproportionate way affects racial as well as ethnic minorities in the U.S. The author further noted that African-American who are the second largest minority race in the U.S., are a true over representation of the vulnerable groups that are exposed to higher mental illness rates as indicated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services (1999). This is because the African-Americans are less likely as compared to the White patients to be accorded any evidence-based care as required by the professional treatment standards/guidelines. Ethnic specific as well as culturally competent care which is also evidence-based is noted to help in improving the quality of care, the efficacy of treatment as well as the realization of positive mental health outcomes for the African-Americans. The purpose of this study, which in essence reflects the author's purpose, is to provide an accurate description of the characteristics of the culturally competent psychiatric nursing care provided to African-Americans from the viewpoints of the client and the nurse.

What is cultural competency?

Cultural competency is defined by Campinha-Bacote (2003) as the process in which a given health care provider strives to continuously achieve the capacity to effectively operate within the cultural confines/context of a given client. The client in this case may be an individual, a family or a community. Cultural competency is noted to be a continuous process in which a given nurse maintains a rather open attitude as well as utilizes skills and interventions which are culturally appropriate. Some of the major components of cultural competency are cultural awareness, cultural skills as well as cultural knowledge. The concept of cultural awareness is noted to involve the self-exploration of an individual's cultural belief as well as values with the intention of identifying the various biases as well as prejudices that can influence interactions. Cultural knowledge is noted as the process of acquiring cultural information as well as education for the purpose of comprehending other's worldview. Cultural skill on the other hand is noted as the ability of an individual to use their cultural assessment skills in the process of collecting relevant cultural information or data. All nurses must therefore possess the requisite knowledge as well as skill for obtaining the information which would guide them in planning as well as implementing a culturally competent nursing care.

Describe the methodology used, type of research (qualitative or quantitative), and any statistics given.

The methodology used in this research is qualitative research design which employed a multi-method data collection technique made up of an in-depth individual client interviews as well as self-administered nurse questionnaires. Qualitative research is described by Shank (2002) as a type of a systematic empirical inquiry into the meaning of a given scenario or situation. By systematic, Shank meant that planned as well as ordered techniques are used according to specific rules that are agreed upon by various members of a qualitative research community. The inquiry part refers to the attempt by researchers to comprehend how others perceive their experience. Qualitative research was claimed by Denzin and Lincoln (2000) to involve the interpretive as well as naturalistic approach of doing things. This implies that qualitative researchers are involved in the study of things within their natural settings while also attempting to clearly make sense of as well as interpret the given phenomena in accordance to how individuals make meaning of them (Denzin and Lincoln,2000,p.3).

Qualitative research in the context of healthcare/nursing

Researchers within the arena of nursing are noted to have adopted the concept of qualitative approaches at a time when the medical profession had not embraced it. Nursing is noted by Holloway and Wheeler (2002) to be made up of several elements that includes commitment, patience, trust, understanding, and openness among others.

Qualitative researchers are noted to argue that the above descriptions can be applied positively to the qualitative approaches as noted by Polit et al. (2001). However, despite of all these views, nurse researchers are noted to be employed in the collection of data on behalf of various researchers who are involved in quantitative research.

Qualitative research is noted by Bryman (2001) to be able to clearly capture the perspective of the clients on healthcare as well as to enable the various professionals and healthcare providers to comprehend client's perception of healthcare. This is reflected in the article under critique- Culturally competent psychiatric nursing care by Wilson (2010).As a consequence, the ever growing body of literature in this context is now extensively used in influencing the healthcare policy at both the local and national levels.

Qualitative researches are noted by Bowling (2002) to be necessary within the primary healthcare whenever researchers need to ask important questions concerning why patients as well as healthcare professionals act in particular way as well as to focus on the feelings, experiences as well as meanings of the participants.

In Wilson's (2010) work, qualitative research was used in providing an accurate description of the characteristics of the culturally competent psychiatric nursing care provided to African-Americans from the viewpoints of the client and the nurse. It is worth noting that the intensive scrutiny that qualitative research has been subjected to has also subjected it to necessary criticism. Isbister (2000) for instance noted that qualitative research is largely a mystery to several healthcare service researchers. Such views are however noted to be subjective and may be influenced by a bias in opinion.

Depict the conceptual framework used by the authors and the nursing theory application.