Content area
Full Text
Abstract
Cultural competence plays an integral part in the delivery of physical therapy services. Because it is a recognized component in the delivery of services, student physical therapists were engaged in cultural competence training, which included: introduction to cultural competence, discussions, case studies, and participation in health fair s in rural settings. Students were assigned article reviews, journal reflections, patient interviews, and staff in-service s on the role of cultural competence in practice. In order to assess the students 'perception on the effectiveness of these cultural competence education strategies, a questionnaire and phone interview was completed retrospectively. Students perceived the cultural competence assignments to increase cultural awareness and knowledge, provide cultural encounters, and provide opportunities to apply cultural skills. The participating cohort suggested that a combination of methods to include article reviews, journal reflections, patient interviews, and staff in-services was the most effective method of teaching cultural competence.
Introduction
Cultural Competence Defined
Cultural competence has been defined by Cross (1989) as "a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency, or among professionals that enables effective work in cross-cultural situations". This definition was adopted as part of the Blueprint for Teaching Cultural Competence in Physical Therapy Education in 2008 by the American Physical Therapy Association's Committee on Cultural Competence. The Blueprint incorporates a conceptual framework that includes defining cultural competence, presenting cultural competence as a developmental process, addressing factors that contribute to developing cultural competence, the continuum of cultural competence, and models used to support theoretical constructs. It also includes goals and domains of learning that support objectives.
While there are several common models used for approaching culturally competent care, the Campinha-Bacot Model is used in the Blueprint as a tool to introduce students to baseline knowledge. The Campinha-Bacot Model of cultural competence views cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural skill, cultural encounters, and cultural desire as the five constructs of cultural competence.
Cultural competence plays an integral part in the delivery of services. Faculty, clinical instructors, and students completing clinical experiences as part of their professional curriculum, encounter various patient populations that differ in age, race, gender, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, geographic orientation, and diagnosis. At best, cultural competence promotes therapeutic relationships, treatment adherence, and...