Question

How does the community health nurse recognize bias, stereotypes, and implicit bias within the community? How should the nurse address these concepts to ensure health promotion activities are culturally competent? Propose strategies that you can employ to reduce cultural dissonance and bias to deliver culturally competent care. Include an evidence-based article that address the cultural issue. Cite and reference the article in APA format.

Answer 1

It can be hard to admit you might be biased toward some of your patients, but it happens, and the best approach to fixing implicit bias is to recognize it and then constantly reassess how you feel and how your approach is working. Inherent bias is a subconscious human trait and frequently interferes with best nursing practices . Recognizing an inherent bias means that you understand you might have certain feelings about a specific population, a person’s or groups appearance, or mannerisms that need to be addressed and dealt with to provide the best possible care.

Here are some strategies to fix it :-

#. Notice Your Assumptions

Everything from language barriers to job status to regional inflections can cause people to assume a patient has certain traits, behaviors, or beliefs that you might not agree with. Notice that feeling when you are trying to explain treatments to a patient, when responding to their needs, or when dealing with an extended and involved family.

#. Understand What Assumptions Trigger in You

You might find there are certain accents, specific items of clothing, or ways of speaking that cause you to tag someone with undeserved qualities. A patient’s race, accent, clothing style, or appearance can spark an instant judgment in you. Do you hold back certain levels of compassion for patients who are more short-tempered? Do you assume low standards in a disheveled, unkempt patient? Does someone’s race affect how you see them?

#. Know Why It Matters

An implicit bias is not only harmful because it is undeserved, but it can also lead to disparities in care. Even if you are unaware of how you are feeling, your body language, your focused attention, and your level of care can be impacted directly by the way you are feeling. Each patient deserves your full care, so understanding what might trigger you to act differently will make you a better nurse.

#. Know Your Patient

Talking with your patients is a good way to learn more about them. Understanding cultural differences can also help you become aware of any unconscious bias and begin to overcome it.

#. Talk About It

You have a bias, but you are not alone. Talking about implicit bias in your work setting opens the conversation, removes the taboo, and paves the way for better patient care and outcomes. When nurses are able to address this topic in an open and nonjudgmental manner, everyone benefits. If you are a nurse manager, holding talks, open sessions, one-on-ones, and seminars gives your staff nurses the tools to confront the issue head on and make significant changes.

Everyone knows about overt bias and the harm it causes, but implicit bias is just as dangerous, and many nurses aren’t even aware they may have a bias. Becoming aware of the problem and realizing if you have any bias is a first step toward fixing the problem