With 40% of the U.S.
population currently consisting of either immigrants or first-generation
Americans, and with people of color actually outnumbering Caucasians in some
parts of the country, it's imperative that health care facilities provide
cultural competence training for their nurses, to ensure that all patients
receive quality care. After all, nurses are on the front lines of patient
care and are often the first professionals that patients encounter when they
enter the health care system.
--Ruth Carol, writer specializing in health care issues
In order to produce the best possible heath care professionals, the Graduate
Program at the Capstone College of Nursing is providing an overview of
cultural competency for further study. Cultural Competency training is a
vital part of any program in order to provide a patient with the best
possible health care he or she deserves. As an adjunct to the program, we
have provided here a wealth of websites and articles that provide more information about
cultural competency and its importance to the health care industry. We
encourage students and faculty to join our endeavor. You could start by taking a sample cultural
competency assessment, developed by Tawara D. Goode of the Georgetown
University Child Development Center. To take the assessment
click here.
(You will need Adobe Reader
to view competency assessment file. If you do not have Adobe Reader click
the Adobe Reader icon at the bottom of the page.)
We are dedicated to the
pursuit of personal and academic excellence, to advancing the ideals of
individual worth and human dignity, and to maintaining a nurturing and
respectful learning environment.
--Robert Witt, President of
the University of Alabama
