by Fannie Reyes
How do cultures take apart of the healthcare system?
The United States has developed a bog range of different people throughout the years. There is an estimate of 1 billion migrates in the world today. There are millions of people who have migrated from all over the world to the United States. This has created a very diverse population in certain areas here in the United States. Science is making new technologies and new cures but like other things there can be pieces not there. One of the biggest problems in the hospitals is patient and doctor communication. When a sick person does not know English, there can be confusion between the doctor and the patient. This issue has caused many problems. The patient has become sicker or the doctor did not know why they are sick.
The reality of the healthcare system
The number one reason people move around is because of globalization. They want a better job and education and the United States has proven that they have both those things. Over the past 30 years the biggest migrant groups speak Spanish. Even though education is at a sky high only 5% of nurses come from a Latino/Spanish speaking background. After checking in the first person a patient is met by a nurse and when the nurse does not speak the same language as the patient that can start the problem. Nurses are there to take vitals and find the reason why the patient came in. When the patient cannot understand the questions or respond back that is where the issue can become a problem.
How can the language barrier be overcome?
There are several ways the medical professionals can overcome this issue. For example, they should know of the things that the hospital has for them like the phone translators. There are also other ways that have been better for the patients, like having an in-person translator which makes them feel more comfortable and express themselves more than when they speak on a telephone. Hospitals should have to do research and see what cultures or different speaking personal comes to their hospital the most, so they prepare with the correct resources. Doctors and nurses should also have in mind that there are different cultures and that some things can make the patient feel uncomfortable. The sick person should always feel comfortable. Education is key to improving patient and physician relations.
