TY - JOUR
T1 - Strategies to surmount the potential barriers to providing anti-discriminatory care in Irish healthcare settings
AU - Markey, Kathleen
AU - Tilki, Mary
AU - Taylor, Gina
PY - 2012/2
Y1 - 2012/2
N2 - Aim: This article aims to explore some of the potential Irish specific barriers to providing anti-discriminatory care to non-Irish nationals in health and social care settings and considers strategies to overcome them. Background: There has been a rapid and unprecedented increase in the ethnic and cultural diversity of the population in Ireland over the past 10 years. This brings with it both opportunities and challenges. The challenges that are particularly poignant include Irish nationals adapting to a multicultural society and integrating migrants into mainstream society. Historically, Ireland's relative homogeneity as a nation has been reflected in their health services, suggesting the need for an approach that addresses the more diverse needs of their growing multicultural population. Conclusion: Increasing awareness in the Irish health care setting of the complexity of working transculturally is important to interrogate the concept of privilege and the presence of racist practices. Unless practitioners are consciously aware of the personal, social and professional values that inform their attitudes and practices, their ability to be culturally competent will be at best superficial. The need to challenge attitudes, deep rooted social behaviour and misinformation which underline racial hostility is essential. Attention should focus on creating an environment of trust where critical reflection occurs, blame is avoided, risk managed and new ideas developed, tested and evaluated.
AB - Aim: This article aims to explore some of the potential Irish specific barriers to providing anti-discriminatory care to non-Irish nationals in health and social care settings and considers strategies to overcome them. Background: There has been a rapid and unprecedented increase in the ethnic and cultural diversity of the population in Ireland over the past 10 years. This brings with it both opportunities and challenges. The challenges that are particularly poignant include Irish nationals adapting to a multicultural society and integrating migrants into mainstream society. Historically, Ireland's relative homogeneity as a nation has been reflected in their health services, suggesting the need for an approach that addresses the more diverse needs of their growing multicultural population. Conclusion: Increasing awareness in the Irish health care setting of the complexity of working transculturally is important to interrogate the concept of privilege and the presence of racist practices. Unless practitioners are consciously aware of the personal, social and professional values that inform their attitudes and practices, their ability to be culturally competent will be at best superficial. The need to challenge attitudes, deep rooted social behaviour and misinformation which underline racial hostility is essential. Attention should focus on creating an environment of trust where critical reflection occurs, blame is avoided, risk managed and new ideas developed, tested and evaluated.
KW - Anti-discriminatory care
KW - Ethnocentricity
KW - Racism
KW - Transcultural competence
KW - Xenophobia
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84855462402&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.5172/conu.2012.40.2.269
DO - 10.5172/conu.2012.40.2.269
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84855462402
SN - 1037-6178
VL - 40
SP - 269
EP - 276
JO - Contemporary Nurse
JF - Contemporary Nurse
IS - 2
ER -