Cultural Awareness Self-Assessment Checklist

Cultural Awareness Self-Assessment Checklist

Thischecklistwillhelptobuildself-awarenessandassesswhereyoucurrentlystandonthepathofdevelopingculturalcompetence.Itcanhelpuncoverspecificareaswhereyoumaybeabletoimproveyourculturalsensitivity.Thereisnoanswerkeywithcorrectresponsesandthechecklistisintendedtobeonlyatoolforself-reflection.Itisnotintendedtobeanactualmeasureofculturalcompetence.

Directions:PleaseselectA,B,orCforeachitemlistedbelow.

A = Things I dofrequently

B=ThingsIdooccasionally

C = Things I do rarely ornever

Physical Environment, Materials, and Resources

To the degree that I amable:

I ensure that magazines, brochures, and other printed materials in the receptionandwaiting areas are of interest to and reflect the different cultures of individuals andfamiliesserved by my program oragency.

I ensure that printed educational information disseminated by my agency or programtakes into account the average literacy levels of individuals and families receivingservices.

CommunicationStyles

For individuals and families who speak languages or dialects other than English, I attempttolearnandusekeywordsintheirlanguagesothatIambetterabletocommunicatewiththemduringassessment,treatment,homevisits,orotherinterventions.

I attempt to determine any familial colloquialisms (jargon or slang) used by individualsorfamilies that may impact assessment, treatment, or otherinterventions.

I understand the principles and practices of linguistic competencyand:

Applythemwithinmyworkorprogram.

Advocate for them within my program oragency.

Adapted from: Tuberculosis Case Management: A Guide for Nurses (Global Tuberculosis Institute, 2017)

Values andAttitudes

Iavoidimposingvalueswhichmayconflictorbeinconsistentwiththoseofculturesorethnic groups other than my own.

Irecognizeandacceptthatindividualsfromculturallydiversebackgroundsmaydesirevaryingdegreesofacculturationintothedominantculture.

Iunderstandandacceptthatfamilyisdefineddifferentlybydifferentcultures(e.g.,extendedfamilymembers,fictivekin,godparents).

Iacceptandrespectthatgenderrolesinfamiliesmayvarysignificantlyamongdifferentcultures(e.g.,whomakesmajordecisionsforthefamily,expectedsocialinteractions).

Iunderstandthatageandlifecyclefactorsmustbeconsideredininteractionswithindividualsandfamilies(e.g.,highvalueplacedonthedecisionofelders,theroleofeldestmaleorfemaleinfamilies,orrolesandexpectationsofchildrenwithinthefamily).

EventhoughmyprofessionalormoralviewpointsmaydifferfrompersonsIserve,Iacceptthatindividualsandfamiliesaretheultimatedecisionmakersforservicesandsupportsimpacting theirlives.

Irecognizethatthemeaningorvalueofmedicaltreatmentandhealtheducationmayvarygreatly acrossand withincultures.

Beforevisitingorprovidingservicesinthehomesetting,Iseekinformationonacceptablebehaviors,courtesies,customs,andexpectationsthatareuniquetotheculturallyand ethnicallydiversegroupsservedbymyprogramoragency.

I accept that religion and other beliefs may influence how a family responds to illness,disease, disability, anddeath.

Ipursueprofessionaldevelopmentandtrainingopportunitiestoenhancemyknowledgeandskillsintheprovisionofservicesandsupportstoculturally,ethnically,racially,and linguistically diversegroups.

Theitemstowhichyouresponded“C”indicateareaswheretheremayberoomtoimproveyourculturalsensitivity.

Source:CulturalCompetencyandTuberculosisCare:AGuideforSelf-StudyandSelf-Assessment(GlobalTuberculosisInstitute, 2008).

Adapted from: Tuberculosis Case Management: A Guide for Nurses (Global Tuberculosis Institute, 2017)