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BOOK: Please give 130 words of feedback in the following posts from the book The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down,”
1.- Jessica:
One of my takeaways from the book is that you cannot possibly be culturally competent for every patient you come across, however you can work to be culturally humble. This means asking questions, not making assumptions, and being okay with looking silly sometimes. Along this same line, I reflected on what kinds of questions a provider should ask every patient in order to best understand their cultural perspective, as well as provide more patient centered care in general. Some of these questions include asking what their understanding of their disease is, what their biggest concerns are, what they want to get out of treatment, what kinds of treatments they hope to receive, and what (if any) interventions or changes they are making at home. Upon thinking more about the dilemma of trying to provide a high standard of care to all patients, I gained the lesson that a standard of care is only helpful when it is individualized to each patient, in order to meet their specific needs and goals. Another cultural lesson from this book is that sometimes taking the time to learn about the values someone holds, whether cultural or not, can help a provider to better communicate with and compromise with a patient. In the case of the Hmong people this means understanding their value of community building and deferring to social hierarchy, which means that a provider may be able to communicate better with them by working with their family and community as a whole. Finally, despite all these lessons on how to provide more effective care, reflecting on Lia’s story shows that sometimes you simply cannot win. This may mean that you may have to break taboos or anger someone in order to provide ethical care, or it may mean that no standard level of care would have been able to catch or treat a particular patient’s condition.
One additional reflection I have on the book is that reading the 15 year afterword is very necessary to get a complete picture of this story. It tells you how the Hmong community has changed, and how the view of culture in medicine has changed. With the addition of the afterword, the book ends on a very hopeful note – you can see how much progress has been made, and feel that making more progress is possible.
2.- Stayce
After reading “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down,” several lessons about providing effective and competent healthcare for diverse populations emerge:
The book highlights the importance of cultural competence in healthcare. Healthcare providers must understand and respect the cultural beliefs, practices, and values of their patients. Without this understanding, miscommunication, mistrust, and conflicts can arise, hindering the delivery of effective care.
The story emphasizes the significance of patient-centered care, which involves adapting healthcare services to meet the unique needs and preferences of patients. Effective healthcare requires active listening, empathy, and collaboration between healthcare providers and patients to develop treatment plans that align with patients’ cultural backgrounds.
The book emphasizes the essential role of clear and effective communication in healthcare. Language barriers, as well as differences in communication styles and expectations, can impede understanding between healthcare providers and patients.
Lia’s case illustrates the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and teamwork in healthcare. Effective healthcare delivery often requires the involvement of multiple healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, social workers, interpreters, and cultural liaisons. By working together as a team, healthcare providers can pool their expertise and resources to address the complex needs of diverse patient populations.
The book demonstrates the impact of social determinants of health outcomes. Addressing health disparities and promoting health equity requires an approach that addresses the social, economic, and environmental factors that influence health.
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