Cultural Sensitivity is a Must for Optimal Patient Care – Case Studies
Emergency physicians encounter complex medical and surgical cases on a daily basis. Patient characteristics such as race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and physical disability can make a common illness as complex as a critical care patient. The emergency physician must understand the unique challenges and obstacles presented by these characteristics. A lack of familiarity may create poor communication and can lead to adverse patient outcomes. During this session, participants will manage common emergency department presentations in the following: Muslim female, orthodox Jewish female, transgender patient, deaf patient and a sickle cell patient. In small groups, participants will focus on the unique patient characteristics, the challenges posed, and considerations needed to provide optimal medical care.
At the conclusion of this session, attendees will be able to:
- Identify the obstacles to providing optimal care to the unique patient groups.
- List the resources needed to overcome the challenges identified.