HCA 350: Transcultural Competency in Health Care Administration (HCA)

Course Description

This course explores the importance of transcultural competencies as standards of care in health service organizations. The long-term goal of cultural competency in healthcare delivery is to decrease disparities in health outcomes. The national standards for transcultural competency, are as promulgated by the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health Care (CLAS) and The Joint Commission. The CLAS standards (U.S. Department and Health Services, 2000, 2007, 2013), recommend healthcare organizations ensure cultural competence of the professional staff. Specific accreditation standards developed by JCAHO support the tenets of the CLAS standards (The Joint Commission, 2014). The course premise is that patients and families will more likely seek care and support care regimens where the healthcare is delivered in a facility that is sensitive and responsive to their particular values, beliefs, practices, and where language services are available that support effective communication. Units in the course offer basic information on the general characteristics and traditions of several cultural and religious groups while cautioning the student not to stereotype, over-generalize, nor to characterize all members of a cultural or ethnic group as alike. Transcultural principles and application to healthcare organizational environments are explored. The role of healthcare administrators in facilitating culturally competent environments is integrated to assist students in gaining knowledge of formulating policies and procedures to reach such organizational goals. The course emphasizes cultural competence as an ongoing journey - not an end point. (3 credits)

Prerequisites

  • ENG 101: English Composition 1
  • ENG 102: English Composition 2

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

  1. Examine the concept of culture and how cultural beliefs influence an individual’s approach to health, illness, and treatment.
  2. Explain the impact of racial and ethnic disparities in health diagnoses and treatment of diseases.
  3. Identify personal and professional tendencies toward bias and stereotyping through specific examples.
  4. Recognize common cultural models of health and illness in the community.
  5. Explain the need for language services in the clinical setting and options to meet identified needs.
  6. Relate the achievement of cultural competence within a system of care to the necessity of collaboration across multiple health service organizations and disciplines.

Course Activities and Grading

AssignmentsWeight

Discussion Questions (Weeks 1-8)

30%

Self-assessment (Week 1-2)

10%

Analysis of Organizational Mission, Vision, Values, & Diversity/Implicit Biases Assignment (Week 3)

10%

Transcultural Approaches in Healthcare Treatment Approaches Assignment (Week 4)

15%

Research Paper (Week 7)

25%

Journal (Week 8)

10%

Total

100%

Required Textbooks

Available through Charter Oak State College's Book Bundle

  • Dreachslin, J.L., Gilbert, M.J., & Malone, B. (2013). Diversity and cultural competence in healthcare: A systems approach. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. ISBN-13: 978-1-118-06560-0
  • Ritter, L.A. (2023). Multicultural Health. (3rd ed). Cognella Academic Publishing. ISBN: 978-1-79357-037-6

Course Schedule

Week

SLOs

Readings and Exercises

Assignments

1

1

Topic: Culture and Diversity Defined

Readings:

  • Lecture: The Compelling Need for Cultural and Linguistic Competence (see)
    https://nccc.georgetown.edu/foundations/need.php
  • Dimensions of Diversity (Week 1 lecture)
  • Textbook: Diversity & Cultural Competence in Health Care: A Systems Approach
    • Chapter 1 - Systems Approach to Cultural
      Competence
  • Textbook: Multicultural Health
    • Chapter 1 - pp. 2-12
    • Chapter 2 – Review the Purnell Model for Cultural Competency and Leininger’s Sunrise Model, pp. 41-44
  • Begin completion of Self-Assessment (Due Monday of Week 2, 11:59p ET
  • Begin selection of country for research paper due in Week 7.
  • Review Overview and complete Student Introduction (not graded)
  • Read and review assigned chapters
  • Review assigned web site information
  • Review Lecture material
  • Participate in Discussion forums

2

1-6

Topic: CLAS Standards and Organizational Implementation

Readings:

  • Course lecture - CLAS Standards
  • Textbook: Diversity & Cultural Competence in Health Care: A Systems Approach
    • Chapter 4 - Foundations for Cultural Competence
      in Health Care
  • Textbook: Multicultural Health 
    • Chapter 1 - pp.20-24
    • Chapter 2 – Review the Purnell Model for Cultural Competency and Leininger’s Sunrise Model, pp. 41-44
  • Review lecture information
  • Participate in Discussion forums
  • Submit completed Self-assessment by Day 1 (Monday) of Week 2.

3

1-6

Topic: Applying Cultural Principles in Healthcare Settings

Readings:

    • Week 3 Lecture information
    • Review your organization’s Mission, Vision, and Values
    • Textbook: Diversity & Cultural Competence in Health Care
      • Chapter 5 - Hallmarks of Cultural Competency
        in Health Care Professionals
      • Chapter 6 - Training for Knowledge and Skills in
        Culturally Competent Care for Diverse
        Populations
    • Textbook: Multicultural Health
      • Chapter 2 - Theories and Models Related to Multicultural Health [Promoting Cultural Competence] pp.44-51
      • Optional Activity: Explore the Harvard University Project Implicit website. Complete a self-assessment Implicit Association Test of choice. https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review lecture information
  • Participate in Discussion forums
  • Submit MVV analysis and implicit biases assignment by Day 3 (Wednesday) of Week 3.
  • Submit names of country for research paper by Friday of Week 3

4

1-6

Topic: Cultural Groups of Asian Heritage

Readings:

  • Week 4 Lecture
  • Textbook: Multicultural Health
    • Chapter 4 - Complementary and Alternative Medicine
    • Chapter 9 - Asian American Populations
  • Independent Internet/Library Research related to transcultural approaches in healthcare treatment
  • Video: Chinese Medicine - An Ancient Practice
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review lecture information
  • Review video
  • Participate in Discussion forums
  • Continue development of research paper
  • Submit Transcultural Approaches in Healthcare Treatment assignment by Day 3 (Wednesday).

5

1-6

Topics: Cultural Groups of Hispanic/Latino Heritage and US Americans of European Heritage

Readings:

  • Textbook: Multicultural Health
    • Chapter 6 - Hispanic and Latino American Populations

    • Chapter 10 - European and Mediterranean American Populations

  • Review assigned chapters
  • Participate in both Discussion forums
  • Continue development of research paper

6

1-6

Topic: African Americans, Native Americans/Alaska Natives

Readings:

  • Textbook: Multicultural Health
    • Chapter 1 - Introduction to Multicultural Health, pp.13-20
    • Chapter 7 - American Indian and Alaskan Native Populations
    • Chapter 8 - African American Populations
    • Chapter 13 - Closing the Gap: Strategies for Eliminating Health Disparities
  • Textbook: Diversity & Cultural Competence in Health Care
    • Chapter 2 - Systematic Attention to Health Care Disparities

  • Review assigned chapters and web site
  • Review lecture information
  • Conduct Internet/Library research assignment by Day 3 (Wednesday)
  • Participate in Discussion forums

7

1-6

Topics: Spirituality, Religion and Health

Readings:

  • Read assigned chapter
  • Participate in the Discussion forums
  • Review the Lecture information
  • Submit research paper by Day 3 (Wednesday) of Week 7

8

5

Topic: Utilizing Resources to Serve Multicultural Patients

Readings:

Video:

  • Review assigned chapters
  • Review lecture information
  • Review videos
  • Participate in Discussion forums
  • Submit Journal assignment by Day 3 (Wednesday) of Week 8

COSC Accessibility Statement

Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.

COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources

Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.