Description
Please share your thoughts on the two articles that you read above on ethics and cultural competency. Do feel you are prepared to work with culturally diverse clients? If not, explain your concerns.
A response to the two student’s discussion responses below are needed.
Response 1-
The important take aways of these two articles is the importance of learning about your client’s historical and diverse background and also knowing when and how to ethically apply knowledge we have learned in real world scenarios. An article states, “Social workers learn ethical decision-making to uphold professional values, such as integrity and social justice, as well as professional principles, such as helping people in need.” (2020). Being culturally aware and sensitive is equally as important as knowing the textbook knowledge that is required. After reading these two articles I feel the main important lesson is to know and learn as much as you can about a client’s diversity and background and knowing when/how to apply it in real world applications. We all have some sort of natural bias from things we have seen, heard, and or experienced as a culture that we sometimes project or even have fears about. So, it is up to us to be aware, open, and constantly seeking knowledge. I do feel prepared in the best way that I can be, but I know myself and I am afraid I won’t fully be prepared until I am in the situation. I am the type of person I have to physically do it or be put in the situation for me to be comfortable in knowing how I will do. Knowing what to do and actually being able to apply it in the moment is my only concern.
Response 2-
After reading both articles on ethics and cultural competency, I feel somewhat prepared to work with culturally diverse clients. Social workers are always working with people from many culturally diverse backgrounds, and we must understand and respect their values, beliefs, and experiences. By enhancing our cultural competency, we can effectively address the diverse needs of our clients and provide them with the support they require. Although workers must be culturally competent with the population they serve, they may only sometimes be familiar with all the cultures they come into contact with. This is why it is important to be genuine, sensitive, and honest about not being familiar with a client’s culture. The article Conducting Program Evaluation with Hispanics in Rural Settings examines the value of trust in evaluations, vulnerability to exploitation, informed consent, and language barriers. I believe I can work with culturally diverse clients if I understand these points and respect cultural differences. Cultural challenges must be navigated by social workers, who must ensure that they interact in a culturally sensitive manner. An evaluator who is not indigenous to the culture might encounter resistance from recipients if trust is not established before the evaluation (Loi & McDermott, 2010). When working with diverse clients, trust is extremely crucial because if it is lacking, important questions may not be answered by the client and a rapport will not be built, therefore the worker may not be able to assist the client. Informed consent can be difficult to get due to language barriers and inadequate literacy. If there is a language barrier, the client might not understand the evaluation and its implications. Being culturally competent is the ability of a person to effectively interact, work, and develop meaningful relationships with people of various cultural backgrounds (Guzaman et al., 2016). By this definition and the two articles, I can effectively work with culturally diverse clients by being culturally sensitive, being aware of language barriers, and ensuring understanding during evaluations. Lastly, I can continuously learn skills and knowledge about different cultures which will enhance my cultural competence and improve my rapport with clients from diverse backgrounds.
References:
Loi, C. X. A., & McDermott, R. J. (2010, July). Conducting Program Evaluation with Hispanics in Rural Settings. American Journal of Health Education, 41(4), 252–256. https://doi.org/10.1080/19325037.2010.10599151
Taylor, H., & Sockolow, P. (2010). Confronting and Resolving an Ethical Dilemma Associated with a Practice Based Evaluation Using Observational Methodology of Health Information Technology. Applied Clinical Informatics, 01(03), 244–255. https://doi.org/10.4338/aci-2010-02-cr-0014
Cultural Competence: An Important Skill Set for the 21st Century. (n.d.). https://extensionpublications.unl.edu/assets/html/…
Reference
Ethical dilemmas in social work: VCU Online. VCU School of Social Work Online Master of Social Work Program Format. (2023, January 24). https://onlinesocialwork.vcu.edu/blog/ethical-dile…
Ethical dilemmas in social work: VCU Online. VCU School of Social Work Online Master of Social Work Program Format. (2023, January 24). https://onlinesocialwork.vcu.edu/blog/ethical-dile…Cultural Competence: An Important Skill Set for the 21st Century. (n.d.). https://extensionpublications.unl.edu/assets/html/…
Book and article References-
Loi, C. X. A., & McDermott, R. J. (2010, July). Conducting Program Evaluation with Hispanics in Rural Settings. American Journal of Health Education, 41(4), 252–256. https://doi.org/10.1080/19325037.2010.10599151
Taylor, H., & Sockolow, P. (2010). Confronting and Resolving an Ethical Dilemma Associated with a Practice Based Evaluation Using Observational Methodology of Health Information Technology. Applied Clinical Informatics, 01(03), 244–255. https://doi.org/10.4338/aci-2010-02-cr-0014
Cultural Competence: An Important Skill Set for the 21st Century. (n.d.). https://extensionpublications.unl.edu/assets/html/…
Posavac EJ, Carey RG. Program Evaluation: Methods and Case Studies. Available at: WorldCat database http://www.loc.gov/catdir/toc/ ecip0612/2006012136.html. Accessed April 23, 2010.
