Developing Cultural Competency in Laboratory Practice

Each of us holds preconceived assumptions about the things around us including the ideas, judgments, and values that have been developed from our personal experiences in life. Cultural identity is based on a set of beliefs and behaviors that guide a person's understanding of how things routinely work. But as we become a more global society we must understand that all cultures have a set of acceptable guidelines, some of which, may be very different from our own. Although many schools and companies require employees to attend seminars about developing cultural sensitivity, awareness, and competence, our implicit biases may interfere with the application of culturally competent behaviors in real life. The vast majority of health care practitioners are genuinely focused on the well-being of patients and the quality of medical practice. However, many are not aware of their implicit practices of bias that can cause as much harm as explicit prejudice. To find that we hold implicit or unexamined biases can be disturbing but at the same time it is a requisite first step to developing a culturally competent person. This article explores two models of cultural competence as well as a model for constructive communication in culturally diverse environments. Finally, examples of harmful and biased statements experienced by laboratory students and employees are also discussed with suggestions and guidance for constructive management and resolution. ABBREVIATIONS: LGBT - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transexual, EEOC - Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, IDI® - Intercultural Development Inventory®, NCCC - National Center of Cultural Competence