Cultural awareness: bridging the gap between caregivers and Hispanic patients

The healthcare environment is undergoing rapid change. Healthcare settings have shifted from acute care to encompass a variety of other locations. The healthcare work force is changing from a common ethnic origin to include a multitude of ethnic and racial groups. The patient population also embraces a plethora of different cultural backgrounds. By the year 2080, an estimated 51.1% of the population will be composed mostly of Hispanics, followed by African Americans and Asians. This dynamic transformation has created a critical need for nurses to become more knowledgeable and culturally aware to care for and work with people of other cultures. This article attempts to sensitize nurses to the important roles culture and ethnicity play in the delivery of optimal nursing care. The domain of intercultural communication and its importance in providing culturally competent, patient-relevant care is discussed.