Emergency departments in hospitals are some of the areas where gender inequality and cultural bias are prevalent. The vices are prevalent both amongst the healthcare workforce and the patients. As an emergency manager, I have been involved in efforts to curb the vices. The hospital’s statement on gender equality and cultural diversity is quite clear. However, in some instances, the statement has been overlooked. In the emergency department, I have been shaping practices that encourage gender equality and cultural diversity.
Gender inequality is prevalent in emergency department settings. The department has fewer women than men offering emergency services. The disparity is even more prevalent when a comparison of women holding leadership positions is carried out (Nair and Adetayo, 2019). The disparity is prevalent despite the number of male and female medical graduates in the US being nearly equal (Nair and Adetayo, 2019). Instances of gender bias are present when consideration of patients receiving emergency services is made. When compared to men, women are less likely to receive competent medical services, especially in cardiovascular scenarios (Schopen, 2017) . Gender bias is also prevalent among transgender people. Transgender persons checking for emergency medical services are likely to be discriminated against ( Chisolm-Straker et al., 2017) . No one gender is superior, and all persons enjoy equal rights. This has been my foundational philosophy when working in the emergency department.
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Merit and competence are some of my guiding principles in the emergency department. I encourage staff members in the department to strive for competence and excellence, as this is usually the criteria for promotions. My strict adherence to this principle when recommending individuals for promotions has seen a significant increase in the number of women getting into leadership positions. Women have proved to be equally good as men and, at times, outdoing them (Nair and Adetayo, 2019). To cultivate an organizational culture that is non-discriminatory, I implement the hospital's policies on paid maternity and paternity leave and flexible and part work options for new mothers (Newman, 2014). To eliminate gender bias to patients, the staff are sensitized on the health rights of all patients. Patient feedback forms that touch on areas of gender bias are used to detect incidences of gender bias. Staff members reported being engaged in the vice face a disciplinary committee that enforces disciplinary measures.
Cultural bias is the other vice prevalent in emergency departments. Individuals from different cultures are likely to be discriminated against in the emergency departments. Cultural bias is prevalent in the hiring of healthcare professionals (Nair and Adetayo, 2019). Bias is also prevalent in the provision of services to patients. My belief in the beauty of cultural diversity has helped me shape the emergency department’s culture from that of bias to diversity. Through leading by example, I am able to bring on board the rest of the staff members towards a culture that entrenches diversity.
I use different measures to cultivate a culture that ensures the inclusivity of persons from different cultures working in the emergency department. Through the understanding that no man can do it all by himself, I have formed a diversity committee that shapes and enforces policies on cultural diversity. The team has prepared a set of measures that enhance cultural diversity. The measures are pinned on the department's board to allow access by both staff and patients. The measures include the hiring of staff on a competency basis with no cultural bias. An ethnically diverse team conducts the interviews. Staff members are also evaluated on diversity as part of their annual evaluation. Through an open communication mechanism, I discuss with all staff cultural diversity issues in our departmental meetings.
To ensure that patients do not go through cultural bias, a raft of measures are used. First, all the staff members go through cultural competency training upon being hired. The staff are mentored and inducted into the department's culture of diversity. Secondly, all signs, posters, pamphlets, and waiting room magazines are in a language that the community understands. Language interpreters are used to break the language barrier between patients and staff. To prevent unwanted practices, patients' feedback forms whereby patients respond on whether they experienced any form of cultural bias are used. Staff members engaged in the vice are them reprimanded through appropriate disciplinary measures.
References
Chisolm-Straker, M., Jardine, L., Bennouna, C., Morency-Brassard, N., Coy, L., Egemba, M. O., & Shearer, P. L. (2017). Transgender and gender nonconforming in emergency departments: a qualitative report of patient experiences. Transgender health , 2 (1), 8-16.
Nair, L., & Adetayo, O. A. (2019). Cultural Competence and Ethnic Diversity in Healthcare. Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open , 7 (5), e2219-e2219.
Newman, C. (2014). Time to address gender discrimination and inequality in the health workforce. Human resources for health , 12 (1), 25.
Schopen, F. (2017). The healthcare gender bias: do men get better medical treatment?. Retrieved 18 January 2020, from https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/nov/20/healthcare-gender-bias-women-pain
