Introduction-Strategies for Equitable and Inclusive Patient Care
In healthcare, "anti-discriminatory practice" refers to the actions taken by healthcare providers to eradicate discrimination as well as encourage equal treatment, diversity, along inclusivity. This involves treating every patient with honour and fairness, irrespective of their personal characteristics such as gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, race, or ethnicity (Bieli?ska et al., 2022). The healthcare industry has an obligation to offer equitable access to healthcare services and guarantee that all patients receive uniform quality care, regardless of their origins. The report aims to evaluate the success of promoting "anti-discriminatory practice" for different patients with different requirements.
Methods Adopted by Professionals to Establish Trust and Build Relationships
Figure 1: Level of patient trust
For establishing a relationship with Valerie, professionals can start by actively listening to her concerns and empathizing with her situation. They can discuss her experiences with bullying and explore options for addressing this issue. It is important for professionals to be non-judgmental as well as acknowledge Valerie's feelings of low self-esteem (Marchand et al., 2020). They can also discuss the importance of healthy lifestyle choices and how this can improve her physical and mental health. Professionals can explore her concerns about going home and offer support to find alternative living arrangements if necessary. They can also refer her for a hearing assessment and discuss vegetarian dietary options.
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Further, for building a relationship with Aisha, professionals can start by showing compassion and understanding for her situation. They can acknowledge her spirituality and work with her beliefs to provide appropriate care (O'Connor et al., 2019). Professionals can assess her living conditions and work with her to address any safety or cleanliness concerns. It is important to involve Aisha in decision-making about her care and support her autonomy as much as possible. They can offer support for her incontinence and delusions, including medication and counselling services.
In order to establish a relationship with Billy, professionals can start by acknowledging his experiences of homelessness and the challenges he faces on the streets. They can offer support for his visual impairment and provide resources for navigating the city. Professionals can address his physical health concerns and refer him to appropriate medical services (Iflaifel et al., 2020). They can also work with him to find alternative housing options and support him in reconnecting with his family if possible. It is important to build trust with Billy by being non-judgmental and providing consistent, compassionate care.
An ethical approach to supporting Valerie would involve a holistic assessment of her physical, mental, and social needs. The healthcare team would need to work with Valerie to develop a care plan that addresses her fears about returning home, her obesity and low self-esteem, and her hearing impairment. Valerie would benefit from counselling and support to improve her self-esteem and address the bullying she has experienced (Karmali et al., 2019). She would also benefit from a referral to a dietitian who can work with her to develop a healthy eating plan that accommodates her vegetarianism. An ethical approach would also involve providing Valerie with the tools she needs to develop coping mechanisms and manage her mental health problems so that she can lead a fulfilling and independent life.
In the case of Aisha, an ethical approach to supporting Aisha would involve recognising her autonomy and treating her with dignity and respect. The healthcare team would need to work with Aisha to develop a care plan that accommodates her Buddhist faith and values (Tiersen et al., 2021). The team should also assess her mental capacity and provide appropriate support for her dementia, including medications and therapies. Aisha's incontinence and lack of food can be addressed by providing support from a social worker or care worker to ensure she has appropriate care, nutrition and hygiene.
For Billy, it would involve recognising his vulnerability as a homeless individual and working to provide him with appropriate care and support. The healthcare team would need to address his immediate health needs, including his asthma and stomach pains, while also assessing his longer-term needs for ongoing care and support (Sabatello et al., 2020). Billy needs social support that helps him to connect with others and to build relationships. An ethical approach would recognize the importance of social support in helping him to overcome his isolation and to build a network of support that can help him to manage his health and well-being.
Strategies and communication techniques
Figure 3: Effective Communication
Individuals with different care, as well as support needs, may face a range of challenges in healthcare facilities, including communication barriers, anxiety, and confusion, along with physical limitations (Mheidly and Fares, 2020). Active listening can serve as an effective strategy which involves paying close attention to what the patient is saying and making an effort to understand their point of view. Healthcare providers can use active listening to better understand the individual's needs and concerns and to build trust and rapport (Arnold and Boggs, 2019). Further, healthcare professionals can utilize visual aids such as "pictures", "diagrams", or "videos" which can help individuals with different support and care needs to better understand their condition and treatment options and it serves as an effective communication strategy between patients and professionals.
Moreover, healthcare providers should use simple language and avoid "medical jargon" when communicating with individuals who may have difficulty understanding "complex medical terms". In addition, healthcare providers can use "non-verbal communication techniques" such as "facial expressions", "gestures", and "touch" to convey empathy and to help individuals feel more comfortable (Moudatsou et al., 2020). They can make adjustments to accommodate the physical limitations of the patients such as "hearing loss", "vision impairment", or "mobility issues". For example, they can use "assistive devices" or provide written materials in large print or "Braille", which will be extremely helpful in the case of Valerie and Billy. They can use techniques such as "deep breathing", "meditation", or "relaxation exercises" to help individuals with anxiety or confusion to feel more calm and centred.
Skills and personal attributes necessary for Professionals
Figure 4: Skills Necessary for Professionals
Various skills and personal qualities are necessary for professionals who provide care for individuals with different requirements. Having empathy towards their patients is a crucial requirement for professionals who provide care for individuals with varying needs (Merlo et al., 2020). This involves the ability to comprehend and relate to their patients' emotions, feelings, and experiences, which is extremely necessary in the case of Valerie, Aisha and Bully. Professionals must have empathy towards Valerie's traumatic childhood and her present situation and compassion for her low self-esteem and mental health problems as well as for Aisha's loneliness and compassion. Effective communication skills as well as active listening are essential for professionals who care for individuals with different needs. They must be able to communicate clearly and effectively with their patients, their patient's families, and other healthcare professionals (Tehranineshat et al., 2019). Since Valerie has a hearing impairment, professionals must have good communication skills, including sign language or other forms of communication, to interact with her effectively and they must also communicate effectively with Billy, considering his visual impairment and finding alternative forms of communication to interact with him.
"Cultural competence" is essential for professionals who care for individuals with different needs. They must be able to understand and respect the "cultural beliefs", "values", and "practices" of their patients and their families. Professionals must be culturally competent, respecting Aisha's Buddhist beliefs and incorporating them into her care plan. "Attention to detail" is crucial for these professionals (Koonin et al., 2020). They must be meticulous in their work to ensure that their patients receive the best possible care. They must be observant of Aisha's wandering tendencies and delusions, paying attention to any changes in her condition, and addressing them promptly. Along with these skills, healthcare professionals require emotional resilience, Problem-solving skills, flexibility, and patience along with a collaborative nature to ensure optimal care for patients.
Incorporating ethical principles
Figure 5: Ethical principles
It is essential to integrate ethical principles into the delivery of support for people with diverse requirements in medical establishments, to guarantee that they obtain adequate treatment that acknowledges their self-respect, independence, and entitlements. Medical practitioners should honour the patient's authority to decide on their healthcare, following the principle of "Autonomy" (Bell et al., 2020). They should furnish precise and pertinent details to patients, pay heed to their worries and inclinations, and aid them in making knowledgeable decisions. While Bily and Valerie do possess the ability to make decisions, Aisha may have limited decision-making capacity due to her dementia; healthcare providers should still involve her in decisions about her care to the extent possible. Healthcare professionals should endeavour to benefit their patients by advancing their physical as well as mental health based on the principle of "Beneficence" (Robert et al., 2020). They must deliver the finest possible healthcare based on the latest medical expertise and ensure that patients receive appropriate treatment and therapies. They should act in Valerie's best interests and support her in making positive changes to her lifestyle, such as losing weight and improving her self-esteem while providing Billy with appropriate asthma treatment and access to nutritious food.
In healthcare, the principle of" non-maleficence" requires that healthcare providers prioritize avoiding harm to patients. This involves evaluating the potential risks and benefits of any medical intervention or treatment and refraining from administering any unnecessary or detrimental procedures (Iserson, 2020). Healthcare providers should ensure that Aisha is safe and free from harm. If living alone at home poses a risk to her, alternative living arrangements should be explored. In the case of Billy, they should address Billy's asthma and stomach pains and ensure that he is not exposed to any harm, such as living on the streets. In the context of healthcare, the principle of justice emphasizes the importance of treating all patients fairly and equally, without any form of discrimination (Robert et al., 2020). Healthcare providers should strive to allocate resources equitably and provide care to all patients regardless of their socioeconomic status, gender, race, or ethnicity. They should ensure that Aisha receives equitable care and that any cultural or religious beliefs she holds are respected, while Billy receives equitable care, regardless of his "homelessness" or "visual impairment".
Confidentiality is a fundamental principle in healthcare that obligates healthcare providers to protect the privacy of their patient's personal as well as medical information. In practice, healthcare providers should take steps to safeguard patient confidentiality by implementing policies and procedures that limit access to patient information. "Cultural sensitivity" in healthcare refers to the ability of healthcare providers to recognize and respect the cultural values, practices, and beliefs of their patients (Robert et al., 2020). It involves acknowledging the diversity of cultures and understanding how it can affect the patient's perception of health as well as illness. Healthcare providers who are culturally sensitive strive to provide care that is appropriate and relevant to the patient's cultural beliefs, background, and practices.
Benefits of promoting personalisation
Encouraging customization or personalisation in healthcare has the potential to be extremely advantageous in addressing obstacles experienced by individuals with diverse requirements. Tailoring healthcare to suit a patient's specific requirements through personalized approaches can result in improved results for patients (Wurcel et al., 2019). For example, a personalised care plan for Valerie could include support for her mental health problems, as well as addressing her concerns about bullying and social isolation. Additionally, a personalised plan could provide resources and education on healthy eating and physical activity that are tailored to her vegetarian diet and physical limitations.
When healthcare providers invest effort in comprehending a patient's distinct requirements and inclinations, it can result in care that is more considerate, suitable, and compassionate. This personalized approach can foster a sense of being valued and cared for in patients, leading to a better overall experience (Kocaballi et al., 2019). A personalised care plan could also address Aisha's incontinence and delusions in a compassionate and respectful manner, while also addressing her physical and nutritional needs and personalisation can benefit Aisha by taking into account her cultural and religious beliefs as a practising Buddhist. If patients perceive that their healthcare is tailored to their unique requirements, they tend to participate more in their treatment and take a proactive approach to their own care. This increased involvement can result in better compliance with treatment plans and ultimately lead to better health outcomes. Further, offering healthcare that is customized to a patient's individual needs can enable healthcare providers to avoid needless tests and treatments, leading to enhanced efficiency and cost savings.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it can be seen that promoting "anti-discriminatory practice" in healthcare facilities is essential for ensuring that patients receive equal as well as fair treatment, regardless of their sexual orientation, race, gender, ethnicity, or any other personal characteristic, which will lead to improved "patient satisfaction", reduced "health disparities", increased "diversity and inclusion" and more compliance ethical as well as legal standards.
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