by Michaell C. Brannigan (Get the Book)This book provides an opportunity for students and health care practitioners to reflect upon the philosophical meaning of "cultural competency." Using examples/scenarios from different cultures, Brannigan (College of Saint Rose) offers insights as a bioethicist on how to unveil the essence of cultural competency through the cultivation of presence. This intriguing work is important because American society consists of at least 66 diverse racial and ethnic groups with multiple values and worldviews. When members of diverse groups access the Western biomedical health care system, multiple clashes and conflicts can occur. To bridge these differences in cross-cultural communication, Brannigan offers insight from his work with multicultural patients and their families and caregivers. Chapter 1 discusses the challenges of colliding worldviews in pluralistic American society and health care. Chapter 2 defines cultural competency, and three critical values to understand culture: space, time, and modes of communication. In the final three chapters, Brannigan advocates for the cultivation of a "face-to-face engagement or being-with the patient" as an approach to improve patient-provider interactions. Strategies to cultivate presence in health care interactions may include active listening, pace, and reciprocity. A valuable resource for students and health care practitioners interested in the subject of cultural competency. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through graduate students and professionals/practitioners. --Choice
