Bias and Stereotypes within the Community
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In clinical settings, medical professionals and patients are likely to exercise implicit bias or work according to stereotypes about a group of people. The biases are sometimes unconscious, even though the individual still had good intentions. Among health care works, a nurse recognizes bias where they spend reduced time touching patients, carry out their rounds with their hands in the pocket or crossed, maintain more than the usual distance from a patient in bed (Stratis Health, 2020). On the other hand, patients’ bias is indicated by an increase in the number of patients foregoing their treatment, a decrease in the number of patients being screened, total avoidance of health care by the population, and a decrease in the quality of health in the community.
Luckily, it is possible to get rid of the bias, whether inherent or not, and enhance the quality of care offered to patients. First, both health care workers and patients should acquire self-awareness of their attitudes and behaviors while dealing with other people. This is done through regular self-assessment, after which the nurse or patient should acknowledge the bias they possess towards a specific person or group. Acknowledgment is followed by a positive step, empathy, where the nurse tries to understand what the patient receiving the bias, is feeling. After understanding the situations and circumstances affecting patients from different backgrounds, the nurses take on an advocacy role where they involve other health care professionals to ensure that the patients are not discriminated against and are offered the best treatment options available (Bucknor-Ferron & Zagaja, 2016). Lastly, the nurse may take on an educative approach where they create awareness both in the hospital and the community on the existence of bias, which consequently decreases its incidence.
References
Bucknor-Ferron, P., & Zagaja, L. (2016). Five Strategies to Combat Unconscious Bias. Nursing Center.
Stratis Health. (2020). Implicit Bias in Health Care. Culture Care Connection.