Reference no: EM133823639

Question

Your facility currently has no required language policy regarding personal conversations that occur between staff. However there is a current language policy that stipulates that when patient care is involved or discussions that occur in patient care areas, staff members will use the English language. You have received a number of complaints from staff and patients that nursing staff persons on one particular ward are exclusively using their native language. This is causing discomfort among staff, patients and visitors as they wonder if the nurses are talking about them, being critical, or just exclusive. You, as the Risk Manager, have broached the subject with the nurses and were accused of discrimination. The nurses claim they should be able to speak their native language, to force them to speak English is discriminatory, and insist that if they are having a personal conversation they should be able to have it in whatever language they choose, regardless of the place where the conversation is occurring.. You are pretty annoyed and have a little unconscious bias towards this particular cultural group.

1. First you will need to investigate and determine if the place of occurrence does involve patient areas. How will you conduct this exploration to be sure you do not cause anyone to accuse you of being bias?

2. Should the policies be clarified to allow or not allow personal conversations in a native language regardless of the place of occurrence?

3. How does the practice of allowing staff to speak a native language in a patient care area affect the facility, other staff, and patients? Is your personal bias getting in the way and how can you combat this?