A large percentage of STEM graduates in the US are foreign-born, and non-native speakers of English. When they enter the US workforce, they face communication obstacles that native speakers will not. Most STEM employees are often required to make presentations,...
Almost all healthcare facilities in the US serve some patients with limited English proficiency (LEP). How you approach communication– how you speak and how you listen, has an enormous impact on the success or failure of the communication. Here are 10 things you can...
All healthcare organizations seek to educate their patients and increase healthcare literacy. Pamphlets and brochures can provide the correct information, but to be effective, they must be interesting and memorable to the reader. These preferences vary by culture....
The Explanatory Model in healthcare is used as a way to understand how patients view their conditions and their expectations surrounding a cure. In the Explanatory Model, providers uses open questions to uncover the patient’s experience, ascribed meaning and...
When speaking in a second language, people will use the structures and style of their native language. This is called first language transfer, or L1 transfer. L1 transfer can affect one’s pronunciation, grammar, spelling, word choice, and communication style....
Stress is extremely important in English. Stressing the wrong syllable or pronouncing all syllables with equal stress are a common problem for non-native speakers, and can be very confusing for the listener. A native speaker may not understand a word that has the...
The interdependence of competency levels in each area defines the quality of the communication. Cross-cultural communication in healthcare has 3 vital components: language fluency, culture, and health literacy. The culturally competent provider can assess a...
Task-oriented cultures and relationship-oriented cultures give and receive feedback differently. A culturally competent manager is aware of these differences and can adjust communication accordingly. When giving performance feedback across cultures, always keep in...
Giving presentations is already nerve wracking. Non-native speakers face the additional challenges of language and cultural barriers to communication. Non-native speakers can dramatically improve their presentation skills and become significantly more understandable...
In order to improve health care delivery and outcomes, providers must develop the cultural competence to serve patients from diverse cultures. Western culture takes a biomedical approach to health care. However, many cultures take a more holistic approach that...