Cultural competence is a process in which healthcare professionals strive to effectively work within the cultural context of an organization by respecting another’s difference and not allowing biases to influence the care that is provided. It essentially requires the knowledge, skills, and understanding of all diverse groups, as it is the healthcare professional’s moral and ethical commitment to patients, families, and communities. To improve cultural and linguistically appropriate care, organizations and their healthcare professionals must understand cultural competence, and conduct self-assessments to identify bias, values, and beliefs of the healthcare professional.
