Cultural Differences In Health And Social Care Essay

Another social factor impacting nursing and healthcare is the amount of cultural differences we see today. Despite the fact that diversity is an ever increasing concept, minorities are still underrepresented in healthcare and this runs the risk of resulting in a lack of access to care, high poverty rates, and unemployment (Masters, 2017). With more minorities entering the healthcare force, these disparities should decrease as no group should be left with less access and greater risks. Along with the need for greater representation, nurses “must first understand their own culture and how this can affect others” (McCracken, 2014) in order to provide culturally safe care. Different cultures have different beliefs and values, and when taking this

One of the main regulatory factors that has a direct impact on nursing would be licensure. Licensure has been vital in order to maintain the quality control of the nursing education process since the beginning of the profession (Shoemaker, 2002). The examination and licensure procedure first began in 1904 and “sets standards and qualifications for the licensed practitioner and holds the power to punish those who violate the law” in order to guarantee the safety of the public (Shoemaker, 2002). This procedure has continued over time, however, changes are starting to be made to allow this process to be much more convenient. Instead of requiring nurses to go through the process of licensure for each state they wish to practice in, states have begun to adopt a multi-state license that would allow them to only have one license. This multi-state license allows for nurses to have greater mobility between state borders while still requiring “uniform licensure requirements so that all states can be confident the nurses practicing… have met a set of minimum requirements” (About the NLC), ensuring public safety. This new policy is creating more opportunities for nurses to find jobs in different areas without the trouble of paying extra fees and waiting times for their information to be transferred and