Recently, eight HETS member institutions from across the United States and Puerto Rico, met at the Inter American University of PR, Central Office, during the first meeting towards inter-institutional collaboration to develop an online program in Cross Cultural Health Care.
Deans, professors and head of departments from nursing and health related sciences from California State University-Dominguez Hills, California State University at Bakersfield, University of Texas Pan-American, University of Texas at Brownsville, Herbert H. Lehman College (NY), Queensborough Community College (NY), and Eugenio M. de Hostos (NY), and Inter American University of PR, joined to discuss and develop strategies for the development of the Cross Cultural Healthcare online program.
The Cross-Cultural Health Care program has been designed with a focus on developing cultural awareness, sensitivity and competence in nursing professionals to improve the care of Hispanic clients. It will be comprised of nine web-based modules that are been developed, focusing on understanding the influence that culture has on beliefs and behaviors.
“Knowledge and skill related to caring for clients of many cultures is a necessity for other health care professions as well as for nursing. This project provides Lehman College the unique opportunity of collaborating with other Hispanic serving institutions. The bonds that have developed among the nine colleges and universities are establishing connections that unite us for this project but also for future relationships and endeavors”, declared Dr. Keville Frederickson, Nursing professor at Lehman College.
One of the modules discusses the heritage, basic beliefs, customs and traditions, particularly those that affect health care, of four different Hispanic groups coming from Puerto Rico, Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Central America. The purpose of this module is to sensitize care providers to the variety and differences among the Hispanic community.
Additionally, all nine modules will be translated into Spanish, therefore all modules will be bilingual, further recognizing special language needs of Hispanic health care providers.
The following representatives are collaborating in this innovative initiative: Dr. Keville Frederickson (Lehman), Dr. William Mcintyre (UTPA), Carole A. Shea (CSUDH), Iris Colón (IAU), Lydia Ayala (IAU), Elaine Dellavecchia (QCC), Susan Pfettscher (CSUB), Miriam Zavala (Lehman).
For more information about HETS and its projects, visit www.hets.org and virtualplaza.org.