Cultural Sensitivity for Healthcare Providers on the Tohono O’odham Nation: A Quality Improvement Project

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to develop and implement an accessible, culturally sensitive educational intervention, a brief PowerPoint presentation designed for healthcare providers and staff of the Sells Hospital ED who provide care to members of the Tohono O’odham Nation (TON).Background. In rural areas of the United States (US), many barriers are present that hinder and complicate access to quality and culturally sensitive healthcare. Within rural and remote settings, the Emergency Department (ED) often becomes the sole source of accessible medical care for a broad range of both acute and chronic healthcare needs. Although the ED is critical for ensuring emergency care for rural populations, it can be a fast-paced and intimidating clinical environment, making it difficult for patients to effectively advocate for their healthcare needs. The ED is focused on delivering acute, critical, vital and lifesaving interventions however, of equal importance is the delivery of culturally sensitive healthcare. Healthcare staff and providers employed in Native American (NA) healthcare settings must possess cultural sensitivity, interpersonal etiquette and be aware of the historical and present-day intergenerational impact of historical trauma experienced by Native communities across the US. Purpose. The purpose of this QI project was to collaborate with TON cultural experts to develop, implement, and evaluate the impact of an educational intervention designed for healthcare providers who provide care for the TON. Methods. This project utilized a descriptive quality improvement design. Results. The educational presentation was co-created with consultation from five (N=5) Tohono O’odham cultural members and experts. These results of the post survey demonstrated that the educational material had a positive and influential impact on six (N=6) healthcare providers who work in the Sells ED. Conclusions. Participatory co-creation of culturally aligned educational material was a valuable aspect of this project. The outcomes of this quality improvement project offer an exemplar of a co-created educational video designed for healthcare providers working on the TON. This project has the capacity to improve cultural sensitivity and enhance quality of patient care and patient outcomes in the Tohono O’odham Healthcare system.