Cultural competency video example
This video clip shows a medical problem at hand and then presents the cultural complications and obstacles needed to be met in order to achieve the ultimate goal of saving this woman's life. This video shows the thoughts of the Hmong culture and how they view one's spirit as not present in a person's body during disease. Her body needs to have her soul present before further medical treatment is given. This will be accomplished once a shaman, known as a txiv neebs, in Hmong, or a person with a healing spirit, performs the healing ritual ceremony of bringing back her spirit (Fadiman 1997: 20). After this information is gained, Dr. "McDreamy" shows cultural competency by going forth to accommodate her father's and her Hmong cultural beliefs and seeks a shaman. Combining the Western way of medicine with the Hmong culture's ritual being performed prior presents the respect of the person and their culture while moving towards the goal of helping the patient by completing surgery.