Cultural Awareness and Self-Reflection

• Cultural awareness is the recognition and appreciation of one's own culture and the cultures of others

• Self-reflection is the process of examining one's own beliefs, values, assumptions, biases, stereotypes, and prejudices that may affect one's interactions with others

• Healthcare providers need to be culturally aware and self-reflective to understand how their own culture influences their perceptions, attitudes, behaviors, and communication styles

• Cultural awareness and self-reflection can help healthcare providers avoid cultural misunderstandings, conflicts, or errors that may compromise patient safety or quality of care