- Informationen
- KI Chat
Unit 21 - Equality and Diversity within Healthcare - Essay - Distinction
Nursing
Kommentare
- Thanks for your help
- I'm glad it's been helpful x
- was this done through learn direct?
- No but its the same course - this was through Highbury/ portsmouth college
Was Studierende auch interessant finden
Ähnliche Dokumente
- Unit 14 - The Brain and nervous system - Academic Report - Distinction
- Unit 13 - Social factors in Health and social care - Academic Report - Distinction
- UNIT 12 - The Human Muscular and Skeletal systems - Illustrated Report - Distinction
- Unit 11 Approaches to health - Essay - Distinction
- Unit 5 Illustrated Report
- Final Submission - History of the NHS (Distinction)
Text Vorschau
Emma O’Casey
20/06/
Equality and Diversity
The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate an understanding of equality and diversity within the healthcare setting.
How Equality and Diversity Can Be Promoted Within Healthcare.
What is equality and diversity?
Equality is the state of being equal and ensuring everyone has equal rights. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, although it should be.
In contrast, diversity is a range of different things. When they are bracketed together: it means to involve and include.
Queensborough community college (2020) describes the concept of diversity as an “understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing our individual differences.”
Equality and diversity can be promoted readily. It is as simple as treating others the way you would like to be treated yourself – with respect and dignity.
Many people don’t understand that inequalities have changed over the years. For example, the poverty that exists now is different to the poverty of the nineteenth century. The same applies to attitudes to both race and gender, and many other protected characteristics, and therefore racism and sexism, and discrimination as a whole. As inequalities change and evolve over time, so does discrimination. Most people know it is wrong to call someone a derogatory name because of their race, age, gender, disability etc. However, microaggressions are currently very common and subtle: you may not even realise you are doing it. For example: admiring the natural hair type which a person of non-white origin has.
Inclusive practice is the key to promoting equality and diversity. It’s a great way to work alongside others. And to learn to value every individual’s unique attributes; learn about other cultures, religions, beliefs and languages; and to learn from each other and from each other’s mistakes in an atmosphere of respect and dignity.
This also helps gain perspectives for person-centred care. For example, the best way to learn how to properly care for someone is to ask them and include them in the process. Every person is an individual and should be treated so. Just because one woman likes to be washed one way doesn’t mean every woman will want the same.
In the case study:
The infirmary does not sound like it encourages Inclusive Practice. Salome’s experience in her first week is that equality is not present, and diversity is not valued but ridiculed. In particular, the woman service manager has no valid reason to disbelieve Salome’s claims about racism on the ward. However, even if she didn’t instinctively believe Salome, she should be duty-bound to investigate Salome’s claims and not discriminate against her.
How Prejudice and Discrimination May Lead to Disempowerment.
Prejudice is a preconceived idea or judgement normally stemming from a negative opinion or experience. Whereas discrimination is the unjust treatment of people due to race, age, gender etc.
Although prejudice can lead to discrimination, it is possible for a person to retain prejudice and yet not discriminate, perhaps in a laudable effort to uphold professional standards.
Discrimination and prejudice effect everyone – not just those involved but the workplace environment and society as a whole, on both a macro and micro level. The victim may suffer low self-esteem and health issues caused by bullying, which in turn may affect their life out of work. Whereas the workplace environment and employer will suffer from conflicts within the workplace, as well as marginalisation and disempowerment of some staff.
Disempowerment is a common effect of prejudice and discrimination. Many people believe that bullying only happens in school. Unfortunately, it is everywhere from the high street to hospital. The playground just got larger. A large part of discrimination comes from outdated beliefs and a failure to comprehend what constitutes discrimination. In theory, if we continually train and educate staff to be part of a multicultural society, we can prevent discrimination by helping people to understand that prejudiced ideas are not facts but biased opinions.
Discrimination may also happen unconsciously. This can be something as simple as bad habits or microaggressions. Promoting inclusivity and positivity, and challenging inequality will enable people to become aware that what they are doing is wrong.
In the case study:
Salome is constantly disempowered. The secretaries have created a toxic workplace environment for her as they express racist views and talk behind her back in a derogatory way. The staff nurse and service manager are friends with the secretary who appears to be the ringleader of the discrimination. They are not willing to consider that Salome may be correct, and ignore her genuine issues. This creates conflict in the workplace, as well as marginalising Salome and disempowering her role as a registered nurse caring for patients.
The service manager is bullying Salome by ignoring her complaints, equally the staff nurse also bullies Salome by humiliating her Infront of everyone on the ward.
a patient at risk of injury. This creates confusion over what should be of paramount importance.
Clear, full and accurate communication, and clear organisational policies and procedures will go a long way in preventing unnecessary accidents, abuses of rights and deaths. The FREDA (Fairness, respect, equality, dignity and autonomy) principles aim to ensure that trusts and their staff treat everyone with dignity and respect at all times.
In the case study:
Salome’s human rights at work are protected by the law. The Human Rights Act 1998 enshrines them. The infirmary is part of a Health Trust which is a public authority. It is obliged by law to follow these principles and ensure that they are upheld in the work setting.
The rights are based on important principles like dignity, fairness, respect and equality, and include the right not to be discriminated against or harassed on grounds of religious belief or political opinion, sex, race, sexual orientation, age or disability in employment or occupation. (nidirect, 2015)
Salome is clearly being discriminated against and also seems to be the victim of bullying.
While bullying itself is not against the law, harassment at work is illegal under the Equality Act 2010 and includes any unwanted behaviours regarding an employee’s race. (BullyingUK, n.)
Salome should keep a written record of all the incidents, and enlist the support of her RCN rep to protect her rights. Salome should also put any complaints in writing and keep copies of the complaint herself.
Legislation.
In the Equality Act 2010, the UK brought together over 100 pieces of legislation dealing with gender, disability, race and ethnicity into a commission for equality and human rights. Legislation provides guidance and rules for professionals to follow.
According to the Government Equalities Office and Equality and Human Rights Commission (2013) “The Equality Act 2010 legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society.”
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) was introduced to stop discrimination that many disabled people faced on a day-to-day basis. The DDA provided many new rights to the disabled including rights of access to goods and services, education, employment, transport and accommodation. (First Practice Management, 2010)
The DDA ensured all schools and workplaces made reasonable adjustments to provide equal access, opportunities and choices to improve the lives of those suffering from a disability. Public authorities had a duty to promote and improve equality for disabled people. It also helped educate people and bring in new positive attitudes towards others.
For example, a school helping to include someone with a disability helps to show children how important helping others can be, and how to treat people even if they appear to be different to them. This creates an inclusive practice which can then be transferred later in life into the workplace environment.
The DDA helped ensure all children got an education. If children suffering a disability were struggling, there was the help they needed. It also ensured that this continued into further and higher education, and also into the work place.
The DDA was originally created to help combat physical barriers at work. In 2001 it was enlarged to include disability due to Special Needs and Mental Health. Now, all of the constituents of the DDA are enshrined by the Equality Act 2010.
This obligates health providers to abide by equality and diversity legislation, and to provide informative training to enlighten everyone on the issues of equality and diversity.
References
BullyingUK. (n.). Bullying at work - Family Lives. [online]. [Accessed 19th June 2021]. Available at: bullying.co/bullying-at-work/bullying-at-work/.
European Court of Human Rights (2010). European Convention on Human Rights. [online]. [Accessed 19th June 2021]. Available at: echr.coe/Documents/Convention_ENG.pdf.
First Practice Management (2010). The Disability Discrimination Act (Implications for Practices). [online]. [Accessed 19th June 2021]. Available at: firstpracticemanagement.co/knowledge-base/general- administration/discrimination-legislation/the-disability-discrimination-act-implications-for- practices/.
Government Equalities Office and Equality and Human Rights Commission (2013). Equality Act 2010: guidance. [online]. [Accessed 19th June 2021]. Available at: gov/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance.
nidirect. (2015). Human rights in the workplace. [online]. [Accessed 19th June 2021]. Available at: nidirect.gov/articles/human-rights-workplace.
Queensborough Community College (2020). Queensborough Community College. [online]. [Accessed 19th June 2021]. Available at: qcc.cuny/diversity/definition.html.
Bibliography
BullyingUK. (n.). Bullying at work - Family Lives. [online]. [Accessed 19 June 2021]. Available at: bullying.co/bullying-at-work/bullying-at-work/.
European Court of Human Rights (2010). European Convention on Human Rights. [online]. [Accessed 19th June 2021]. Available at: echr.coe/Documents/Convention_ENG.pdf.
First Practice Management (2010). The Disability Discrimination Act (Implications for Practices). [online]. [Accessed 19th June 2021]. Available at: firstpracticemanagement.co/knowledge-base/general- administration/discrimination-legislation/the-disability-discrimination-act-implications-for- practices/.
Government Equalities Office and Equality and Human Rights Commission (2013). Equality Act 2010: guidance. [online]. [Accessed 19th June 2021]. Available at: gov/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance.
nidirect. (2015). Human rights in the workplace. [online]. [Accessed 19 June 2021]. Available at: nidirect.gov/articles/human-rights-workplace.
Queensborough Community College (2020). Queensborough Community College. [online]. [Accessed 19th June 2021]. Available at: qcc.cuny/diversity/definition.html.
RNIB (2014). Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). [online]. [Accessed 05th June 2021]. Available at: rnib.org/sight-loss-advice/equality-rights-and- employment/disability-discrimination-act-dda.
Sayce, L. and Boardman, J. (2003). The Disability Discrimination Act 1995: implications for psychiatrists. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, [online]. [Accessed 10th June 2021]. Available at: cambridge/core/journals/advances-in-psychiatric- treatment/article/disability-discrimination-act-1995-implications-for- psychiatrists/18F22A97E61E0D5288B3DDD243BB5409.
Unit 21 - Equality and Diversity within Healthcare - Essay - Distinction
Fach: Nursing
Was Studierende auch interessant finden
Ähnliche Dokumente
- Unit 14 - The Brain and nervous system - Academic Report - Distinction
- Unit 13 - Social factors in Health and social care - Academic Report - Distinction
- UNIT 12 - The Human Muscular and Skeletal systems - Illustrated Report - Distinction
- Unit 11 Approaches to health - Essay - Distinction
- Unit 5 Illustrated Report
- Final Submission - History of the NHS (Distinction)