11 Case Studies in Health Care (2025)
Hannah Jeong
Chosen DSJ Communication Outcome: Apply the principles of effective and ethical intercultural communication and demonstrate how individuals and institutions could more effectively communicate across differences in human communities and cultures for the promotion of equity and social justice.
I select a couple of case studies from this site (specifically from the Stereotyping and Communication categories): Understanding Cultural Diversity in Healthcare.
The class reads over the case studies and then discusses them using the following prompts:
Lamar Johnson Case:
How did implicit biases and stereotypes contribute to the misdiagnosis and treatment of Lamar Johnson?
Discuss the impact of the term “frequent flyer” on client care and provider attitudes. What alternative approaches could be taken to better understand and address the needs of clients who visit the emergency department?
Hilda Gomez Case:
How did the initial approach to communication impact the quality of care provided to Mrs. Gomez?
What are the potential risks of using family members, especially minors, as interpreters in medical settings?
Reflect on how cultural and language barriers can affect a client’s willingness to share sensitive information. How can healthcare providers mitigate these barriers?
In addition, students are introduced to Washington State Revised Code (RCW) 2.43, 39.26.300, and 49.60, which govern the use of medical interpreters in Washington State, tying in nursing legal responsibilities.
This UpToDate article (The patient’s culture and effective communication – UpToDate.pdf) is assigned in my lab class, but key points from the reading are also reinforced in my didactic course. Nursing documentation is a major focus for Q1 students, so we discuss the importance of both verbal and written intercultural communication, highlighting how communication practices directly impact client care and outcomes. The article and key points document are shared with the class on Canvas as a pre-class reading assignment.
