culture_tool_tl05.html

Cultural Competency Tools

Berlin & Fowkes' LEARN model

Berlin & Fowkes' LEARN model is a cultural competency tool that provides guidelines in clinical practice for attending to issues in cross-cultural communication with patients.

Listen
Explain
Acknowledge
Recommend
Negotiate

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The LEARN model provides guidelines
in clinical practice for cross-cultural
communication with patients.

Enter text for rollover 1Berlin, E.A. & Fowkes, W.C., Jr. (1983). A teaching framework for cross-cultural health care - application in family practice. Cross-cultural Medicine. West J. Med., 12: 139, 93-98.... or select a jpg

Enter text for rollover 2Listen with sympathy and understanding to the patient's perception of the problem.

What do you feel may be causing the problem?
How do you feel the illness is affecting you?
What do you feel might be of benefit?

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Enter text for rollover 3Explain your perceptions of the problem.

Diagnosis is often an educated guess at first.
Provide some preliminary explanation.

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Enter text for rollover 4Acknowledge and discuss the differences and similarities.

Find areas of agreement between explanatory models.
Bridge gaps between different belief systems.

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Enter text for rollover 5Recommend treatment.

Involve patient in the planning of treatment to incorporate culturally relevant approaches.
Check for patient understanding and acceptance of recommendations.

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Enter text for rollover 6Negotiate agreement.

Recovery is more likely when the therapeutic process fits within the cultural framework of the patients' perception of healing and health.

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