Giving Care

The Enrichment of Multiculturalism

BY NEONILLA DENISENKO-HUBBARD, B.S., R.T.(T)

Showing patients dignity, respect and understanding of their ethnicity is as important as treating their individual needs.

at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York who has been working with cancer patients for more than 13 years. I believe that multicultural competency in health care is an ethical imperative, a tool essential for us to provide the highest quality patient care. To understand where my views come from, you have to understand where I come from, literally. I am a new immigrant, born of Russian heritage and raised in Turkey. My ancestors were sent to build an outpost in the frontier of Turkey in 1876 and remained in that foreign land. We were always isolated. As soon as we said our names, traditions and religion set us apart from our fellow citizens, even in a secular culture we shared for more than 100 years. When I came to the United States in 1984, I was amazed to experience the true mixture of cultures. I proudly learned English and discovered that Queens, N.Y., is the most culturally diverse community in the world. Upon receiving the Clinical Excellence Award and graduating from MSKCCs radiation therapy school, I worked at the hospital and, with the support of MSKCC, earned my bachelors degree online. Because I come from a mostly homogeneous country, I
AM A RADIATION THERAPIST
PHOTO: FMUCAR, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

appreciate the varied cultural backgrounds of my patients and coworkers. Each patient has unique cultural qualities that are noticeable right away when you meet them. In treating Indian or Turkish patients, I notice how many wear traditional bracelets. Indians believe that wearing them is medicine that prevents harm to the body. After all, the pharaohs, Indian rajas, Chinese emperors, Persian kings and many others wore similar bracelets for protection. Some Turkish patients wear an evileye bracelet. In Turkish culture, the belief is that this bracelet protects them from outside harm. This is a widely held belief among many Mediterranean cultures. Understanding traditions like these is a way of showing patients dignity, respect and understanding of their ethnicity, which is just as important as treating their individual needs. My translating for patients who only speak Russian or Turkish is a valuable asset. As caregivers working in multicultural environments, we are enriched when we share our empathy and understanding with patients. We should never forget that this is a nation of immigrants. As caregivers, its our responsibility to understand and respect our patients culture, beliefs and attitudes. S
NEONILLA DENISENKO-HUBBARD, B.S., R.T.(T),

has been an ASRT member since 2001. She would like to thank her husband, Joel, and sons Freeman and Oliver, her American dreams.

S I D E N OTE

A Turkish evil-eye bracelet

ASRT has developed a cultural competency tool kit to assist medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals in learning more about cultural diversity. You can check it out on ASRTs website at www.asrt.org/culturalcompetencies.

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