Date of Award

1-1-2013

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Specialization

Communication and Leadership

School or Department

School of Leadership Studies

First Advisor

Dr. John Caputo

Second Advisor

Dr. Giovanni Caputo

Abstract

It is apparent by the supporting research that the actual front-line providers have not been given a place at the table in an attempt to identify cross-cultural communication training needs for prehospital medical personnel. This lack of dialogue, in addition to a homogenous industry, has resulted in inconsistencies and inadequate care of diverse patients. This work examined both knowledge of how ethnicity impacts the pre-hospital medical encounter as well as attitudes toward cross-cultural nuances held by current pre-hospital medical providers. Specifically, this study analyzed survey responses designed to identify current knowledge and attitudes. The data was obtained using a quantitative research method in the form of an on-line survey. The findings can help us to understand the important next steps that must be taken to reframe perceptions of how culture influences the medical encounter and alter behavior in a way to provide a more consistent level of care across the board. Based on the Socio-Cultural tradition of Communication and Social Judgment Theory, members of the pre-hospital medical provider industry cannot begin to question their attitudes, or internal anchors, and begin to develop a shared understanding of health care across cultural divides until we begin a dialogue within our communities.

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