Evelyn Schaafsma

Accessing medication information by ethnic minorities: barriers and possible solutions

Aim: This review discusses two main questions: how suitable is current consumer medication information for minority ethnic groups, and what are effective strategies to overcome existing barriers. The focus is on minority groups whose first language is not the language of the healthcare system.Method: We searched electronic databases and printed scientific journals focusing on (ethnic) minorities, health and/or (intercultural) communication. We also asked a discussion group for references. Results: We found only a few articles on intercultural communication on medication or pharmacy information and one article on the improvement of intercultural communication in the pharmacy. Barriers to the access of medication information by ethnic minorities include second language issues and cultural differences due to different health beliefs, together with the low socio‐economic status often seen among ethnic minorities. Cultural differences also exist among different socio‐economic classes rather than only among ethnic groups. Most often, informal interpreters are used to improve intercultural communication. However, this may result in miscommunication due to a lack of medical knowledge or training on the part of the interpreter. To minimise miscommunication, bilingual health professionals or health interpreters/advocates can be used, although communication problems may still occur. The effectiveness of written information depends on the literacy skills of the target population. Cultural, medical and dialect biases should be avoided by testing the material. Multimedia systems may be alternatives to conventional written information.Discussion: Barriers that ethnic minorities face in accessing medication information and possible solutions involving counselling and additional tools were identified for pharmacy practice. However, more research is needed to develop effective strategies for patient counselling in pharmacy to meet the needs of ethnic minorities.

Debriefing as an opportunity to develop emotional competence in health profession students: faculty, be prepared!

AIMS: In this article, we want to share our perspective on how simulation sessions could contribute to change reality, building a safe environment in which facilitators can role-modeling students to develop emotional competence. Noteworthy, acknowledging and legitimating emotions are also essential components of creating a safe environment for students. We also intend to stress how faculty development programs are essential to guarantee that facilitators will be prepared to accomplish this new learning goal, and how different cultural contexts can influence the process. METHODS: In this narrative review, we will focus on the importance of emotions. Emotions in the context of learning but also learners’ emotions from the viewpoint of teachers, and teachers’ emotions in the context of faculty development. RESULTS: Simulation in medical education is becoming increasingly important. Advances in technology give many opportunities to simulate almost anything you want, with high fidelity and enhanced reality. It creates the possibility of bringing the complexity of real clinical tasks to a controlled simulated environment. While performing these complex simulated tasks, students experience several and sometimes distinct emotions: the emotions of patients and their families, the emotions of the multi-professional team members, and their own emotions, as learners and as future health professionals. Unfortunately, the formal curricula of the majority of medical schools do not address the importance of emotional competence specifically, and students end with the general impression that emotions are mainly negative, and must be avoided and kept at a safe distance. However, there are plenty of data showing how emotions can influence learning and decision-making, and how important it is to create awareness of and modulate them to guarantee the safeguard of patients’ interests. CONCLUSIONS: Emotions directly affect several dimensions of clinical work, such as communication, decision-making, teamwork, and leadership. We hope that including dealing with emotions as a natural goal of the learning activities in the health professions can catalyze the reconciliation between the technical and emotional aspects of clinical practice.