CLAS Standards and Cultural Competence in Nursing Practice

National CLAS Standards Overview

The principal standard of CLAS is to provide equitable, effective, understandable, and respectful care services that are responsive to diverse cultural health beliefs, preferred languages, communication needs, and health literacy. Healthcare organizations achieve this standard by sustaining leadership that promotes health equity through practices, policies, and allocated resources.

The CLAS framework encompasses governance, leadership and workforce, communication and language assistance, and continuous improvement and accountability (HHS.gov, n.d.). Organizations use the governance standard by recruiting and promoting a linguistically and culturally diverse workforce responsive to the population served. Communication standards are met by providing language assistance to individuals with limited English proficiency and ensuring easy-to-understand materials are available.

Improving Cultural Competence Through Nursing Action

One effective nursing action to improve cultural competency is establishing common ground with patients by sharing something about one's own culture that is similar to the patient's. This rapport-building technique helps resolve preconceived barriers and fosters trust (Deering, 2024). For instance, when advising a patient on healthy eating, mentioning a healthy dish from their cultural background creates connection and promotes adherence to care plans.

Cultural competence enables nurses to provide care tailored to the beliefs, needs, and values of patients, promoting a patient-centered approach that fosters communication, trust, and collaboration between patients and healthcare providers.

References

• Deering, M. (2024). Cultural competence in nursing. NurseJournal. https://nursejournal.org/resources/cultural-competence-in-nursing/
• HHS.gov. (n.d.). National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services Standards. Think Cultural Health. https://thinkculturalhealth.hhs.gov/clas/standards