Improving access for newcomers
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When Sumit and Harneet arrived at SickKids’ Emergency Department with their five-month-old daughter Amanpreet,* everyone’s immediate concern was the baby, who had been doing poorly since birth. The infant was admitted and received care for several concurrent health conditions.
However, for Amanpreet’s health to continue improving after her hospital stay, Sumit and Harneet needed help in understanding her medical diagnosis and ongoing care plan. They also had to learn how our health-care system works, and that parents are encouraged to ask questions of doctors and nurses so they can participate actively in their child's care plan.
This is not an isolated situation; each year 40 per cent of new immigrants to Canada settle in Toronto and start to adjust to a culture where services are delivered in new and different ways. To meet their needs, SickKids has developed a program with funding from Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
“The New Immigrant Support Network (NISN) focuses on two key initiatives: cultural competence education for SickKids staff and volunteers, and translation of various patient education resources and other materials into the most commonly spoken languages at SickKids,” says Margaret Keatings, Chief of Interprofessional Practice and Chief Nurse Executive.
The education component includes a half-day workshop for staff and volunteers who do not have direct clinical contact with patients and families, and a two-day workshop for clinical staff. More than 2,000 staff have attended the workshops that teach cultural awareness which will help to ensure that all children and families who come to SickKids have equitable access to high-quality, safe and family-centred care. NISN staff will also interview former patients and their families to capture the needs of the immigrant population and prevent future obstacles.
As part of the project, NISN will translate the 3,000 pages on the AboutKidsHealth website into French and Chinese. In addition, 275 core and family-health information articles and 25 documents such as the Consent to Treatment form will be translated into French, Chinese, Arabic, Spanish, Urdu and Tamil, and, in some cases Punjabi and Portuguese. Audio files of the multilingual materials will be available online at AboutKidsHealth.ca and through other distribution channels at SickKids. Also, SickKids will make best practices available to other hospitals across Ontario through workshops and training on cultural competence.
“The knowledge that our staff have gained from the NISN training and education will assist them to approach families and the care they require with enhanced cultural sensitivity and understanding,” says Marilyn Monk, Vice President of Clinical Programs, whose portfolio includes the busy Emergency Department. “The program supports a partnership-style model for easier and more rapid access to the services that best meet the needs of each family.”
*The names of the family members have been changed.