My name is Tawanda Stewart and I work as a Child Life Specialist at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Children’s Hospital. Today we will be welcoming the Lee Family from Singapore. The father is fluent in English but his wife and their young son Jet speaks Chinese only. Jet is having a surgical procedure and the family has had a very long flight from Singapore to the United States so I’m taking that into consideration on their first day in America. This will be my first time working with a Chinese family so I’m excited and nervous at the same time. What has really prepared me for welcoming this family is a course that I’m currently enrolled in that talk about diversity. While preparing for the course I research the Chinese culture and learned that a lot. I have narrowed down five ways that I will be culturally responsive towards this family.
1. I will review the Jet Lee patient charts to see what surgical procedures he will be having. I will then meet with the doctors and nurses to see how long the recovery will be and if he’s staying for recovery in the United States.
2. I will then call the family prior to their arrival with an interpreter to translate a welcome form me. Introducing myself, my role and leaving my contact information. The contact information will be emailed and sent my mailed in the preferred language of the family. I will then ask the interpreter to ask the parents what Jet likes to do in his spare time. His favorite sports, T.V. shows, music etc.
3. When the family arrives I will greet them with hi and a hand shakes. I will have the interpreter present to better help the families understand what I’m saying as well as answer any question they might have. Along with the nurses we will take a tour of the hospital and explain my role again to the family and Jet. I will give them a tour of our play room and explain to them that I provide age appropriate/developmentally preparation for patients who will be getting a medical procedure done that might be scary or frightening. I make sure that the patients have an opportunity to have all their fears and questions addressed before their procedure. I explain to the family I do this by providing pictures, medical equipment, and teaching dolls to prepare patients for their procedures, focusing on what the patient will feel, hear, see and smell. Sometime patients need extra support during their procedures. I let them know that am there to help them along the way and provide procedural support, having a familiar face and words of encourage.
4. Prior to the family arriving I ask the interpreter to teach me words that I can learn and say to Jet. I want to build a relationship with him and his parents by respecting their home language. I will also make sure that there are a variety of children’s books, magazines and other materials about their culture and other culture as well.
5. I will try to get the family to understand that I’m here to for them. I love to encourage my patients to have some fun! One of the things I knows with helping children to forget about their surgical procedures is to get out of the bed when they can and join me and other children and families in the playroom. I often use art activities to help me better understand what my patients are going through and how they feel about their hospitalization. Emotions and feelings can often be represented through art. This gives me a chance to make sure they are coping well with being in the hospital.
I hope that the Lee family knows that I really want their culture to be respected. So to help me prepare I’ve took it upon myself to research their culture greeting styles and some of the things Jet likes to do. I also reached out to the family prior to their arrival to extend a welcome. I used the interpreter to help me and the family better communicate. I know that this experience has helped me learn more about the Chinese culture and I pray that the family will receive the care that they need and that their experience in America was a pleasant experience.
Tawanda, from reading your post, I am quite sure that the Lee family from Singapore will feel very welcome. I think that reaching out to a family from the beginning no matter where they are from will help in any period of transition. This is what we have to remember as early childhood educators when children and their families enter our classrooms we have a duty to make them feel as welcome as possible. Thanks for sharing....Linda
ReplyDeleteTawanda,
ReplyDeleteThe steps you have taken will show the family that you care which will allow them to trust you. Taking the time to learn words that will help you bond with Jet will make his parents respect and like you and possibly alleviate a terrifying experience for Jet.
Thank you for your commitment to serving families.
Annie P.
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ReplyDeleteHi Tawanda,
ReplyDeleteI chose a family from China. I notice that we both chose some of the same supports( interpreter, pictures representing the culture of the family). I am appreciative of all the information we received on diversity and culture; the information has helped me understand what our families and children need from us.
Magretta