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Given the importance of multicultural education, its impact on students and the ensuing impact on society, it would appear that studies assessing the efficacy of how social justice issues are taught appear to be essential. However, most studies assessing the efficacy of multicultural teacher education coursework appears to be inconclusive. This paper poses the following questions: to what extent is it possible for students who are teachers and administrators in American schools to engage in a multicultural graduate course taught using a social reconstructionist approach to see outside the boundaries of their own perspectives; and to what extent might a multicultural education course have a lasting impact on their personal and professional lives. Additionally, the study asks whether the effects of a multicultural course may be long lasting and significant.

It is important to examine empirical evidence of cultural competence among health care providers and to understand how it is assessed from an organizational context. There is a dearth of information about these concepts. Given its relevance to caring for diverse patient populations, the purpose of this paper is to present findings from a mixed method study which conducted a general cultural assessment survey of Nurse Managed Health Centers (NMHCs) that were affiliates of the National Nursing Centers Consortium. Findings enabled the authors to formulate recommendations that could strengthen the cultural competence of staff Organizational leadership and advanced practice nurses would benefit from more intentional efforts to increase proficiency of NMHC staff members in their cultural knowledge and sensitivity skills when delivering care to the populations they serve.

In the early 1980's the United States gave the Hmong preferred refugee status and a large number immigrated to the U.S. The Hmong refugees brought with them their language, social structure and customs, religious beliefs and rituals as well as their health care beliefs and practices. They were uprooted from their community and social supports and now live where the culture, language and socioeconomics are vastly different. Despite having learned a great deal about the Hmong culture over the last three decades, providing culturally competent health care for this unique group continues to be a challenge. The purpose of this paper is to enumerate the barriers to providing health care to Hmong Americans and share strategies to respect Hmong culture when providing quality health care. Emphasis is placed on building relationships based on trust and mutual respect. Cultural exchange is encouraged as well as the need for basic cultural awareness.