what is You are required to submit your responses to the following case study scenario, which builds on the previous 2 scenarios about ‘Margaret’

There are 2 discharges this morning, and it is your role to ensure that all goes well. Your clients will need for you to ensure they have transport organised, understand the post discharge plan and instructions, and complete paperwork

Margaret is an elderly Aboriginal lady (who is known to you) is being discharged from hospital following her orthopaedic surgery. You are assisting Margaret to pack her belongings and await her granddaughter to one to attend for a discussion around exercise, follow up appointments and contacts for any problems that Margaret may have. You are aware that other members of her family will be collecting her to take her home soon.

Your second patient to be discharged this morning is unknown to you. They had minor orthopaedic surgery a few days ago, and only need minimal instructions before they can leave. As you have learned a recent lesson about appropriate care for your patients, you read the notes thoroughly and note they have a small amount of English, but will need translation for more detailed information. There are no notes around transport home, and the next of kin contact number is not picking up. You then make a point of introducing yourself as best you can, and let them know through hand gestures that you can assist them to pack their bag if they would like. As Margaret’s granddaughter is one of the Aboriginal liaison officers, you decide to wait for her to ask for her assistance. You need to know who will be transporting them to home (noting they are from an island off the northern coast, to where transport can be quite difficult).

May arrives, and asks you if everything is ready for Margaret to be discharged. You reply that that you need to talk about the discharge plan before Margaret leaves, but ask if they could quickly help you with another matter, and ask them to follow you to the other patient’s room. ….is hesitating, saying that she needs to know who is in the other room. You tell her ‘it’s ok’, because this is another Aboriginal person

The patient sees May and quickly averts his eyes, struggling to turn around on the bed. May also becomes visibly upset and runs out of the room. You follow her and find she is distressed, and says ‘you shouldn’t have done that!’ She explained she cannot speak with or look at this patient, and that she will be ‘in trouble’ because of this. When you ask why , she just says ‘culture, and that’s all I can say’

Once again, you feel that you need to apologise, however you don’t know what you have done.

Where did you go wrong?

Questions  What strategies could you now put into place for promoting cultural safety for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander patients at your workplace and their communities