The relationship between cultural sensitivity and levels of work interaction among emergency medical services staff in Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Proper implementation of primary medical care requires appropriate interaction between personnel and the patient. Cultural sensitivity refers to acceptance, openness, and respect for colleagues and patients, regardless of their culture and ethnicity. Due to the importance of cultural sensitivity in emergency medical services (EMS), this study aimed to investigate the status of intercultural sensitivity among EMS staff and its relationship with their levels of work interaction in the workplace. Materials and Methods: This study is a descriptive-correlational study conducted in 2022 with the participation of the EMS staff of Bam University of Medical Sciences. Data were collected through the workforce diversity questionnaire (WDQ-II), and the multicultural sensitivity scale (MSS) by stratified random sampling. Content validity was determined using the opinions of experts and specialists, and the reliability of the tools was assessed using the test–retest method. Findings: This study showed that intercultural sensitivity among EMS staff was not significantly different from the mean score, but work interaction was significantly higher than the mean. The Pearson correlation coefficient test results also indicated a significant inverse correlation between intercultural sensitivity and work interaction. Conclusion: According to the findings, to reduce intercultural sensitivity, it is necessary to familiarize people with each other and transfer information on and awareness of different cultures in the region to the personnel. Therefore, it seems logical that improvement of the interaction between the treatment team, especially among staff of emergency medical services, should receive more attention as one of the factors affecting patient safety and care.

Keywords

• Intercultural sensitivity
• Work interaction
• Emergency medical services