Cultural Competemility: A Paradigm Shift in the Cultural Competence versus Cultural Humility Debate – Part I

Abstract

For over 30 decades, cultural competence has commanded significant attention, being viewed as the cornerstone of fostering cross-cultural communication, reducing health disparities, improving access to better care, increasing health literacy and promoting health equity. However, a medley of definitions and conceptualizations has created intense debate, questioning its true ability to address cross-cultural problems in healthcare delivery. One ongoing debate centers around the relationship between cultural competence and cultural humility. Part I of this two-part series on cultural competemility will revisit this debate by discussing competing views of this relationship. A new paradigm of thought regarding the relationship between cultural competence and cultural humility will be proposed, one necessitating that cultural humility and cultural competence enter into a synergistic relationship. This synergistic relationship is embodied in a term coined "cultural competemility.” This article presents the debate regarding cultural competence verses cultural humility, defines the term cultural competemility, explains the relationship between cultural humility and cultural competence, describes the process of permeation and concludes by proposing a synergistic relationship between cultural competence and cultural humility to create the process of cultural competemility. Part II of this series will apply an intersectionality approach to the process of cultural competemility and offer strategies for nurses to actively challenge and address inequalities.

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