Presentation Description
Aisha Mansfield1
Clare McNally2 and Claire Mustchin3
1 University of Melbourne
2 Melbourne Dental School, The University of Melbourne
Clare McNally2 and Claire Mustchin3
1 University of Melbourne
2 Melbourne Dental School, The University of Melbourne
Background:
Cultural safety (CS), with specific reference to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, is a key requirement for accreditation of dental programs in Australia. It is taught and assessed across the Melbourne Dental School (MDS). However, we have not been assessing the student’s clinical competence in cultural safety, rather focusing on their awareness and ability to be sensitive to the overall healthcare needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Cultural safety (CS), with specific reference to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, is a key requirement for accreditation of dental programs in Australia. It is taught and assessed across the Melbourne Dental School (MDS). However, we have not been assessing the student’s clinical competence in cultural safety, rather focusing on their awareness and ability to be sensitive to the overall healthcare needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Summary of work:
In 2023, we invited an experienced Aboriginal dental professional (AM) to jointly write the CS OSCE station with an academic staff member (CM). The case information was jointly discussed, and what constituted CS in the encounter was determined by AM and is also reflected in the literature (1).
In 2023, we invited an experienced Aboriginal dental professional (AM) to jointly write the CS OSCE station with an academic staff member (CM). The case information was jointly discussed, and what constituted CS in the encounter was determined by AM and is also reflected in the literature (1).
Discussion:
This collaboration led to the creation of an OSCE station that assessed CS and history taking in a dental appointment. The station will be trialled in the final year Bachelor of Oral Health OSCE in September 2023, with AM participating as the simulated patient and co- examiner. This new collaboration will give insight into future work so that it can be developed further and implemented across MDS programs.
This collaboration led to the creation of an OSCE station that assessed CS and history taking in a dental appointment. The station will be trialled in the final year Bachelor of Oral Health OSCE in September 2023, with AM participating as the simulated patient and co- examiner. This new collaboration will give insight into future work so that it can be developed further and implemented across MDS programs.
Conclusion:
Collaborative partnerships between Universities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities will improve CS practices and lessen the cultural load on individuals. Taking an iterative approach to this work and not rushing this collaboration and process is important. Significant investment is required to ensure the expansion of a sustainable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander CS assessment program.
Collaborative partnerships between Universities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities will improve CS practices and lessen the cultural load on individuals. Taking an iterative approach to this work and not rushing this collaboration and process is important. Significant investment is required to ensure the expansion of a sustainable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander CS assessment program.
Take-home messages:
- Cultural safety should be determined by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
- Individual people cannot be responsible for or represent all CS initiatives at the School; educating staff and building a culturally safe team is imperative to making these initiatives successful.
References (maximum three)
1. Lin I, Green C, Bessarab D. “Yarn with me”: applying clinical yarning to improve clinician- patient communication in Aboriginal health care. Australian Journal of Primary Health [Internet]. 2016 Dec 15 [cited 2023 Aug 9];22(5):377–82. Available from: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=7bdc015c-36e5-36cb-b4c3-f8976e416993