The multicultural workplace: preparing preceptors

As we approach the 21st century, the workforce in the United States is becoming more culturally diverse. This is evident in many of our hospitals across the nation. Preceptors, who are trained as role models, communicators, and teachers, are poorly prepared to deal with the cultural diversity of nurses and their clients. The Texas Medical Center Collaborative Preceptor Program uses several methods to explore cultural differences and increase preceptors' sensitivity to people from other cultures. The course assists preceptors in identifying potential conflicts of value systems and cultural differences and enables them to identify methods of facilitating cultural adjustment. Preceptors are given the opportunity to identify their own cultural values and communication techniques and to experience cultural differences firsthand. The class includes lecture/discussion, gaming, role-play, and video. Experiential learning is used to identify cultural differences without being culturally offensive or stereotypical.