Hate Prevention Program Turns Attention to Hospitals

SOURCE: Maine Public Broadcasting Network 4/7/10

The Portland-based center has partnered with Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston and two affiliated hospitals in creating a program that exposes biases held by hospital staff.

CMMC officials maintain there wasn’t a particular incident that prompted the Healing Hospitals program. But they say an understanding that bias exists and affects patient care led to seek the help of the center’s executive director Steve Wessler.

“I had the chief nurse in a department say that she was sure that the result of insecurities and fears and stereotyping toward immigrants and refugees led her nursing staff to have shorter conversations with immigrants and refugees,” Wessler says.

To listen, view source: http://www.mpbn.net/Home/tabid/36/ctl/ViewItem/mid/3478/ItemId/11697/Default.aspx