The American healthcare system reflects an increasing amount of diversity and cultural awareness. According to Holloway (2004), cultural awareness is defined as the deliberate cognitive process through which healthcare professionals become appreciative of and sensitive to the values, beliefs, practices, and problem-solving strategies of clients' cultures. Cultural awareness includes an examination of one's personal biases. To understand cultural diversity, individuals must strive to recognize prejudices they may already hold against different cultures. On the other hand, cultural competence is a process through which healthcare professionals can integrate their knowledge and skills to improve culturally effective interactions with clients (Tjale & Villiers, 2004). According to Dreachslin, Gilbert, and Malone (2013), the hallmark of cultural competence is based on healthcare professionals' openness to personal growth and willingness to engage in personal reflection, including recognition of their own implicit and explicit personal biases. Individual prejudices consist of attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that reinforce the presumed superiority of the majority and the inferiority of the minority. Self-awareness can be used as a guide to understanding an individual's hidden and exposed gifts and challenges. Self-awareness is a critical component of cultural competence (Rani, 2007). I was once involved in the care of an autistic teenager who was brought to the emergency room for sustained fever and increased irritability for three days. After several diagnostic tests he was diagnosed with appendicitis and had to be operated on urgently. The surgical team performed the exploratory laparotomy. Returning from the operating room, p......middle of paper......better regardless of his ability to verbally communicate his needs. Cultural topics are often controversial. LaBorde (2010) noted that culture is always a factor in conflict. Ironically, conflict can provide nurses with an excellent opportunity to develop compassion that will lead them to a meeting place where there is a deep respect for differences and an equally intentional openness to the possibility of connection. Healthcare workers are faced with the practical manifestation of these problems on a daily basis. In particular, nurses are more confronted with cultural issues than other healthcare workers because they spend most of their time with patients. However, some nurses are reluctant to address and discuss cultural issues due to a lack of knowledge in treating patients from different cultures (Tjale & Villiers, 2004).