American Indian Culture Research Paper

The culture that I chose was the Native Americans or American Indians. In the US today, there are approximately 560 federally recognized tribes, who mostly live in 26 states. More than half live within 10 states. In those 10 states, the largest to smallest number of inhabitants by state would be California, Oklahoma, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, New York, Washington, North Carolina, Michigan, and Alaska.

Healthcare has been an issue for years with the American Indians because of issues with poor road conditions, lack of transportation or money for gasoline, isolated living, and no heathcare providers in the area. Because of this issue, the Indian Health Service (IHS) was founded in 1954 to raise the health status of the American Indians
This can lead to issue of chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, spousal abuse, teen pregnancy, fetal alcohol syndrome, sexually transmitted diseases, suicide, and homicides. Also, increased risk of diabetes, renal disease, cardiovascular disease, and gallbladder disease. Many of these issues will require patient care and/or hospitalization, therefore, nurses and healthcare providers will need to be able to culturally care for these patients.

This is the prevalence in the US for the cause of death in American Indians vs. the US population as a whole:

It is important not to stereotype any individual, and with American Indians, that is true as well. American Indians can be bicultural, which means that they practice bother American Indian ways and mainstream American ways. Because of this, healthcare providers my take care to access the cultural patterns for each client to avoid stereotyping.

Here are some of the different things that you might encounter in the care of an American Indian patient:
• Spiritual and healing ceremonies performed in the patient’s room.
• Herbs and spices used to purify the room of evil spirits and
• They feel it is rude to talk in a loud voice or make eye contact.
• Speak in a quiet setting so that the they can hear you, since they feel it is rude to have to repeat themselves.
• Be careful with telling a patient that something is “positive” or “negative”, as they might misconstrue the meaning to be good news, when it is not.
• Watch for nonverbal cues for pain, such as grimacing, withdrawing, becoming immobile, holding painful area, problem breathing, or restlessness, since they are stoic about expressing pain.

American Indians have a strong sense of family, and it is not limited to blood family either. This can lead to a huge number of visitors who like to sing and chant for the health and well-being of a family member. They have even been known to set up on the hospital lawn to play drums and sing for the patient. Visiting family members show support by remaining silent.

Lastly, when it comes to the care of a deceased member of the family, American Indians usually select someone from the family that prepares the body for its journey to “the other side”, so it is important to know this to respect their