Nurses need to be culturally sensitive to provide competent care. The cumulative diversity within the healthcare workforce itself has received much less attention; yet without attending to increasing diversity in both groups, it is doubtful that efforts to improve cultural competence will be successful. One may be aware of many different cultures, but due to one’s biases, he or she will still not provide the appropriate care. In order for healthcare providers to become culturally competent they need to have the desire, skills, awareness and knowledge. Cultural competence among primary care givers is crucial to identify problems and create proper plans of care for the patient.…
This article was a pilot education program that was developed to look at enhancing cultural awareness, knowledge and skill in caring for Latino patients at home and to measure cultural competency levels in Home Care RN’s. The conclusion of the article was that Cultural competency is part of the foundation of nursing and that the presence of cultural competency helps the clinician accept the patient as a unique individual with unique cultural…
In 2003, The National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC) has provided a checklist provides guidance for ways to implement cultural competent care by nurses. One of the ways implement cultural care included in the list are for facilities to create a cultural competence task force, organization, committee, or work group. The NCCC stated that the group should be responsible for “policy making, administration, practice/service delivery and consumer levels and reflect the diversity within the organization and the community at large.” Additionally, determine the racially, ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse groups within your geographic location served by the facility. Furthermore, determine which health disparities affect the population that are served by the facility. Next, it suggested to complete self-assessments, network and dialogue with other organizations, and seek resources from federally and privately funded assistance…
The purpose of this research of the Asian Hmong culture is to provide an overview of the unique dynamics involved in their culture and how to implement appropriate nursing care. By taking into account the individuals ethnic, cultural and social background we can become more culturally sensitive, and provide culturally competent nursing care. This research will address the Asian Hmong culture, ethnicity, rituals and beliefs as well as the six cultural phenomena that are associated with this culture. It will also address nursing interventions specific to the Asian Hmong culture.…
Zager, S., & Yancy, M. (2011). A call to improve practice concerning cultural sensitivity in advance directives: A review of the literature. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing. doi: 10.111/j.1741-6787.2011.00222.x…
As nurses we come in contact with a wide variety of individuals, they all come from different backgrounds whether it is related to education, social class, ethnicity, or religion. Each individual has their own culture beliefs and it is our duty as nurses to recognize and investigate what those beliefs are to have a better understanding of them and to help guide us in providing the best possible care we can for each patient we encounter. The Heritage Assessment Tool is a great way to bridge the cultural gap between nurse and patient; by gaining cultural competence there can be a greater understanding of patient’s needs thus promoting patient centered care.…
Erika, I also believe that mandatory classes should be require of all healthcare workers to acclimate them to the importance of and the resources available to properly communicate with non-English speaking patients. Healthcare providers that are aware of the availability of interpreter services, will utilize these services more often to break down communication barriers and provide cultural appropriate care to those that do not share the same language (McCarthy, Cassidy, Graham, & Tuohy, 2013, p. 339). This discussion post has informed me of the policies and resources available in my own organization and the importance of seeking this assistance early on with individuals who speak limited English or another language. Education and awareness…
The presence of cultural competence in the health care system and what it means for the health of our diverse population, is something that should be part of the schooling for healthcare providers. Cultural Competence in the health care system is described as the ability to tend to the needs of patients through understanding their linguistic and cultural differences. Our vast, diverse population in the United States makes cultural competence in health care imperative. Without it, we cannot provide other cultures with the effective and comforting health care they need and deserve. In order for culturally diverse people to receive the proper health care they need, health care practitioners must be well versed in other cultures. Their ability…
spiritual, and psychosocial beliefs, as well as that of the support person(s). In addition, an…
Before reading The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down I knew nothing about the Hmong culture, so reading the book was eye opening. “The more we know about culture in general, and our own culture in particular, the better able we are to modify our interactions with others to provide effective care” (Clark, 2015, p. 104). After reading the Fadiman text I have a new outlook on culturally competent care. Providing this type of care if much more than calling an interpreter because it is the “easy thing to do.” We must think about the patient as a whole regarding mind, body, and spirit. As a future nurse, I must remind myself that each patient is different. We all come from unique places, upbringings, and thought processes. From the assigned texts I have gained an appreciation and respect for others way of thinking. Nurses sometimes learn to desensitize themselves from situations, but we need to be seeing things through our patients’ eyes. We must show patients the respect and care that each and every one truly deserves, especially patients who are culturally diverse. The health care system can be a scary place. Seeing health care situations through our patient’s eyes could not only make health care professionals more empathetic, but also more understanding. Just because someone sees medicine different then our Western practices does not mean they are foolish or unintelligent. It means…
Although never the preferred method to resolve conflicts, America has been involved in many wars. During wartime, nurses have had a significant role in the care of soldiers. The Korean War began in 1950 and ended in 1953; the nurses of the Army, Navy, and Air Force were called to duty in combat areas. The Vietnam War began in 1962 and did not end until 1973. Nurses gained experience and were appreciated during both wars, yet the Vietnam War provided nurses with more experiences and nurses were more appreciated than during the Korean War. The length of the Vietnam War with the opinions of the American public, the changes in law and the types of injuries cared for all contribute to the appreciation of the nurses during the Vietnam War.…
There are several key components of a comprehensive cultural assessment when talking to a Hispanic patient. Communication is one of those key components. Hispanics are often multicultural in a language with their main language as Spanish and English is their second language (Gonzalez & Morrison 2016). Communication can also depend on the person’s education level and what gender they are since some cultures have women as second-class citizens and sometimes men talk for them. Hispanics are often flexible with time. They would rather spend time with family and friends and making them feel comfortable than to rush around being concerned about appointments and time. Hispanic are a very close culture they like to kiss each other on the cheek…
Dying is part of the normal process of living, but that isn’t to say that dealing with death is an easy feat. Thus, it is important for nurses to understand their patients’ cultural background in order to provide culturally competent and compassionate care at the end of life. Culturally competent medical care for the dying patient by nurses and healthcare providers alike is a challenging task, especially when religious values, practices, and beliefs influence the treatment decisions for patients as the end of life nears. The purpose of this paper is to discover cultural practices among the Jewish community at the end of life.…
One of the biggest key to provide a good care for Hispanic patients is to establish a good patient and healthcare worker relationship. This only can be done by taking time to know the patient and patient’s family when care for them, asking about the patient’s family and interests before asking of medical issues. Also, it is important to understand cultural practices in regards to health, respect cultural wishes and do not judge. In Hispanic culture, respect is very important value and if healthcare worker didn’t establish a good relationship with a patient will not get that respect that can lead to a communication barrier. In addition, Hispanic patients need to feel a sense of trust with healthcare worker before discussing any health related issues. If a trust not established, patient may not follow on recommendation of the provider and may not give all information. Furthermore, healthcare worker needs to educate the patient on any treatment plans and make sure that the patient understands that because Hispanic patients may not ask questions. The primary language of many Hispanics is Spanish, so it is important to use an interpreter when communicating with this population. Most of the times, Hispanic’s will come with their family members for the appointments and they will translate for them, but it is not always acceptable because they can miss some important…
The Vietnamese Americans are one the minority populations who has disparities in health due to barriers to care. A large barrier to care is the extensive language barrier. As stated above, the new MANC facility will need to have staff members that not only can speak English proficiently, but also are fluent in Vietnamese. However, it does not just call for the staff being able to understand the spoken language but also all literature will need to be in Vietnamese as well. Many elder Vietnamese people have low health literacy in diabetes, cancer, hypertension, and mental health issue but to a shortage of available health literature in their language (Chu, 2011). To help solve this issue, and to better promote the new Vietnamese nursing home, Mary Ann partner with a primary care physician who works with many Vietnamese elderly patients. This can be used to help lessen the barrier to access health care services, and promote the new facility and its…