"The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down" the book by Anne Fadiman is an interesting book that contains different situations where different cultures and traditions clashes as a result of different barriers. In this brief work I tried to shed light on some of these barriers that could exist in our clinical practice and how these barriers could be understood in different cultures. On the other hand, there is no doubt that cultural differences play an important role in problems analysis as well as the illness differential diagnosis, that is why it is important for policy makers and legislatives to set goals that help in including people from diverse cultures into health care systems such as the one of the United States of America. Finally,…
Cultural diversity in the medical field is, at times, greatly hindered because of religious beliefs, language barriers, and the hierarchies of diverse cultures and these have the propensity to affect the continuity of care for the patients. “Every person has different aspects that constitute their identities, according to how they see themselves….This means that seeing an individual in terms of their identity can be unproductive.” (Weaver, 2009). Nursing personnel, in particular, have to take into consideration any and all cultural differences between the patient and the nursing staff. These differences vary in as many ways as there are different ethnic groups in any particular area.…
The United States is a nation of immigrants; they have virtually every culture of the world within its borders. Due to this reason, there must be a certain level of cultural competency within its people. A comparison and contrast will be made to compare the Hispanic cultural views on medical care to the American cultural views toward medical care. I chose to explore Hispanic culture because of my background but most importantly due to its richness of unique characteristics. I will provide an overview on how heredity, culture, and environment can influence behavior in the medical office. Furthermore, I will express my opinion about why a medical assistant, must strive to adapt to a patient’s individualized needs, based on research and experience. To conclude my paper, I will be discussing how I can adjust my interpersonal communication techniques, to demonstrate sensitivity to other’s cultural beliefs, and also, how my knowledge, skills, and attitudes can be applied to medical assisting.…
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…
Culture refers to behavior, attitude, inherited ideas, beliefs, values, and knowledge transmitted and reinforced by members of a group. We live in a culturally diverse society. Purnell (2013) described cultural competence as having the knowledge and skills to deliver care that harmonizes the client’s cultural beliefs and practices (Blais & Hayes, 2016). As healthcare professionals, it is difficult to know and understand in depth the culture of every nationality we come into contact with while performing our duties. However, having an awareness of the cultural belief system that is prevalent in the community or region we practice will make a lot of difference in the service we render.…
As America’s cultural landscape changes, now more than ever, standards of cultural competency and sensitivity are necessary skills for everyone. Cultural competency is the practice of using knowledge of different cultures to enhance interactions with whomever you meet, or in the healthcare field, to treat effectively a multitude of cultures with appropriate sensitivity. This skill will ensure that you give the best quality care to the many cultures making up the United States and in so doing perpetuate and maintain our nation’s commitment to having equal rights and access for all who live here.…
New York City is rich with culture and tradition from around the world. Some of the major challenges I expect to face from working in this environment are the potential cultural divides that can exist between the patient and physician. Language barriers and societal disparities are among some examples that I expect to come across. The ability to be willing to view your patient as an individual, with their own customs and outlooks, forms a large role in building trust between the patient and provider. Though at times cultural differences can be detrimental in providing optimal care to the patient, the right mindset can significantly improve patient-physician cooperation. My multicultural heritage has given me the unique opportunity to interact empathetically with people from various cultural backgrounds.…
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…
Cultural competence in health care combines the beliefs of patient centered care with an understanding of the social and cultural influences that affect the quality of medical services and treatment. With the ever increasing diversity of the population of the United States and strong evidence of racial and ethnic disparities in health care, it is critically important that health care professionals are educated specifically to address issues of culture in an effective manner. Organizations such as the National Academies of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine and the American Medical Association have recognized this.” (OMH - Ofiice of Minority Health)…
Culture influence the values and beliefs that individual develop and is the foundation in which each individual form their behavior, lifestyle, and worldview. It is this cultural norm that individuals perceived health, illness, and wellness. To that extent, patient care needs to be individualized and tailor to fit the need of each individual. A challenge that she faces daily…
The purpose of this paper is to discuss a selected culture’s health care issues, analyze these health care issues from the nurse as educator’s perspective, and lastly state a health promotion intervention applicable to the selected culture. We as nurses care for a culturally diverse population of patients, especially in the Syracuse area. Consequently, it is crucial that nurses be culturally aware and competent, in order to provide the best patient care possible.…
2. One article mentioned that providers should pay special attention to interactions involving information exchange with their American Indian patients. This could involve asking these patients for guidance on how to accomplish tasks more smoothly for patients who strongly identify with American Indian culture. The results of the study suggested that patients’ cultural identities are important to medical interaction (Garroutte, Sarkisian, Goldberg, Buchwald, & Beals, 2008).…
Cultural humility can become a bridge towards cultural competence by ensuring an individual is open and has the desire to pursue a greater understanding of other’s cultures. When a healthcare worker utilizes both concepts, they allow themselves to facilitate the patient’s culture instead of dictating…
As cultures within the U.S. continue to grow at a huge number, the understanding of how to deal with them must also grow. The U.S. is projected to become increasingly more ethnically and racially diverse by 2020. Anyone who has faced the challenge of visiting a hospital in a non-English-speaking country knows both how frustrating and how frightening it can be. When there is any impediment to the healthcare professional's ability to discuss your situation and options or your own ability to ask questions, the likelihood of receiving the care you need is compromised, sometimes dangerously.…
As a country we are facing currently facing a problem based on health care. Every country has their own way of doing things, but which way makes the most sense? Statistics show that Canada’s health care system is working for them, but will it work for the United States? Ezekial J. Emanuel, Holly Dressel, and together, Karen Davis, Cathy Shoen, Katharine Shea, and Kristine Haran, all address possible solutions to this problem. While Emanuel feels that America’s system is sufficient, Dressel, Davis, Shoen, Shea, and Haran believe there are better options. These authors evaluate the different systems based on quality, cost, and accessibility.…