Cultural differences in Nursing
Culture defines people’s way of life. It identifies and denotes the different values, attitudes, and beliefs of different people. This is an aspect that affects the healthcare system. The cultural way of life of the patient affects the physician’s process of decision making. A healthcare practitioner who is sensitive and knowledgeable about a given culture would always comply easily with a patient-centered care model in multiple cultures compared to those who are unfamiliar with the patients. Culture influences how people perceive health, illness, and death, health promotion approaches, and the form of treatment acceptable to the patient. It is associated with what the patient eats, how they dress, speak, and their skin color. This paper will explain what I am planning to learn and value as a professional nurse in differentiated cultural settings.
Understanding and prioritizing patient values and beliefs is the first goal I will consider in my workplace. Knowing the patient’s preferences in their cultural way helps determine the best choice of service as a nurse, and I can offer to ensure centered care. For instance, patients who have medical complications that restrict their diet intake. Knowing whether the modified diet prescriptions in the treatment regime would apply to the patient makes it easy for them to comply with the instructions. Explaining to the patient on the diet modifications, especially when the prescribed diet is out of the cultural context or it is prohibited in their culture, the patient will feel considered and their choices respected. As a nurse, you can find a better diet that may suit their culture apart from the prescribed one (Kanchana & Sangamesh, 2016). Giving them also the chance to speak out before making treatment decisions will ease the treatment plan.
I will desire to learn new cultural ways. This will help me create a good rapport and trust with the patient. Talking the same language as that of the patient assures them that you understand their condition. It gives them confidence and allows them to share more information that can help in the treatment plan. It also helps to avoid miscommunication among health practitioners. Being culturally aware, stimulates critical thinking and processes that enhance patient-centered care. This will also help me to prepare more educational services that can promote health awareness.
I will also learn to avoid assumptions and focus on the inquiring form the patient more information about their condition. I will also practice mindful communication and actively listen to them. Making assumptions in healthcare has caused a lot of medical err and related inconveniences that may result in more damage or deteriorating patient conditions (Yilmaz et al., 2017). for instance, it is essential to inquire if the patient can be able to purchase the medications prescribed and if not, so, as a nurse, it is wise to find better alternatives that can be helpful to them. This will promote healthy living styles and also community health. I can link the patient with community services that can be of help if they cannot access some drugs or medical services.
In conclusion, culture has to be appreciated and considered in the healthcare system. Poor compliance with culture deteriorates the patient’s health, thus increasing complications. It is important to be culturally aware, avoid assumptions, learn new cultures, educate patients, and enhance active listening skills to ensure patient-centered care in a multicultural environment.
References
Kanchana, M. N., & Sangamesh, N. (2016). Transcultural nursing: Importance in nursing practice. International Journal of Nursing Education, 8(1), 135-138.
Yilmaz, M., Toksoy, S., Direk, Z. D., Bezirgan, S., & Boylu, M. (2017). Cultural sensitivity among clinical nurses: A descriptive study. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 49(2), 153-161.