Sexual segregation is an essential aspect of the Buddhist religion. In this case, a Buddhist monk from Cambodia was unintentionally touched by a female nurse causing the monk to respond negatively to the touch. According to the Buddhist religion, monks are prohibited from being touched by women. This action called for further checks from the security desk, and the hospital management had to ensure the confidentiality of the monk.
Catholic
Romero was in a recovery ward and requested the management to avail of a priest for her. Rita, who was on duty that day, did not find a reliable priest for the patient because of time constraints. On the next day, when Romero had fully recovered, Rita saw it wise to call a priest for him, and when she did so, Romero was highly delighted by her gesture. Rita was then thanked gracefully by Romero’s family.
Christian Scientist
In this case, Mrs. Williams visits Dr. James after experiencing rectal pain. Williams is a member of the Christian Scientists Church, and they believe that diseases are a misunderstanding, and for this reason, she refused to undergo surgery for removal of the tumor. Dr. James respected Mrs. William’s decision, and she later died from the disease.
Muslim
For the Muslim religion, Maggie, a nurse, was summoned by a concerned neighbor who Saeed praying facing Mecca. Maggie rushed to the place, and she later realized that Saeed was praying a surgery due the following week. Muslims are required to pray during times of sicknesses, and most hospitals should provide them with praying Matts.
Indian Orthodox Christian
His Holiness, the Orthodox Christian Church’s spiritual leader, required surgery while visiting the US. In this condition, she was exposed to a woman contrary to the beliefs of the church.
Sacred Symbols
Catholic
Celina Montes requested to wear a rosary to surgery and was denied. Rosary provides hope for the Catholic faithful.
Native American
Abby, a nurse, helped a young patient by hanging “a soul catcher” provided by her grandmother on the wall.
Hindu
Carrie Ann stopped a Filipino nurse from cutting a string attached to a Hindu patient’s hand. This string is a religious attachment in Hindu.
Chinese Buddhist
A Chinese Buddhist refused to remove braids during surgery because this is their religious symbol.
Cambodian
Mona, a nurse, was about to cut strings in an infant’s hand to help the baby recover when her mother refused the gesture. These strings serve as Cambodian’s sacred symbol.
- 12 “Traditional Medicine Practices and Perspectives”
Cupping
An Armenian man was heated on the chest to cure chest pains, and an American medical practitioner had difficulties examining him. The Doctor thought these scars due to heating were a sign of a disease.
Fivers
The Japanese drink hot drinks to cure fiver contrary to the medical remedies that cover patients with ice blankets.
Coining
A Vietnamese girl was rubbed with a coin that is believed to cure diseases in Asian countries.
Medication
Applying the Medication Directly to the site
A Mexican woman applied powder directly to her wounds, contrary to the Doctor’s expectation on the treatment of wounds.
Filling a Prescription
A Chinese woman did not know how to follow prescriptions and ended up drinking rice water.
Dangerous substances
Mrs. Jimenez gave her daughter a powder hoping to cure her stomach, and in the end, she started to diarrhea.
Folk Diseases
Evil Eye
A Spanish family was sad when a medical student kept staring at their son, believing that this would cause spells.
Traditional healers
A Nigerian mother believed that her son was sick because the spirit of a dead son haunted him, and this condition had to be cured by a traditional healer.
Traditional Medicine Systems
Ayurvedic Medicine
Yoga is used to treat numerous conditions by incorporating all the body parts.
Traditional Chinese Medicine
An elderly Chinese man refused to take prescriptions for Chinese medicine.
Hispanic Folk Medicine
Folk Diseases
Rowena experienced susto for interacting with a friend.
Traditional Healers
Traditional Spanish healers include; parteras and yerbero/as.
Traditional Remedies
Alicia was helped by her older sister to cool a crying baby.
Traditional African American Health Beliefs and Practices.
Emma Chapman was recommended medical drugs but refused to cite that God would cure her.
- 8 “Staff Relations”
Nurses and Doctors
Nurses from different backgrounds are trained differently. Job descriptions, duties, and responsibilities of nurses vary from one country to another. Critical thinking of American nurses is not similar to that of Filipino nurses, and so is patient advocacy and psychosocial care.
Critical Thinking
A Philippine’s trained nurse, Marietta, administered pain relievers to a patient Mrs. Smith, while the facility nurse Susan was on lunch break. These drugs resulted in the death of Mrs. Smith. In this case, Marietta did not evaluate if the headache was a sign of stroke but instead administered drugs.
Duties of the Nurse
A Chinese nurse who complained about how to work in her home country is different from that in the US.
Patient Advocacy
An American nurse was forced to restrain an Indian man who did not require restraining, contrary to her job description.
Psychosocial Care
American patients admitted to hospitals often complain that nurses of Filipino origin are so cold for the duty. These nurses are trained to be professional, and the coldness is a sign of professionalism.
Cultural Influences on Nursing
Gender Role Conflict
A Nigerian male nurse, Ikem Nwoye, had increased temper when directed by a female nurse. This represents how gender roles in Nigeria could affect nursing society.
A Team Approach
A Filipina nurse, Josepha, refused to ask help from her Nigerian and Anglo American colleagues because she thought that they were taking advantage of her by doing the same. On consultations, she learned the importance of teamwork through Rena, who helped build a bridge between Josepha and the other colleagues.
Leadership
A Korean nurse, Myung Soon Park, performed exemplarily in coronary care for her patients. She was in charge of the other nurses but was often seen apologizing for the mistakes of the other nurses. In Korean culture, women should be submissive and passive in their judgments to men, and this prevented Park from being a leader.
Passive versus Assertive Behavior
Lily, a new nurse of Philippines ‘ origin, was scolded by an older Philippine nurse, Sarah, for correcting an intern doctor. According to Sarah, Lily must acknowledge that doctors are better than nurses.
Medicine
The role of the Doctor
A middle-eastern physician, Dr. Mehraban, was angered by Roberta Hansen, a patient who inquired about the treatment he was receiving. The Doctor resigned from treating Mehraban because, in the Middle East, doctors demand total submissiveness from their patients.
Language and Communication Problems
Speaking in the Native Language in the Workplace
A Vietnamese war veteran was angered by the actions of two nurses speaking Tagalog while in his care. H reported this matter to his family, who, in turn, reported to the charge nurse, and a warning was sent to all the nurses concerning language.
Open Communication
An Orthodox Christian member, Natasha, working with Filipino staff, was always invited to a dinner by the colleagues but refused without issuing a reason. The colleagues then sent a plate to her requesting she eats, and she had to tell them she was in a holy month, and since then, their communication has been open on culture and religion.
Demeanor
Eva, A nurse of Chinese origin, had an emergency with her patient, and instead of using emergency words like “now,” she remained calm through the call to the Doctor. She later acknowledged that her culture had taught her to remain calm in emergencies, which could affect lives in nursing.
Tone of voice
A Japanese nurse, Kiyoko, was saddened by how Nigerian nurses sounded loud at night, and later, after taking a cultural diversity course, she acknowledged that it was their tone.
“With your Permission”
An American doctor requested university students to speak in English, which seemed unlikely to the students’ supervisor.
Religious Conflicts
A Jehovah’s Witness nurse, Elisa, refused to participate in blood transfusion because it was against her religion.
- 11 “Mental Health.”
Mental illness
Defining Mental illness: Deviation from the Norm
A Japanese woman, Chio, showed no signs of mental illness, according to American doctors. However, her husband insisted that her emphasis on joining college is a sign of mental illness. After testing, she was found to be ill.
Diagnosing and Testing Mental illness
A Vietnamese woman reported physical pains and attempted suicide while an inexperienced doctor did not relate the scenario to Mental illness. Middle Eastern people fear stigma hence will hide their mental illness in physical pains.
The stigma of Mental illness
A Korean mental patient, Maria, was taken by her family from the hospital, for them to hide her at home due to fear of stigma by other families.
Stress and Mental Health
Culturally Induced Stress and Depression
Cameroonian Minister of Health called for a reduction in depression by reducing polygamies. Women are more depressed because they raise children alone.
Discussing emotional problems
Mrs. Ibanez was reluctant to talk about her marital abuse by her husband because it is a private matter.
Acculturation and Mental Health
Tammy, a Chinese-immigrant child, was depressed because she did not get time and permission to associate with friends.