Influence of culture on health care practices Essay

Current trends of an increasingly multi pagan society emphasize the need for nursing schooling programs that effectively address ethnical issues. To understand the diverse cultural backgrounds of clients, nurses moldiness strive to be culturally competent (Marcinkiw 2003). Cultural competence requires the building of cultural sentience, jockeyledge, skill, encounters, and desire in the nurse. Clients will feel respected, valued, and discombobulate a greater desire to achieve mutually agreed upon wellness c atomic number 18 goals if the nurse is culturally competent. The purpose of this essay is designed to show the cultural competence in the nursing profession by providing a guide that is useful for implementing cultural sensitivity in nursing education and practice.Diversity. It is a enunciate that means slightlything different to each and ein truth person. Bacote, 2003 asserts that the changing demographics and economics of our growing multicultural humanness, and the long-s tanding disparities in the wellness status of passel from culturally diverse backgrounds has challenged health c ar providers and organizations to consider cultural diversity as a priority. However, health guardianship providers essential(prenominal) realize that addressing cultural diversity goes beyond knowing the values, beliefs, practices and springer (Bacote, 2003). In addition to racial classification and national origin, there are numerous other faces of cultural diversity. Religious affiliation, language, physical size, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability (both physical and mental), political orientation, socio-economic status, occupational status and geographical status are but a few of the faces of diversity (Bacote, 2003).I would like to share thoughts concerning the complexities involved in caring for people from diverse cultural background I came from different country myself. My understanding of complete Health care system in Australia was a lot differe nt from past experience in my country of origin. As most foreigners it was just a matter of time before I could ride use to the system of medical care. And skills like listening, understanding, respect for my belief systems and ability to build trust were very important to me. Now I could tell that there is range of cultural fashions and the need to understand peoples actions from their own cultural perspective in health and illness.Cultural values give an several(prenominal) a sense of direction as well as meaning to life.These values are held on an unconscious level. in that respect is a direct relationship between culture and health practices (Bacote, 2003). In fact, of the many factors that are known to determine health beliefs and behaviors, culture is the most influential (Bacote, 2003).Recently I comprehend an excellent paper where cultural supervision was discussed (Westerman 2004). There, I become more acutely aware of the sizeableness of cultural differences vis--vi s Aboriginal societies. Although I had been aware of these differences before, I now came to see that there were many cultural subtleties that require specialist knowledge and approach. According to Driscoll (200780) there is another kind of knowledge that potentiometer save develop when one has direct and deep experience of another cultural group. Cultural groups can be ethnic groups, or groups we sometimes refer to as sub-cultures (Driscoll & Yegdich 2007).A humanistic and scientific area of ceremonious study and practice in nursing is called transcultural nursing, it is focused upon differences and similarities among cultures with respect to human care, health, and illness base upon the peoples cultural values, beliefs, and practices, and to use this knowledge to provide cultural specific or culturally congruent nursing care to people (Leininger 1991).Leininger notes the main goal of transcultural nursing is to provide culturally specific care. But before transcultural nursin g can be adequately understood, there must be a basic knowledge of key terminology such as culture, cultural values, culturally diverse nursing care, ethnocentrism, race, and ethnography.Singelis (20054-5) believes that to be culturally competent the nurse needs to understand his/her own world views and those of the patient, while avoiding stereotyping and misapplication of scientific knowledge. Cultural competence is obtaining cultural information and then applying thatknowledge. This cultural awareness allows you to see the entire picture and improves the quality of care and health outcomes. Adapting to different cultural beliefs and practices requires flexibility and a respect for others view points (Singelis 20055). Cultural competence means to really listen to the patient, to find out and check into about the patients beliefs of health and illness. To provide culturally appropriate care we need to know and to understand culturally influenced health behaviors (Singelis 20055).A lso Singelis (2005) highlights that to be culturally competent the nurse needs to witness how to mix a little cultural understanding with the nursing care they offer. In some part of the Australia culturally varied patient populations have long been the norm. But now, even in the homogeneous demesne of Queensland where we reside, we are seeing a dramatic increase in immigrants from all over the world. These cultural differences are affecting even the most remote settings.Since the perception of illness and disease and their causes varies by culture (Germov 2005 155), these soulfulness preferences affect the approaches to health care. Culture also influences how people seek health care and how they behave toward health care providers. Furthermore Germov (2005155) asserts that how we care for patients and how patients respond to this care is greatly influenced by culture. Health care providers must possess the ability and knowledge to communicate and to understand health behaviors influenced by culture. Having this ability and knowledge can eliminate barriers to the lay asidey of health care (Germov 2005 154). These issues show the need for health care organizations to develop policies, practices and procedures to deliver culturally competent care (Germov 2005).Developing culturally competent programs is an ongoing process. There seems to be no one recipe for cultural competency. Its an ongoing evaluation, as we continually adapt and reevaluate the behavior things are done. For nurses, cultural diversity tests our ability to really care for patients, to demonstrate that we are not only(prenominal) clinically proficient but also culturally competent, that we care.Meyer (1996) describes four major challenges for providers and cultural competency in healthcare. The first is the straightforward challenge of recognizing clinical differences among people of different ethnic and racial groups. The second, and far more complicated, challenge is communication. Thi s deals with everything from the need for interpreters to nuances of words in various languages. Many patients, even in occidental cultures, are reluctant to talk about personal matters such as sexual activity or chemic use. How do we overcome this challenge among more restricted cultures (as compared to ours)? Some patients may not have or are reluctant to use telephones.We need to plan for these types of obstacles. The third challenge is ethics (Meyer 1996). While Western medicine is among the best in the world, we do not have all the answers. Respect for the belief systems of others and the set up of those beliefs on well-being are critically important to competent care. The final challenge involves trust (Meyer 1996). For some patients, authority figures are immediately mistrusted, sometimes for good reason. Having seen or been victims of atrocities at the hands of authorities in their homelands, many people are as wary of caregivers themselves as they are of the care.Holland , Jenkins, Solomon and Whittem (2003) assert that in a multicultural society it is important for nurses to consider how to preserve the individual patients social, cultural, spiritual, religious and estimable needs in order to help the patient understand, agree and cooperate with any planned care. There are many traditions and beliefs associated with health and illness that can alter a persons behavior when they become ill and the nurse must seeks to understand how this may be observed in their patients (Holland, Jenkins, Solomon and Whittem 2003).This word of honor has highlighted importance of cultural diversity as a priority and that it has many other faces in life. It is fair that there is a direct relationship between culture and health practices. As individuals, nurses and health care providers, we need to learn to ask questions sensitively and to show respect for different cultural beliefs. Most important, we must listen to our patients carefully. The main source of proble ms in caring for patients from diverse cultural backgrounds is thelack of understanding and tolerance. real often, neither the nurse nor the patient understands the others perspective. Therefore cultural diversity tests our ability to truly care for patients, to demonstrate that we are not only clinically proficient but also culturally competent, that we care.ReferencesBacote, C.J. (2003) Many Faces Addressing Diversity in Health conduct. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing (Vol. 81-2). Retrieved from http//www.nursingworld.org/ojin 05.05.07.Driscoll, J. & Yegdich, T. (2007). Practicing Clinical Supervision. A Reflective approach for health care professionals (2d ed.). Bailliere Tindall. Elsevier.Holland, K., Jenkins, J., Solomon, J. and Whittem, S., (2003). Applying the Ropper Logan. Tierney Model in Practice. Churchill Livingstone.Germov, J. (2005). Second Opinion. An Introduction to Health Sociology (3rd ed.). Oxford.Leininger, M. (1991). transcultural nursing the study and pra ctice field. Imprint, 38(2), 55-66. Retrieved from http//www.culturediversity.org 05.05.07.Marcinkiw, K. L. (2003). Nurse Education Today. 23(3), 174-182. Retrieved from http//www.sciencedirect.com 05.05.07.Meyer, C.R. (1996).Medicines melting pot .Journal for Primary Care Physicians (795-5). MinnMed.Singelis, T. M. (2005). Teaching about culture, Ethnicity and Diversity Exercises and Planned Activities. London Sage Publications.Westerman, T. (2004). The value of unique service formulation for Aboriginal people- the benefits of starting from scratch. The Mental Health Services. (Sep.1-3) Conference Inc. of Australia and New Zealand.