Introduction
Registered Nurses (RNs) are now more cognizant of the challenges they face when providing care services to a racially and culturally diverse population. In the context of mental healthcare, understanding the cultural and societal factors that affect a patient’s experience is paramount. In the Filipino woman’s case, a mother’s struggle with her daughter’s tragic death, depression, and anxiety exacerbated by her financial troubles and eviction threat demonstrates how grief, loss, and systemic barriers adversely impact mental health. The psychological well-being problem necessitates a holistic approach that integrates both cultural competence (CC) and support systems.
Culturally Competent Nursing Care
Being culturally competent is an integral skill in nursing practice. CC is the capacity to interact effectively in different cultural settings (Strøm et al., 2023). The center of cultural competence in nursing lies in health equity, customized care, and viewing each patient as unique with distinct needs. Through CC, nurses can bridge communication gaps and improve access to care, resulting in better outcomes and a better patient experience.
Therefore, to best demonstrate CC to this patient, the RN should demonstrate sensitivity and respect for her Filipino heritage. A health professional can use active listening and avoid judgment to understand the patient’s perspective, values, and coping mechanisms for mental health. In such a situation, the patient’s faith should be respected and incorporated into her care plan, as her spirituality may affect her disease. Additionally, an interpreter can address language barriers and ensure clear, effective communication. Lastly, the patient’s social support networks should be considered by connecting her with Filipino community organizations or support groups.
Leininger’s cultural care theory (CCT) emphasizes culture and care as the core concepts in nursing. CCT aligns with the needs of Filipino clients because the model allows the RN to provide individualized health services through culturally based care knowledge that is contextually supportive, reconstructive, and empowering. This approach enables the providers to create specialized services based on individual or collective cultural values, beliefs, and lifestyles (Shahzad et al., 2021).
Thus, CCT endeavors to give culturally congruent healthcare services to every client. This is because cultural beliefs influence individuals’ views and attitudes towards health. For example, some cultures may consider mental health difficulties as a sign of weakness.
In contrast, others might consider it as not health-related and believe that an individual can manage it. These erroneous impressions can lead to stigma, which might explain why the patient’s daughter never sought professional assistance. Consequently, cultural awareness is significant in formulating culturally compatible practices to promote health outcomes.
Mental health problem is a significant problem affecting most populations. However, the issue is exacerbated, especially for Asian Americans. This is due to the stigma, shame, and embarrassment, which make most of them struggle in silence and never seek help. Research shows that those with a psychological disorder are often perceived to be weak, dangerous, and aggressive (Zhang et al., 2019).
For this reason, the priority goal during the orientation phase is to establish trust and rapport with the client. This strategy can help the RN understand the patient’s feelings and promote effective communication while avoiding stigmatizing or shaming language or practices. Consequently, a good therapeutic relationship can support a recovery-oriented plan. For instance, the patient should be educated about depression while emphasizing that seeking help is not a sign of weakness.
Additionally, the client can be taught various coping strategies, such as mindfulness, relaxation techniques, and other practices aligned with her faith. Similarly, the woman can be linked with available community programs to offer emotional support and alleviate financial burdens. These strategies can be essential in helping the patient navigate an emotional crisis.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the case of this Filipino woman underscores the significance of the CC in mental health. Healthcare providers should integrate cultural sensitivity in all aspects of assessment, treatment planning, and intervention strategies for individuals with diverse backgrounds. For this particular patient, her background, family structure, spirituality, and coping abilities are important in creating a recovery-oriented plan that will allow her to maintain good mental health. CC in healthcare enables the establishment of trust, rapport, and partnership with patients, which, in turn, results in improved, more patient-centered care.
References
Shahzad, S., Ali, N., Younas, A., & Tayaben, J. L. (2021). Challenges and approaches to transcultural care: An integrative review of nurses’ and nursing students’ experiences. Journal of Professional Nursing, 37(6), 1119-1131.
Strøm, B. S., Sarin, J., Steindal, S. A., & Andreassen, L. (2023). Registered nurses’ experiences and perceptions of supervising international nursing students in a clinical setting–A qualitative study. Nurse Education in Practice, 66, 1-7.
Zhang, Z., Sun, K., Jatchavala, C., Koh, J., Chia, Y., Bose, J., Li, Z., Tan, W., Wang, S., Chu, W., Wang, J., Tran, B., & Ho, R. (2019). Overview of stigma against psychiatric illnesses and advancements of anti-stigma activities in six Asian societies. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(1), 1-23.