Islamic religion is one of the most obeyed by those who professes it hence making working conditions for health workers quite difficult. This is because they have to provide care in accordance to patient’s beliefs otherwise; they ignore and protest against their services. Muslim religion plays specific roles in governing the Islamic society. Therefore, it becomes very significant for health providers to respect and align cultural practices with their professional practices.
Introduction
Health care provision is an extremely valuable activity, therefore, should be integrated with different cultures. This means that heath care provision should be integrated into societies and expectations of all have to be met. This is because when working with Muslims one needs to understand their culture and beliefs in order to achieve the goals of health care provision. Understanding, cultural practices helps one to eliminate chances where conflicts emerge due to misunderstandings. For example, when health care providers ignore the aspect of culture and try to deliver services to Islamic community just as they do with the Christian community, there might emerge conflicts. Therefore, this report will be based on health care provision in Muslim culture where studies will be carried out on how one can deliver services in such environments. It is also very crucial to evaluate what Muslims expect from service providers and how they respond to such services (Campinha-Bacote and Narayan, 2000). Muslim religion play specific roles in governing the Islamic society. Therefore, it becomes very significant for health providers to respect and align cultural practices with their professional practices.
Principles of Culturally Sensitive Care
It is crucial for care providers to understand how to handle issues relating to the provision of health care in culturally diverse situations. Campinha-Bacote came up with a model to guide nurses and other health providers on the provision of care regardless of the situation on the ground. In fact, Campinha-Bacote argues that health care providers should accept that they can never be culturally competent but will continue gaining competencies. This means that one has to keep on learning from cultural backgrounds introduced by the working conditions. For instance, health workers should be ready to learn from their patients hence developing good rapport with those in the working environment. In addition, Campinha-Bacote believes that cultural competence comes along in five parts, which are namely cultural awareness in which health workers should take time to learn the culture assumed by their patients or clients (Campinha-Bacote, 2001). This means that one can never be culturally competent if they are unaware of the culture. Then there is the cultural knowledge which is the acquisition of know-how on what the culture expects of the health workers. The third aspect is cultural skills, which are to be understood by the health care providers. This means that in case there are skills needed for one to be conversant with the culture, then the workers must work hard to acquire them as they are vital. Another aspect that comes with cultural competence is culture encounters, which mean that these workers must interact with patients and other individuals in order to meet expectations of the culture. This can offer enough experience to the workers hence putting them in a good position to offer their services. Finally, there is the aspect of cultural desire which has to be understood. This is because desires brought about by culture have to be met if conflicts are to be eliminated. Therefore, health workers should ensure that they obey cultural demands and work with the aim of meeting desires put upon them by the culture.
Description of Muslim culture
Cultural beliefs have a role to play when it comes to health care provision. Islamic religion is one of the most obeyed by those who professes it hence making working conditions for health workers quite difficult. This is because they have to provide care in accordance to patient’s beliefs otherwise they ignore and protest against their services. This happens because Muslims are strong believers and they protest any possible threat to their faith (Campinha-Bacote and Munoz, 2001 ). Such beliefs that influence health behaviors are dated many years ago and are passed on from one generation to another. Most Muslims rely on natural methods of treating their sicknesses hence finding it difficult to accept medication from the health providers. This calls for educating them with the aim of changing their attitude towards the modern treatments, as opposed to natural or traditional medicine. Regardless of their level of education, Muslims have extraordinarily little faith with modern medicine. The fact that Muslims respect their faith so much, they create enormous obstacles in administration of modern medicine. In fact, Muslim culture is unique because they perform their social functions in a special manner, unlike other cultures. For example, marriage in this culture is given much attention and respect hence all parties involved must ensure that they adhere to the set rules. Muslims pass their beliefs from one generation to another through the family units and their education systems. Therefore, it is hugely beneficial for health practitioners to handle Muslims patients in accordance to their culture. This ensures that patients feel respected because their beliefs are respected by the health providers (Campinha-Bacote and Narayan, 2000). The best way to provide modern medicine to Muslims is by integrating their beliefs with the modern theories of treating illnesses. Although it might be hectic, eventually there might be something to celebrate as they get to understand the importance and effectiveness of modern medicine.
Culturally specific health practices of Muslim culture
Muslims practice several health practices culturally in efforts to treat their sicknesses. Muslims believe that people get sick because of their sins hence taking the time to pray to their God whenever one is sick. Muslims are reluctant to seek medication since they believe prayers work and, in addition they believe that death, is part of journey to be with God. This has resulted to many believers staying at their homesteads praying to God regardless of their deteriorating health condition. In some cases, Muslims go to hospitals to seek medication when they feel that their conditions are worsening but first of all they have to rely on prayers to heal them.
Cleanliness is one of the main practices Muslims depend on to monitor their health. For example, they do not eat pork as they believe that pigs are unclean. They also do not eat meat that has not been slaughtered as required by their holy book. Quran also prohibits the use of intoxicants such as alcohol as they are harmful to the human body hence affecting their health. In addition, Muslims fasts for a month every year hence helping their bodies have some rest from their normal feeding habits. In fact, taking water without food for several days is healthy as the body is given a chance to refresh hence getting to adapt to various feeding habits (Miller, 2009).
They also encourage circumcision of their male infants as a health practice. This is particularly significant because it enhances cleanliness on the penis hence reducing chances of bacterial infections due to poor hygiene. Circumcision also reduces risks on acquiring sexually transmitted disease. These practices have helped Muslims fight many diseases without relying on modern medicine.
Providing culturally sensitive care in Muslim culture
Providing culturally sensitive care in Muslim culture requires the health providers to be extremely cautious in order to promote corporation from the patients. Modesty and privacy of Muslims has to be respected whereby the health providers work according to their cultural expectations. For example, some Muslims may not be able to remove their gowns for examinations due to religious restrictions. In such cases, the care provider should opt for other alternatives of doing the medical examinations hence respecting their privacy. This will make the patients feel that they are being respected and their privacy is not being interfered with in the course of receiving treatment. In order receive maximum cooperation from Muslim patients, the health care center should ensure that they provide Halal foods, which are allowed by their religion. For instance, patients should not be served with pork as their religion condemns eating of unclean products. The health care facility should ensure that meat for patients is slaughtered in accordance with their beliefs. This will foster a good relationship between health care providers and their patients, since they will not feed them with stuff that will upset their ego or undermine their culture.
The care providers should take time to educate these people on medical tests and other procedures to be followed during administration of the treatment to avoid conflicts. This makes sure that the patients willingly submit themselves to be treated by the modern care providers (Brunner et al, 2009). In Muslim culture, it is particularly essential for female patient to be examined in the presence of another female so that she can feel secure. Since some actions are condemned by Islamic religion but are vital for human health, patients can be requested to be accompanied by their friends to assure them that they expose themselves only for the purpose of the treatment.
If possible workers of the same gender with the patients should be provided to deliver health care. This means that male patients should be treated by male care providers and females be treated by female care providers. Since Muslim culture is truly serious on gender segregation, it can be considerable if health care services are delivered by people of the patients. Male doctors should be discouraged to be in the delivery rooms unless there are no female doctors. This ensures that the privacy of the patient is protected hence making them fell honored by the modern medicine (Campinha-Bacote and Munoz, 2001 ). If males are allowed into the delivery rooms, Muslim patients may opt to give birth the traditional way rather than go to health care centers where their privacy will be exposed to everybody. In order to effectively provide health care services to Muslim culture, health care providers should make sure that unless there is an emergency, patients should be attended by health care providers of the same gender. In such situations patients are okay with services because they will not feel as if they are being undermined.
Conclusion
Health care provision is very beneficial in human life; therefore, it should be done with the due respect for the patients. When dealing with different cultures, care providers should make sure they struggle to achieve cultural competence in order to deliver services effectively. In Islamic society where culture is highly respected, care givers should be particularly keen to avoid causing conflicts due to contradicting cultural practices. Therefore, it is vital for those providing care to take time to learn and understand cultural practices. This will help them to cooperate with their patients during health care delivery.
References
Brunner, L. S., Smeltzer, S. C., Bare, B. G., Hinkle, J. L. & Cheever, K. H. (2009). Brunner and Suddarth’s textbook of medical-surgical nursing. London: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Campinha-Bacote, J. (2001). A model of practice to address cultural competence in rehabilitation nursing. Rehabilitation Nursing, 26(1), 8-11.
Campinha-Bacote, J., &Munoz, C. (2001). A guiding framework for delivering culturally competent services in case management. The Case Manager, 12(2), 48-52.
Miller, C. A. (2009). Nursing for wellness in older adults. Michigan: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.