Poland’s smoking culture had an enduring nature and was a reminder from its time as a communist nation. Per Kinder (2004), the nation’s status as one of Europe’s largest tobacco producers and the overall increase in smoking across the developing nations of Central and Eastern Europe caused its massive tobacco consumption issues. However, Jassem et al. (2014) note that in 1995, the government passed smoking hazard awareness measures along with a ban on smoking in hospitals and enclosed areas. Supplemented with this improved education, health campaigns succeeded in convincing the polish people to smoke less.
Poland’s smoking issue was largely a cultural and political issue caused by its communist government. Kinder (2004) notes that, valuing tobacco as a source of revenue, Polish authorities did not disclose the risks of smoking and frequently chose not to enforce regulations. Moreover, after the country’s democratic regime change, foreign products became available, carrying a large novelty value for the Poles. Seeing new and exotic cigarette brands and still unaware of the dangers of smoking, the nation’s people increased their tobacco consumption, encouraged by the newly privatized industry. The issue remained unresolved until the government adopted WHO-approved measures in 1995.
In my practice, I try to learn about different cultures with which I interact and use this knowledge to ensure that they are comfortable. With that said, it is sometimes challenging to deal with people who do not speak English, as I struggle to establish an understanding with them. I try to apply Stanhope and Lancaster’s (2020) recommendation of avoiding confirmation bias and baseless assumptions about people that arise from their ethnicity. When possible, I find other nurses or patients who speak the patient’s language and can help me communicate, and otherwise, I try my best to communicate using gestures and other available tools.
References
Jassem, J., Przewoźniak, K., & Zatoński, W. (2014). Tobacco control in Poland—successes and challenges. Translational Lung Cancer Research, 3(5), 280-285.
Kinder, M. (2004). Curbing tobacco use in Poland. Web.
Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2020). Public health nursing: Population-centered health care in the community (10th ed.). Elsevier.