Transcultural effects in caring
Translocation of refugees from war torn countries into the United States increasingly exposes nurses to transcultural experiences. For instance, while conducting a transcultural health-visiting education the literacy level of the client may determine the choice of the approach.
One day while conducting health-visiting education in Cambodian resettlement residents, I used a more direct approach because a Cambodian parent was less educated. I needed to take a more cautious step; I had to know if I were familiar with the family set up, what I could say, what tone I was supposed to use, what I could emphasize, and when I could be a little harder.
Less educated families did not know what to do in such a given situation; therefore, they needed specific instructions. Language barrier posed a great challenge to my delivery of health education. I was compelled to choose the tone and gestures that best fitted the situation. Indeed, the parent’s illiteracy made me use an extremely soft and polite tone against a louder harsh one in conjunction with emphatic gestures.
Cultural practices
- One example of cultural practice related to birth is the use of traditional birth attendants. This practice exposes mothers to high risk of birth complications. Moreover, in Asia, Africa, and South America, some communities subject female infants to discrimination particularly regarding feeding and care. Indeed, various reports proof that in societies practicing son preference, jeopardizes the health of the female child. Indeed, in most of Asia, infanticide of girls is rampant.
- In Sierra Leone and Liberia, groups of girls between age 12 and 13 undergo an initiation rite performed by a senior woman, “Sowie”. The rite involves training on how to be an ideal wife or co-wife, skill on herbal medicine, and the secrets of womanhood (Fact sheet, 1979). Other initiations include circumcision.
- The major cultural practice related to marriage is early marriage. Fact Sheet No. 23 (1979) asserts that, some ethnic groups in Asia and Africa give away girls for marriage as young as age 11, 12, and 13. This practice exposes girls to early intercourse, despite the fact that they are fully developed.
- Islamic culture endorses that a dying patient should be oriented facing Mecca, any unclean person should leave the room, and the room should be perfumed (Lobar, Youngblat, & Brooten, 2006, p. 48). Moreover, Islamic law prohibits women from visiting the cemetery.
Effect of knowledge on cultural influence
Researchers have performed many studies on how culture can influence health care delivery. One such research explored on how information and communication determine the response of civilians to HIV in Zambia (Kanyengo, 2009, p.57). This article describes efforts by the University of Zambia medical Library to provide information to the public.
The information contained in this article can help victims of HIV to access medical information about HIV and AIDs. This will motivate HIV sufferers to seek treatment because the system helps them circumvent stigmatization from the society and this move will lead to improved quality of live of patients.
Given that different cultures hold different believes on HIV and AIDs, the second article also touches on HIV prevention in urban Kenya. This article aims at evaluating the potential adequacy of intravaginal rings (IVRs) in prevention of HIV by Women and men, who are at risk of infection (Smith, Wakasiaka, Hoang, Bwayo, Rio, & Priddy, 2007, p. 1026).
This article will serve to inform civilians of IVRs method of HIV prevention. This enlightenment will go a long way to reduce HIV infection since the community will develop a culture of combining prevention methods such as condom and IVRs. Ultimately, this new culture will help reduce HIV infections.
Approaches and strategies for provision of culturally competent care
Cultural diversity in the United States has grown tremendously. This has increased diversity in patients seeking medical services. Cultural differences between care providers and client pose a great challenge to the quality of care.
Indeed, encountering clients who speak limited or do not speak English has become a commonplace (Yoder, 2001, p.319). This condition is an impetus for diversifying nursing staff. Nursing educators must tackle the challenge of developing students from diverse culture in nursing program.
This strategy requires educators in multicultural milieu to base education on a diversity paradigm. The diversity model takes into account that culturally diverse students perform from deeply embedded and culturally classified systems of beliefs, values, and meanings pertaining to the world (Yoder, 2001, p. 319).
The success in addressing the specific needs of students from diverse culture results when educators address the delicate differences among the standard of a college culture and the prospects, values, behavioral conduct, and assumptions regarding education that nursing students bring with them.
Culture influence
Societal culture essentially means common values, norms, and beliefs within a society and forms the basis of various societal strategies. In order for any strategy to get sustained support, it has to be concurrent with culture of society.
Qualitative improvement (QI) initiatives form the components of organization’s strategy and cultures supportive of change are prerequisite for sustaining such strategies. Evidence–based practice (EBP) is regarded the gold standard for enhancing patient care and is founded on espousing and sustaining change (Grimm & Lee, 2005).
Thus, it is important to appreciate the fundamental assumptions in an organization’s culture and approaches. The most common approach to culture is to seek to understand the new culture and assimilate its components into the overall American culture provided they are consistent with the international and national laws.
Cultural conflict
Gordon Smith, a Vietnam War veteran, happens to be a famous leader in his rural community. He was eyeing an elected official position in his local town. However, he had been experiencing problematic memories including inability to relax, irritability, nightmares, and intrusive thoughts. He also experienced depression and occasional suicidal thoughts.
His wife forced him to see a family practice doctor in his town, whom I happen to be his assistant. However, Mr. Gordon was uncomfortable discussing his wife’s anxiety about his drinking with the physician, and he was apprehensive that his disclosure could hurt his campaign.
The physician recommended Prozac for depression of which the client developed side effects presumably due to alcohol, and became non-compliant. Eventually, the family doctor referred Mr. Gordon to a psychiatrist 100 miles away. However, due to the fear of being branded a “psych patient”, Mr. Gordon did not see the psychiatrist.
In this scenario, the patient needed to understand that the old concepts about psychosis are long overdue. The modern society regards psychosis as any other disease that is treatable. In addition, professional ethics guide calls for healthcare providers to treat personal information as confidential. Therefore, individuals should not fear the disclosure of their personal information.
Reference List
Fact sheet No. 20. (1979). Harmful traditional practices affecting the health of women and children. Web.
Grimm, N. A., & Lee, S. K. (2005). How Do Organizational Culture and Strategy Influence Implementation of Evidence-based Practice? AMIA Annu Symp Proc.
Kanyengo, C. W. (2009). information and comunication: a librarys local response to HIV? AIDs in Zambia. health information and Library Journals , 57-65.
Lobar, S. L., Youngblat, J. M., & Brooten, D. (2006). Cross-cultural beliefs. Ceremonies, and rituals surrounding death of a loved one. Medscape Today, Web.
Smith, D. J., Wakasiaka, S., Hoang, T. D., Bwayo, J. J., Rio, C. D., & Priddy, F. H. (2007). An Evaluation of Intravaginal Rings as a Potential HIV. Journal of Women’s health, 17(6), 1025-1035.
Yoder, M. K. (2001). The Bridging Approach: Effective Strategies for. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 12 (4), 319-325.