Nursing and Cultural Diversity - Essay Example

Running Head: Nursing and Cultural Diversity Nursing and Cultural Diversity Introduction The emerging cultural diversity of patients around the globe comes with the notion that nursing care should also be culturally competent in dealing with culturally diverse population. This is since nurses work with individuals, families, groups and communities where lives are improved and also challenged by cultural diversity. Theories of culture-centered nursing practices have continuously evolved because of the realization that culture plays a vital role in the patient's sufferings, health perceptions and experiences. In this regard, this paper aims to analyze the concept of culture being an essential component in determining appropriate and effective patient care for people of different races, ethnicities, beliefs, or socio-economic status. Likewise, the paper aims to provide an understanding of the concept of culture and how it has influenced the patients' perceptions of health and illness, and of health care professionals. The importance of culture in planning nursing care shall be discussed as well. Nursing and Cultural Diversity It is necessary to describe the concept of culture and how it has entered the picture of nursing practice. As depicted by Fleras and Elliott (2000), culture is an integration of lifestyles, learned and shared beliefs, values and opinions. It also consists of knowledge and other symbolic representations that direct the behavior of a particular group. This creates a pattern of thoughts and actions which provide support for the social and physical survival of the group. Consequently, ethnic groups who share a common cultural belief and system that has been passed on from generation to generation, likewise advocate that their health is not mainly composed of their physical well-being but rather is also determined by social, emotional, spiritual and cultural well-being of the whole community (Stout and Downey, 2009). Despite adversities and challenges in health, they are seen with much resilience and strength of survival. Thus, nurses or health care providers must be able to understand this concept of culture based from pragmatic knowledge founded on personal and political self-determination (Stout & Downey, 2009). According to The International Council of Nurses (1999), there are more than 300 million indigenous peoples in the world, belonging mainly to the marginalized sectors of society. They are experiencing distress due to poor living conditions, unemployment and low income, as well as inaccessibility of education, safe water, food and health care services (Stout and Downey, 2009). Due to health inequities resulting to apparently high morbidity and mortality rates of indigenous communities, it is only necessary that this be emphasized and resolved by health care professionals, including nurse care providers. Yet, the responsibility of taking care of people perceived to be different than one's own cultural background is no easy task. There are barriers that might hinder the promotion of quality patient care, such as prejudice, ethnocentrism, stereotyping, and racism (Racher and Annis, 2007). However, it is ascertained that by understanding the cultural differences and history of each varying societies or communities, nurses will be able to establish a change in value system and perception of their culturally diverse patients. It also entails a more appropriate and culture safe nursing practice. Currently, educational sectors have seen the implication and importance of culture in the evolution of health care system. Therefore, faculties of nursing have also incorporated culture awareness in school curricula and implemented activities such as immersions for transcultural nursing experiences. This is in line with the responsibility of health professionals to encourage and actively support participation of employing respect and honor on the diversity of the community or group that nurses are involved with. Therefore, they envision a bridge that may connect the gap of differences; more nurses have come to realize that cultural attunement and cultural humility encompass "ways of being". This realization is central to ethic of establishing a caring community practice (Racher and Annis, 2007). Understanding the culture of other people also helps in being sensitive to their needs. In a study conducted by Underwood (2006), a group of nursing students underwent cultural awareness exercises, which was facilitated through discussions and exchanges of views and opinions about cultural differences. An evaluation of these findings confirmed that such exercises imparted the students with greater knowledge, sensitivity and appreciation of the effects of culture and diversity not only in their lives but on the lives of other people as well. The author anticipated thereof, that the outcomes will be translated to an even greater degree of these three concepts on the lives of their patients. Related to this study is that of Ryan et al. (2000) wherein group of students had been provided with immersion experience and this has lead to personal and professional growth resulting to changed values, improved communication skills and enhanced nursing practice. Morrone's (2005) study also supported the need for culture-specific debriefing sessions, as part of the design of culturally informed approaches to nursing education and service. As Wells (2000) described his model, there are two phases of cultural competence. First is cognitive development (or acquisition of knowledge) and affective development (which entails attitudinal and behavioral change). Since cultural competence is an on-going process that requires not only formal knowledge but also values and attitudes (Caffrey yet al., 2005), it has been emphasized that in order to truly equip prospective nurses with cultural competence, an immersion of transcultural nursing experience or allowing the students to experience personally other people's way of living will provide a more in-depth understanding of other cultures and its implications on the perceptions of quality nursing practice. Conclusion It has been stressed that culture indeed is an important issue to tackle as regards effective nursing practices. Its understanding helps enlighten responses to illness and other health experiences that might have some personal meaning to patients (Mendyka and Bloom, 1997). Culture is said to be a key tool for analyzing the meaning of a person's experience of health and illness. Thus, it provides nurses with a more profound understanding of their patients' perceptions and sufferings (Pfifferling, 1981). Through such comprehension of the essence of culture in lives of the patients, nurses will become more culturally competent in promoting safe, effective and quality nursing practice. References Caffrey, R.A., Neander, W., Markle, D., Stewart, B. 2005. 'Improving the Cultural Competence of Nursing Students: Results of Integrating Cultural Content in the Curriculum and an International Immersion Experience'. Journal of Nursing Education, Vol. 44. No. 5, pp. 234-40. Retrieved March 10, 2009, from Career and Technical Education database. (Document ID: 839714981). Fleras, A., and Elliott, J. 2002. 'Engaging diversity: Multiculturalism in Canada' (2nd ed.). Toronto: Nelson Thomas Learning. International Council of Nurses .1999. Nursing Matters Fact Sheet: The Health of Indigenous Peoples: A Concern for Nursing. Retrieved at www.icn.ch/matters_indigenous.htm Marrone, S. R. 2005. 'Attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control: Critical care nurses' intentions to provide culturally congruent care to Arab Muslims'. Ed.D. dissertation, Columbia University Teachers College, United States -- New York. Retrieved March 10, 2009, from Dissertations & Theses: Full Text database. (Publication No. AAT 3175708). Mendyka,B.E. and Bloom, F.R. 1997. 'Reaffirming the Relevance of Culture for Nursing. Scholarly Inquiry for Nursing Practice', Vol. 11, No. 3, pp. 179-192. Retrieved March 10, 2009, from ProQuest Health and Medical Complete database. (Document ID: 1472206731). Pfifferling, J. H. 1981. 'A cultural prescription for medicocentrism'. In L. Eisenberg & A. Kleinrnan (Eds.), The relevance of social science for medicine. pp. 197-222. Boston, MA: D. Reidel. Racher, F.E. and Annis, R.C. 2007. 'Respecting Culture and Honoring Diversity in Community Practice'. Research and Theory for Nursing Practice. Vol. 21, No. 4, pp. 255-70. Retrieved March 10, 2009, from ProQuest Health and Medical Complete database. (Document ID: 1385772571). Ryan,M., Twibell, R., Brigham, C., Bennett, P. 2000. 'Learning to care for clients in their world, not mine'. Journal of Nursing Education, Vol. 39, No. 9, pp. 401-8. Retrieved March 10, 2009, from Career and Technical Education database. (Document ID: 66622688). Stout, M.D. and Downey, B. 2009. 'Nursing, Indigenous Peoples and Cultural Safety: So What' Now What''. CN Contemporary Nurse. Vol.22, No.2. Retrieved http://www.contemporarynurse.com/archives/vol/22/issue/2/article/749/nursing-indigenous-peoples-and-cultural-safety Underwood, S.M. 2006. 'Culture, Diversity, and Health: Responding to the Queries of Inquisitive Minds'. Journal of Nursing Education,Vol. 45, No. 7,pp. 281-6. Retrieved March 10, 2009, from Career and Technical Education database. (Document ID: 1075095541). Wells, M.I. 2000. 'Beyond cultural competence: A model for individual and institutional cultural development'. Journal of Community Health Nursing, Vol. 17, pp. 189-199. Read More