Cultural Preferences and End-of-Life Care - Essay Example

"Cultural Preferences and End-of-Life Care" is a perfect example of a paper on the health system.
Among the Latino ethnic group, there is an attitude that the end of life care should be done within certain limits of privacy. Their preference while palliating their patient is that the prognosis should not be shared with any other non-significant member. They always want it hidden from other people who may not wish them well (Smith & Alexander, 2009).

They also believe that the health care provider nursing their patient should not mention death however bad the condition might be seemed to be. Consequently, secondary to these believes and attitudes, the consent and the care of the patient are not done with the health care provider's latitude. All the operations should be done within their cultural context.

However, religion may have an influence on cultural beliefs. Those affiliated with Islam consider that all the communication about the dying patient should always be channeled through a male member. This is contrary to the Christians and their very culture that gives more latitude to the closest member. According to Phyllis (2012), they also do not believe in an unnecessary protraction of a patient’s life when it is ostensible that he or she is gone especially for the Muslims.

According to Simon & Barrio- (2007) when the ethnomedicine intercepts culture in the time of palliating the patients, and the healthcare provider is not conversant with cultural competence of handling the situation then frustration may be the by-product. The Code of ethics of medical practice has it that the patient should be on the mechanical ventilator when need is, but culture can impose that it is not necessary for protraction of life. According to Iraida, (2007) such interaction result in a state of limbo and hence the frustration.