Cultural discussion - Research Paper Example

Furthermore, the nurse must consider that Mrs. Nasser’s daughter already has high fever and needs immediate attention. She should accentuate to Mrs. Nasser that she cannot prescribe medicine without understanding the cause of her daughter’s symptoms. In addition, since her daughter is a minor, we cannot force Mrs. Nasser to authorize tests and procedures that she does not want for her daughter. The recommendations for the nurse are: 1) She should inform Mrs. Nasser that her daughter needs immediate clinical attention for her fever and discomfort and that she will try to get a Muslim female physician/gynecologist for her to appease her cultural reservations.

If no Muslim female doctor is available, she will tell her that she will try to get a female doctor. If no female doctor is available, then they will find a male doctor and ensure that all examinations will be done with her mother present (Lo, 2009, p.335). The nurse can also remind Mrs. Nasser that ‘necessity overrides the prohibition,’ which is a rule of Islamic Sariah. 2) The nurse can suggest other kinds of examinations to rule out possible causes of diseases, such as physical examination, where if a male physician does it, he will do it with gloves on and in the presence of Mrs. Nasser. Other options are taking rectum samples and doing an ultrasound. 3) The nurse must be sincere and responsive to the cultural and religious beliefs of Mrs. Nasser. She must discuss these various laboratory testing options to her, so that she feels that she has the autonomy to make decisions for her daughter.

This will build trust too, which is essential, noting that Mrs. Nasser is scared for her daughter, but wants to remain true to her cultural/religious beliefs. Reference Lo, B. (2009). Resolving ethical dilemmas: A guide for clinicians (4th ed.). Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams, & Wilkins. Cuban Discussion Food is considered part of people’s culture, which is why it is not surprising that Mrs. Demetilla Hernandez wants to continue cooking traditional Cuban dishes to her family. Cuban food affirms her Cuban identity.

Cubans strongly value family needs too, which is why Mrs. Hernandez prefers to cook traditional Cuban dishes, though they might not be good for her, after being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. She might think that the happiness and satisfaction of her family is more important than her health. Furthermore, as a traditional Cuban woman, Mrs. Hernandez might have more faith in herbs than medicine. It is possible that she is used to drinking herbs to manage her former illnesses. In addition, there must be some language barriers too.

She might not understand the lifestyle changes required to keep her blood sugar level close to normal. She needs to absorb the complications of unmanaged Type 2 Diabetes, such as heart and blood vessel disease, nerve damage (neuropathy), and foot damage, among others. Language barriers, cultural beliefs, and diet concerns must be addressed. The recommendations for the nurse are: 1) If she knows Spanish, she should speak in Spanish with Mrs. Hernandez and explain to her what Type 2 Diabetes is and what the possible complications are.

If not, she should get a Spanish nurse to help her or refer her to a Spanish doctor who can help explain the lifestyle changes needed to manage her blood sugar l