CORE COMPETENCIES: CULTURAL CONSIDERATIONSCORE COMPETENCIES: CULTURAL CONSIDERATIONS - Assignment Example

This plan must respect the Inuit views and culture. The first cultural issue is location. Hope Point, Alaska has either all night or all day most of the year. DuFresne, Kelly, and Bodry (2012) report “from May to mid-August there’s too much daylight in Alaska” (294). Thus the Inuit do not necessarily look at days and nights like in Western countries. Twelve hours to an Inuit might not mean what it means to others. Inuit are not backwards, or uneducated. Many, including MK, have clocks, but they do not regulate their activities on a clock.

In the summer, there is no need to hurry before sunset. In the winter, since it is always dark, there is no hurry. Time can seem timeless when day and night are not clearly defined. Another cultural issue is MK’s religious beliefs that sickness occurs due to an unbalance of spirits in her environment. Jans (2007) states, “The land swarmed with spirits (tuungak) and ghosts (piinjilak), all potentially hostile. Even normal actions, performed improperly, could bring illness or death to an entire camp” (133).

MK’s current infection would be blamed on displeased spirits. In order to determine what is going on with MK’s life. Her infection could be the result of many things. For example, if MK got an ear infection from cigarette smoke, going out in the cold without a hat, or even the need of tubes in her ears, these things can only be determined by asking MK questions. While it is important not to mock MK’s beliefs, medical personnel can ask questions like ‘Do you think the spirits were displeased you did not protect your ears from the cold with a hat?

” Medical personnel do not have to believe what MK believes, but must understand MK believes her religion. Her belief of displeased spirits is just as important as Christian, Islamic, and Jewish prayers. The final cultural issue is the local shaman. Shamans are the doctor figures