Transcultural Health Care: Jewish Culture - Essay Example

"Transcultural Health Care: Jewish Culture" is a wonderful example of a paper on care. Lisa is a registered nurse in the emergency department where she has worked triage. Her interest in religion has been gradually increasing and she would like to follow strict Sabbath observance. She has requested an off from Friday afternoons through Saturday evenings but her supervisor has declined the request on the ground that it would be unfair to other nurses. The supervisor also identifies a barrier between Lisa and other team members and asks her to try to bridge the gap. Upon mentioning the effects of religion on her position, the supervisor tells Lisa that she would better go back to New Jersey.

Feeling about Lisa’s request

I feel that Lisa’s request is valid and honoring it has positive effects on both the organization and Lisa through offering utility. While the emergency department needs satisfaction in Lisa’s output quality, Lisa seeks utility in flexible working conditions that can allow her to meet her religious needs. Allowing her the off is likely to satisfy her needs and in turn, motivate her efforts in the department. Andrew and Sonia’s explanation (2012, pp. 27-30) that an employee’s level of satisfaction in his or her job environment has positive effects on the employee’s level of commitment that translates to organizational productivity supports this. Derived motivation could also help Lisa to improve on her team competencies.  

How the request might be honored

The request might be honored by rescheduling the duty roster to retain the number of hours that Lisa works in the department but increase her time input during weekdays. This would further involve shifting another employee's work hours from weekdays to weekends based on consent from both parties. Lisa could similarly be allowed to make a local arrangement and swap working hours with another employee and have the agreement approved by the supervisor. Such arrangements would ensure the satisfaction of the involved parties and associated effects on the employees’ output (Andrew and Sonia, 2012, pp. 27- 30).  

Cultural competence of the supervisor in the situation

The supervisor was not culturally competent. Cultural competence involves appreciating diversity by upholding different cultural beliefs and practices, cultural awareness and adjustments to emerging cultures, cultural knowledge, and adaptation of different cultures around a person (Rasmussen, 2013, pp. 1). The supervisor, however, did not exhibit a positive attitude towards Lisa’s culture, and either lacked knowledge of the Jewish culture or was intolerant to it. This could also apply to the supervisor’s attitudes towards other cultures to identify his cultural incompetence.  

Possible presentation of Lisa’s concerns if she were to discuss the issue at a team meeting

Lisa could present her case through the expression of emotions in order to justify her position and need. She is likely to state her inability to work on Friday afternoons through Saturday evenings and discuss her passion for the religion. This is because of the Jewish communication patterns that do not restrict the expression of emotions (Purnell, 2012, pp. 341).

EEOC’s position on honoring employees’ request for time off for holidays

EEOC provides that unless a request for time off for holidays results in undue hardship an employer must accommodate an employees’ need to observe religious holidays (Saxe, Mirrafati, and Bien, N.d., pp. 6-98). The possibility of an arrangement to re-organize Lisa’s working hours would therefore meet the provision to warrant her the holiday.

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