Culture in nursing practice
Culture is the beliefs, customs, and traditions of a group of people. Nurses need to familiarize themselves with the culture of the patients before offering medication. Culture does not only affect the perspective of the patient about health care but also that of the nurse practitioners. Therefore, nurses need to examine their beliefs as well as those of their patients.
Familiarizing yourself with the patient’s culture helps you offer medication that is congruent with their beliefs. Munoz and Campinha-Bakote developed a five-component model for developing cultural competence. The first one is cultural awareness, cultural awareness means examining self to determine your cultural and professional background. You can use a cultural assessment tool to find out your beliefs and traditions.
After assessing yourself the second step is cultural knowledge. This is finding out information about different cultures and ethnic groups. You can read books, journals, and articles or even attend seminars and workshops to know more about different cultures. A nurse needs to filter through the information a patient offers to realize relevant cultural data, this is the fourth step, it is known as cultural skill. The last step is cultural encounters, interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds. This helps you familiarize yourself with many cultures.
It important for a nurse not to stereotype patients based on their looks. Ask them about their cultural background. Remember there is culture with subcultures do in-depth research to understand the subcultures. A good nurse-patient relationship is essential. It develops trust and creates a rapport between the two parties. Define the roles of men and women in each culture. In some cultures, only the head of the family makes decisions about medication. As a nurse, you can open up about your culture to the patient to make them more comfortable and open.
Cultural acceptance and understanding are essential in the provision of health care. It helps a nurse practitioner to attend to diverse cultures who are seeking medical care. In the United States of America, there are both majority and minority cultures and ethnic groups. Those from minority groups are 37%. The American Nursing Association code of ethics states that nurses should respect the dignity, worth and unique traits of a patient. Therefore, it is the role of nurse practitioners to respect all cultures. Cultural competence helps the nurses to offer high-quality health care after understanding the needs of their patients.
References
Bourque Bearskin, R. L. (2011). A critical lens on culture in nursing practice. Nursing Ethics, 18(4), 548-559.
Feng, X., Bobay, K., & Weiss, M. (2008). Patient safety culture in nursing: a dimensional concept analysis. Journal of advanced nursing, 63(3), 310-319.
Maier-Lorentz, M. M. (2008). Transcultural nursing: Its importance in nursing practice. Journal of cultural diversity, 15(1), 37-43.
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Study Bay Notes:
Culture in nursing practice
Nursing is a profession that requires not only technical skills and knowledge, but also cultural competence and sensitivity. Culture is a complex and dynamic concept that encompasses the beliefs, values, norms, customs, traditions, languages, and behaviors of a group of people. Culture influences how people perceive health, illness, wellness, healing, and health care. Therefore, nurses need to be aware of their own cultural background and biases, as well as the cultural diversity and needs of their patients and colleagues.
Cultural competence is the ability to provide effective and respectful care to patients from different cultural backgrounds. It involves four components: cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural skill, and cultural encounter. Cultural awareness is the recognition of one’s own cultural assumptions and prejudices, and how they may affect one’s interactions with others. Cultural knowledge is the understanding of the basic characteristics, history, values, beliefs, and practices of different cultural groups. Cultural skill is the ability to collect relevant cultural data from patients and perform culturally appropriate assessments and interventions. Cultural encounter is the process of engaging in direct and meaningful interactions with people from different cultures, in order to learn from them and modify one’s attitudes and behaviors accordingly.
Cultural competence is essential for nursing practice because it can improve the quality and safety of care, enhance patient satisfaction and adherence, reduce health disparities and inequities, foster mutual respect and trust, and promote professional growth and development. Nurses who are culturally competent can communicate effectively with patients and families, provide individualized and holistic care, respect patients’ preferences and choices, address patients’ spiritual and emotional needs, advocate for patients’ rights and interests, collaborate with other health care providers, and contribute to the advancement of nursing knowledge and practice.
To develop cultural competence, nurses need to engage in continuous learning and reflection. They can use various strategies such as reading books and articles, attending workshops and seminars, participating in online courses and modules, joining professional organizations and networks, seeking mentors and role models, visiting cultural centers and museums, traveling to different countries and regions, volunteering in community projects and programs, and interacting with diverse populations.
To develop cultural competence, nurses should follow a systematic approach that involves continuous learning and reflection. They can employ various strategies to enhance their cultural competence:
- Continuous Learning and Reflection: The foundation of cultural competence is ongoing self-assessment and personal growth.
- Educational Resources: Nurses can expand their knowledge by reading books and articles, staying up to date with relevant literature.
- Workshops and Seminars: Attending cultural competency workshops and seminars can provide structured learning experiences.
- Online Courses and Modules: Participating in online courses and modules can offer flexibility and in-depth understanding.
- Professional Networks: Joining professional organizations and networks focused on cultural competence can provide valuable insights and support.
- Mentorship: Seeking mentors and role models who have experience in cultural competence can be immensely beneficial.
- Cultural Exploration: Visiting cultural centers, museums, and engaging with cultural events can provide exposure to diverse perspectives.
- Travel: Experiencing different countries and regions firsthand allows nurses to gain insights into various cultures.
- Community Involvement: Volunteering in community projects and programs can foster a deeper connection with diverse populations.
To apply their learning effectively, nurses can utilize evidence-based tools and frameworks:
- LEARN Model:
- Listen
- Explain
- Acknowledge
- Recommend
- Negotiate
- RESPECT Model:
- Rapport
- Empathy
- Support
- Partnership
- Explanations
- Cultural competence
- Trust
- ETHNIC Model:
- Explanation
- Treatment
- Healers
- Negotiate
- Intervention
- Collaboration
- C-LARA Model:
- Calm
- Listen
- Affirm
- Respond
- Add
- Campinha-Bacote Model of Cultural Competence:
- Cultural desire
- Cultural awareness
- Cultural knowledge
- Cultural skill
- Cultural encounters
Culture is an integral part of nursing practice that affects both nurses and patients. Nurses need to develop cultural competence in order to provide high-quality care that is respectful of patients’ diverse backgrounds and needs. By doing so, nurses can enhance their professional competence
and satisfaction.
References:
Campinha-Bacote J. (2019). The Process of Cultural Competence in the Delivery of Healthcare Services: A Model of Care. Journal of Transcultural Nursing 30(1): 17-28.
Giger JN. (2017). Transcultural Nursing: Assessment & Intervention. 7th ed. St Louis: Elsevier.
Purnell L. (2019). Guide to Culturally Competent Health Care. 4th ed. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company.
Bourque Bearskin, R. L. (2011). A critical lens on culture in nursing practice. Nursing Ethics, 18(4), 548-559.
Feng, X., Bobay, K., & Weiss, M. (2008). Patient safety culture in nursing: a dimensional concept analysis. Journal of advanced nursing, 63(3), 310-319.
Maier-Lorentz, M. M. (2008). Transcultural nursing: Its importance in nursing practice. Journal of cultural diversity, 15(1), 37-43.
