Health Assessment. Post an explanation of the specific socioeconomic, spiritual, lifestyle, and other cultural factors associated with the patient you were assigned. Explain the issues you would need to be sensitive to when interacting with the patient, and why. Provide at least five targeted questions you would ask the patient to build his or her health history and assess his or her health risks.
CASE STUDY AG is a 54-year-old Caucasian male who was referred to your clinic to establish care after a recent hospitalization after having a seizure related to alcohol withdrawal. He has hypertension and a history of alcohol and cocaine abuse. He is homeless and is currently living at a local homeless shelter. He reports that he is out of his amlodipine 10 mg which he takes for hypertension. He reports he is abstaining from alcohol and cocaine but needs to smoke cigarettes to calm down since he is not drinking anymore.. May 2012, Alice Randall wrote an article for The New York Times on the cultural factors that encouraged black women to maintain a weight above what is considered healthy. Randall explained—from her observations and her personal experience as a black woman—that many African-American communities and cultures consider women who are overweight to be more beautiful and desirable than women at a healthier weight. As she put it, “Many black women are fat because we want to be” (Randall, 2012).
Randall’s statements sparked a great deal of controversy and debate; however, they emphasize an underlying reality in the healthcare field: different populations, cultures, and groups have diverse beliefs and practices that impact their health. Nurses and healthcare professionals should be aware of this reality and adapt their health assessment techniques and recommendations to accommodate diversity.
In this Discussion, you will consider different socioeconomic, spiritual, lifestyle, and other cultural factors that should be taken into considerations when building a health history for patients with diverse backgrounds. Your Instructor will assign a case study to you for this Discussion.
DIVERSITY AND HEALTH ASSESSMENTS
RESOURCES
https://waldenu.instructure.com/courses/85632/modules/items/2747301
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9/4/23, 10:10 PM Topic: Week 2: Discussion
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To prepare:
Reflect on your experiences as a nurse and on the information provided in this week’s Learning Resources on diversity issues in health assessments. By Day 1 of this week, you will be assigned a case study by your Instructor. Note: Please see the “Course Announcements” section of the classroom for your case study assignment. Reflect on the specific socioeconomic, spiritual, lifestyle, and other cultural factors related to the health of the patient assigned to you. Consider how you would build a health history for the patient. What questions would you ask, and how would you frame them to be sensitive to the patient’s background, lifestyle, and culture? Develop five targeted questions you would ask the patient to build his or her health history and to assess his or her health risks. Think about the challenges associated with communicating with patients from a variety of specific populations. What strategies can you as a nurse employ to be sensitive to different cultural factors while gathering the pertinent information?
Post an explanation of the specific socioeconomic, spiritual, lifestyle, and other cultural factors associated with the patient you were assigned. Explain the issues that you would need to be sensitive to when interacting with the patient, and why. Provide at least five targeted questions you would ask the patient to build his or her health history and to assess his or her health risks.
Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the Reply button to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click on Post Reply, you cannot delete or edit your own posts and you cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking on Post Reply!
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity. Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
WEEKLY RESOURCES (https://waldenu.instructure.com/courses/85632/modules/items/2747303)
BY DAY 3 OF WEEK 2
https://waldenu.instructure.com/courses/85632/modules/items/2747303
9/4/23, 10:10 PM Topic: Week 2: Discussion
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Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.
Respond on or before Day 6 on 2 different days to at least two of your colleagues who were assigned a different patient than you. Critique your colleague’s targeted questions, and explain how the patient might interpret these questions. Explain whether any of the questions would apply to your patient, and why.
BY DAY 6 OF WEEK 2
References
https://waldenu.instructure.com/courses/85632/modules/items/2747301
https://cdn-media.waldenu.edu/2dett4d/Walden/Canvas/Getty/1920×938/GettyLicense_530995167.jpg
https://waldenu.instructure.com/courses/85632/discussion_topics/760466?module_item_id=2747302
https://waldenu.instructure.com/courses/85632/modules/items/2747303
https://waldenu.instructure.com/courses/85632/modules/items/2747303
https://waldenu.instructure.com/courses/85632/discussion_topics/760466?module_item_id=2747302
Here are five questions I would ask the patient assigned to me, a homeless man who reports abstaining from alcohol and cocaine but continues smoking cigarettes, and who is prescribed amlodipine for hypertension:
Can you tell me about your daily routines and habits? I want to understand your lifestyle and any stressors you face living in a shelter.
How long have you been homeless? Homelessness can impact one’s health in many ways. Understanding your situation better will help me address your needs.
What is your diet like? Nutrition plays a big role in managing conditions like hypertension. Knowing what you have access to eat will help me make recommendations.
How do you get your medications? Not having stable housing can make it hard to take prescription drugs as prescribed. We’ll need a plan to ensure you get your amlodipine.
What are your goals for improving your health and living situation? Motivation is key for making lasting changes. Understanding your goals will help me support you.
Some cultural factors I’d need to be sensitive to include the stresses of homelessness, lack of social support, limited access to care and healthy foods, and potential stigma around drug use or poverty. Building trust through empathetic, non-judgmental questions is important to get accurate information and address both his physical and social needs. My questions aim to do this while respecting his agency and dignity.
