Nursing Cultural Sensitivity Essay Discussion Paper
Nursing Cultural Sensitivity Essay Discussion Paper
Nursing Cultural Sensitivity
- Explain the rationale for selecting the chosen cultural group.
Amirehsani et al. (2017) explores the experiences of Hispanics as a unique cultural group in the USA. They are considered a unique cultural group with significant health related disparities when compared to other cultural groups in the USA. This has been blamed on the emigrant nature of the Hispanic cultural group as most of them still have roots in their countries of origin in South America. The ethnic term ‘Hispanic’ refers to the diverse population of Latin American descent that includes many races. Hispanics are a diverse ethnic group in the USA with many different nationalities, races and cultures to include persons of Central American, South American, Puerto Rican, Mexican, Cuban or other Spanish origin/culture. There is evidence that members of the Spanish cultural group face significant obstacles in accessing and obtaining health care, especially with regards to language barriers. Many members of this cultural group are not proficient in communicating using English language. Many medical facilities in the USA that serve this cultural group lack trained interpreters and are forced to rely on ad hoc interpretation from their bilingual personnel or even the relatives of the patients. In addition to the language barriers, there are cultural concerns about false fluency when the meaning of some Spanish words are mistaken because of unfamiliarity with linguistic and cultural subtleties. Besides that, the cultural differences could cause persons of Hispanic culture to perceive health care providers as being insensitive and disrespectful to their culture when that is not necessarily the case. Also, most members of these culture have difficulties in accessing health insurance owing to financial difficulties and illegal immigration status thereby limiting access to health care. As a result, it becomes clear that the cultural peculiarities of the Hispanic population in the USA makes them a unique group worth studying in health care projects.
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- Summarize the key points of the article and discuss key cultural differences to be taken into consideration when providing care.
Amirehsani et al. (2017) focuses on the Hispanic population in the USA. The article makes six key points.
- It notes that Hispanics in the USA are experiencing significant health disparities to include uncontrolled medical conditions such as diabetes, myocardial infarction and hypertension. Also, they are unlikely to receive the required medical care to include diagnosis and medication.
- It identifies person-centered care, particularly tailored communication, as offering an opportunity for improving health outcomes and reducing health disparities as well as chronic disease management. This approach would be appropriate for the Hispanic population.
- It identifies the need for culturally competent health care for Hispanics who are from culturally diverse backgrounds, noting that patients would report greater satisfaction and trust if treated respectfully.
- It identifies the need for information, respectful and attentive relationships by Hispanics, need for better care, and proactive efforts to address the perceived discrimination.
- It identifies the need for quality communication between all stakeholders to determine accurate diagnosis, develop collaborative treatment plans, and empower patients.
- It identifies the need for culturally competent strategies to be adopted with regards to improving patient and family education, patient-provider interactions and communication, quality of care, and reduced perceived communication.
- Apply the new information to a practice situation that demonstrates cultural sensitivity in communication with that cultural group.
Amirehsani et al. (2017) identifies four significant shortcomings that hinder efforts to deliver culturally competent care to Hispanics. The first shortcoming is the lack of information from medical personnel whereby it is noted that Hispanics voice concerns about not receiving adequate health information. Hispanics want and need information about diseases, how to medicate, and learning about wellness self-management strategies. The lack of information causes some of Hispanics to self-medicate with the result that they experience poor outcomes and even require emergency care. This shortcoming should be addressed by ensuring that patients are provided with comprehensive information about their health status, their questions on health answered, and supplementary sources of information so that they are supported in making the best decisions. Nursing Cultural Sensitivity Essay Discussion Paper The second shortcoming is the lack of respectful and attentive relationships. Medical personnel do not take a personal interest in Hispanic patients so that they feel used as a source of money rather than as people who seek medical care. In fact, some of the medical personnel are rude and unfriendly thereby resulting in negative experiences for Hispanic patients. Also, some of the encounters with medical personnel are rushed with not enough time to either receive information or ask questions. This shortcoming should be addressed by ensuring that medical personnel are respectful, attentive and friendly in their encounters with medical personnel. The third shortcoming is the provision of low quality care with Hispanic patients noting that they are subjected to long wait times and have difficulty in obtaining timely appointments thus resulting in delayed care. Additionally, they are subjected to late diagnosis and lack of provider continuity that results in physical suffering and higher financial costs. This shortcoming should be addressed by ensuring that Hispanic patients receive high quality care that is at the same standard as other populations. The fourth shortcoming is perceived discrimination in which Hispanics report discrimination for lack of insurance as well as ethnic identity. This shortcoming should be addressed by ensuring that the population is not subjected to discrimination (Amirehsani et al., 2017).
- Address the importance of cultural sensitivity in communication, both generally and with this population, and present any conclusions drawn from the article.
Culturally sensitivity in communication is important for the Hispanic population as well as the general population. When communication is not culturally sensitive, patients are unlikely to be satisfied with their experiences and perceptions of care with increased risk of communication so that cultural disparities are reported. Besides that, it can result in poor adherence to treatment, increased incidence of adverse events, and poorer health outcomes. This awareness highlights the need for culturally sensitive communication that enables patients to get the information they require from medical personnel, attentive and respectful relationships, access to better care, and discrimination being eliminated. To be more precise, there is a need for person-centered care to be applied in ensuring that communication is understandable and clear. Also, patient education should be improved with translation services offered even as perceived discrimination is reduced (Amirehsani et al., 2017).
Reference
Amirehsani, K., Hu, J., Wallace, D., Silva, Z., Dick, S., West-Livingston, L., & Hussami, C. (2017). U.S. Healthcare Experiences of Hispanic Patients with Diabetes and Family Members: A Qualitative Analysis. J Community Health Nurs., 34(3), 126-135. https://doi.org/10.1080/07370016.2017.1340556
Select one article from a nursing journal focused on a specific cultural group. Write a paper of 1,000-1,250 words that addresses the following guidelines:
- Explain the rationale for selecting the chosen cultural group.
- Summarize the key points of the article and discuss key cultural differences to be taken into consideration when providing care.
- Apply the new information to a practice situation that demonstrates cultural sensitivity in communication with that cultural group.
- Address the importance of cultural sensitivity in communication, both generally and with this population, and present any conclusions drawn from the article.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
