Please respond to each classmate with at least 125 words with a reference. Discussion 1:
Culturally competent care in nursing has been a topic for healthcare facilities for several decades, but it’s important to understand why this is true. Culture is a set of shared beliefs, values, and behaviors that influence how people in a group think and act. Cultural competence is the ability to interact effectively with people from different cultures (Deering, 2022). By tailoring treatment plans to patients’ cultural needs, nurses can effectively treat patients even when their beliefs, practices, and values conflict with conventional medical and nursing guidelines. Nurses can develop the ability to adapt and explain treatment plans in a way that is respectful of patient’s cultural practices, even if those practices fall outside the parameters of conventional medicine.
Deering (2022) explains that there are four pieces to culturally competent care. These are awareness: nurses can pay close attention to their own biases and how they react to people whose backgrounds and cultural experiences differ from their own. Attitude is the next component of culturally competent care. Once the nurse becomes more aware, then they can assess their background and beliefs on the topic and begin making attitude adjustments as necessary (Deering, 2022). Knowledge is the third component to culturally competent care. Just as it sounds, increasing knowledge on the cultural topic at hand can help the nurse remove biases, and engage in better healthcare for more positive outcomes. The last piece of culturally competent care is skills, essentially the skills component is putting the three other components to practice. With these components in mind culturally competent care is a behavior that can be learned, just as bias can be unlearned.
One situation that I experienced when I was working at in a small Dutch township in Michigan regarding a sickle cell crisis. This community has a black population of 0.8%. For reference, I began my nursing career in a much more culturally diverse area of the world, but for the two years I was employed at this hospital, I had seen only one black patient, and a handful of Hispanic individuals. On this night in the ER, the patient had come in with intense pain. It seemed that the provider had never treated a sickle cell patient before. I ended up taking this patient because I have had several sickle cell patients in the past. I immediately gained IV access, sent off blood work per protocol and advocated for pain medications. The doctor ordered oral Tylenol and IV ketorolac. I advocated that this isn’t going to work. I requested stronger pain medication and an Ofirmev drip for this patient if the physician was so intent on giving Tylenol. I pulled up a few studies for the doctor, and his PA who also worked downtown in the neighboring city had spoken to him. This physician was old school and not a fan of criticism of his practice, so he did push back on my requests several times, until the PA discussed the pathophysiology of sickle cell. It was astonishing to me that a 30-year ER physician didn’t know how to treat a sickle cell crisis, but ultimately the patient was admitted to the floor. The family and patient ended up with excellent care this visit, but I often wonder what the outcome would have been if people who weren’t born and raised in this tight-knit Dutch community weren’t involved in this patient’s care. I did an ERS that shift and being part of a larger health system there were a lot of emails regarding implicit bias for healthcare workers, but I don’t know if that was from my ERS or if it was just renewal time and there was a push. This situation was an example of cultural competence that was lacking. It is everyone’s job to understand different conditions that can affect other cultures.
Discussion 2:
In nursing, we must confront numerous challenges and obstacles, including cultural disparity. If not properly addressed by caregivers, this disparity can exacerbate existing issues. Culture encompasses a broad spectrum of norms, traditions, beliefs, and values that shape an individual’s thoughts and actions (Deering, 2021). To provide high-quality service, nurses and other healthcare professionals must possess cultural competence when managing patients. Cultural competence encompasses an individual’s cultural awareness, attitudes, knowledge, and sensitivity. Within the nursing profession, cultural competence involves understanding how various cultural, social, and language factors can influence a person’s beliefs about health (Kaihlanen et al., 2019). Nurses can better understand and acknowledge cultural differences by being sensitive and aware of their patients’ behaviors and attitudes toward healthcare. This enables them to design more effective nursing plans and intervention programs that align with the patients’ values while striving to achieve optimal health.
In my extensive experience as a nurse in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), I have become well-versed in handling cultural differences. The ICU patients and their families already face immense stress due to their circumstances, and cultural barriers can further exacerbate their condition. There have been instances where I’ve encountered patients who speak a different language than I do, though they may understand English as non-native speakers (Deering, 2021). In such situations, I prioritize patience and utilize simple terms to explain the patient’s condition and the necessary steps for improvement. The use of complex medical terminology and jargon can confuse and overwhelm them. I diligently strive to comfort them, alleviating their fears or concerns.
Providing critical support to patients and their families during these challenging times is vital. Healthcare providers should never be the cause of additional stress for patients. Language barriers are not the only challenges I have faced. I have also cared for patients with differing cultural beliefs, which can sometimes lead to conflicts. However, as a dedicated professional with the best interests of the patients at heart, I ensure that these differences do not hinder the provision of high-quality healthcare services. When patients and their families feel genuinely cared for and appreciated, it greatly aids their recovery.