Aspects of Cultural Awareness in Nursing

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Discussion
Conclusion
References

Introduction

The fundamental point in achieving the best patient care outcomes is to address the patients needs as much as possible. In this context, anticipating and knowing all the needs will not be achievable without acknowledging cultural diversity the common focal point of contemporary care issues. Therefore, healthcare professionals, especially nurses, have to be culturally sensitive, that is, be aware of cultural peculiarities and their potential effect on the choice of treatment and care (American Nurses Association, 2021). Cultural sensitivity and awareness fall under the concept of diversity consciousness (Purnell & Fenkl, 2019). Consequently, a nurses cultural competence can be evaluated based on how well the nurse applies diversity consciousness in her practice.

Discussion

In practice, the development of diversity consciousness is an infinite process. There are six areas for diversity consciousness development: self-analyzing, analyzing other people, exceeding personal boundaries, analyzing social inequality, self-criticizing, and applying what was learned (Purnell & Fenkl, 2019). Self-analysis is a critical starting point in the process of consciousness development. Above everything else, it provides a perfect reference point for all consequent research and analysis (Marion et al., 2016). Since every individual has their own vision and understanding, an attempt to expand the knowledge about that serves as a good second step in the development. The third step implies working on empathy not only learning about others but also trying to see things from their perspective (Ong-Flaherty, 2015). As a result, certain features of social inequality will become evident; thus, they must also be considered. As people dive into external analysis, they tend to forget about self-reflection and proper implementation of acquired knowledge. This tendency might significantly impede the development process and must be addressed accordingly.

In my practice, I had a case with a patient who was a devoted Christian. I, in turn, do not particularly associate myself with any religious preference, preferring not to question myself with beliefs in a greater spiritual deity or a possibility of an afterlife. Consequently, at first, the patient doubted my ability to provide him with the proper type of care he expected. As soon as I realized his concerns, I conducted some research on the analogical cases when a difference in worldviews became the cause for concern to the patient and nurse. I learned that the most culturally competent response in my case would be to hold my personal vision in check and to show attention to the patients wants and needs without prejudice toward him. Thus, when the patient approached the topic of Christianity with me, I showed respect for what he had to say. At the same time, I kept in mind that I did not have to agree with everything. In particular, it was necessary to establish professional boundaries, which included the clarification of what can be discussed and what questions are not subject to it.

Conclusion

I believe that in this scenario, nursing cultural competence can be best demonstrated by the nurse being attentive, making appropriate inquiries, and learning how much the patients beliefs can influence his decisions regarding healthcare. According to the Doctors of Nursing Practice (2021), when patients see genuine interest from the nurses side in their values, beliefs, and vision, it becomes easier for them to relax and stop worrying. However, in order for the nurses not to be stressed as well, it is important to remember that they do not have to change their own beliefs to take care of the patient properly. The resulting dialogue should be viewed as a healthy sharing of knowledge relevant to the future course of action beneficial for both the patient and healthcare provider. In my case, we were eventually able to come to an agreement and managed to establish proper communication throughout the treatment process.

References

American Nurses Association. (2021). Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice (4^th ed.). American Nurses Association.

Doctors of Nursing Practice. (2021). Understanding the true importance of cultural diversity in nursing. Regis College. Web.

Marion, L., Douglas, M. M., Lavin, M. A., Barr, N., Gazaway, S., Thomas, E. L., & Bickford, C. (2016). Implementing the new ANA standard 8: Culturally congruent practice. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 22(1), 9. Web.

Ong-Flaherty, C. (2015). Critical cultural awareness and diversity in nursing: A minority perspective. Nurse Leader, 13(5), 58-62. Web.

Purnell, L. D., & Fenkl, E. A. (2019). Handbook for culturally competent care. Springer.

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Aspects of Cultural Awareness in Nursing

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