Culturally Competent Nursing Care Research Paper

Culturally Competent Nursing Care - Research Paper Example Physical gestures and body language are largely influenced by cultural practices, which might reflect contradictory mannerism for nurses (Sanchez & Gaw, 2007). c) These Asian Americans come from a medical community where medications are very commonly used and recommended by practitioners. Thus, they have inherent expectations of being prescribed medicines on their regular checkups by general physicians. They are not openly willing to modern therapies and do not easily accept unconventional non-medication treatments (Tseng, 2003). d) Since they belong to a minority, they have built-in inferiority complex that needs to be eradicated prior to initiating treatment. A neutral and impersonal therapy, which might work normally for masses, can be alienating for Filipinos since they are not familiar with the professional psychiatric approach. e) One of the core attitudes exhibited by minorities, like Filipinos, is the sensitivity towards their ethnic beliefs and religious rituals. Often, they break into an argument with medical personnel, based on their conflicting opinions that are shaped by their spiritual practices. Recommendations for culturally competent care Considering the abovementioned problems faced by nursing staff with respect to their caretaking duties towards Filipino patients, it is essential that they are well-prepared and trained to furnish culturally competent services. To combat these issues, medical practitioners shall follow the following guidelines: a) Effective communication with patients is pivotal for ensuring professionalism and cultural consideration. Nurses must be well-conversed in different languages and must take utmost care when deciding to either speak directly with the patient or otherwise indirectly through their family members.... Filipinos represent one of the largest and poorest proportions of minorities in various countries around the world. Due to lack of sufficient funds, these Asians tend to avoid using healthcare facilities until they suffer from a critical injury or chronic disease. Even in such extreme cases, they prefer to abandon the treatment procedures on premature terms to minimize due charges. It is evident from aforementioned arguments that medical practitioners and nurses have extensive responsibilities towards stabilization of cultural differences. They must consider and recognize all potential disparities that might eventually become a cause of conflict or discrimination. However, it is not possible for staff members to support this cause independently on their own; healthcare organizations must establish strong structure, environment and workforce that are adequate to meet the diversified needs of patients belonging to different cultures and languages. Cultural competence can be achieved on ly through radical improvements in the overall system and society as a whole.