NRS 429 Topic 4 DQ 1
Sample Answer for NRS 429 Topic 4 DQ 1 Included After Question
What are the methods a nurse can use to gather cultural information from patients? How does cultural competence relate to better patient care? Discuss the ways in which a nurse demonstrates cultural competency in nursing practice.
Does anyone have an example of how you have questioned patients regarding their culture? How is this done?
A Sample Answer For the Assignment: NRS 429 Topic 4 DQ 1
Title: NRS 429 Topic 4 DQ 1
A method a nurse can use to gather cultural information from patients is using a culture assessment tool or questionnaire, examples are seminars , internet resources, workshop, and journal articles.
As mentioned previously, I am an O.R. nurse. Giving blood is very common in the my specialty of nursing. Also there are some cultures that do not participate in blood products. One of the questions on the consent is “Are you okay with us giving you blood products in an emergency situation?” and they have the option to circle do or do not and they initial. I never make them feel bad or judge them for what they choose to do.
Our hospital has it as part of their admission intake and its just asking if they have any cultural , spiritual or religious consideration they want as to keep in mind, then depending on their response it drops down follow up questions going to specifics. 
I once had a patient from Potorico. He speaks spanish and English. I was able to get information regarding his culture through nurse patient interactions. During initial nursing assessments, he was uncomfortable disclosing certain information but as his care progressed and an inter personal relationship was built, he was very free to discuss his culture, his native food preference as well as ways in which marriage is contracted in his culture. In general I begin to understand that the much information you get from a patient is dependent on your interpersonal relationship with them as well as providing enabling environment
Some questions nurses can ask a patient regarding culture and how to ask them include:
Are there certain cultural courtesies we should practice when we come to visit you?
Are there things we might do that you would find offensive?
Could you please let us know if anything we do seems rude or offensive so we can fix it?
Are there special beliefs or customs you would like to keep related to this health problem?
Are there special herbs/ foods/treatments you have found helpful?
Our hospital uses the same tool as part of the admission questionair which specifiavally asks if the patient has any special spiritual or cultural requests and if they do have any I make sure to pass it along in report when the oncoming shift come to make things easier
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Our facility has a questionnaire tool we use upon admission. It asks if the patient has any cultural or spiritual requests or needs. This is very helpful to aid us in gearing our care towards a patient should they answer yes. When a patient answers yes, we are able to ask further questions in regards to their needs, being in Labor and Delivery we often have patients who have cultural requests that differ from what our standard of care is, I always try my best to accommodate their needs and learn what I can about their culture and beliefs.
With nursing be an ever-changing fluid job, what areas can we use to educate ourselves as well as our patients?
Nursing being a dynamic profession, so is the health care professional who should keep abreast of the changes. Areas that health care professionals can use to educate themselves and the patient is through updates on new information on evidence based practices so as to provide quality care for better patient outcomes. Another area is through the appreciation of different cultures and being culturally competent in their care. Finally nurses can learn effective communication skills to help collect right data from the patient and relay the right information back to the patient.
After we graduate from the degree program, we become educators, and need to teach what we practice, Nursing is not just about dispensing medication or administering treatments. We are responsible for teaching patients about preventing and managing medical conditions. By doing this, we help them take control of their health care thence improve their health status. When we allow patients to be involved in their care, they become more likely to engage in interventions that increase their chances for positive outcomes.
One way we can educate ourselves as well as patients is through our continuing education courses when we are renewing our licenses every year. Many of the course we take may seem boring or a waste of time, but really they are very informative. We could attend/take courses that would be beneficial to us as nurses as well as patients. This will help with different questions patients may have and as nurses we could educate the patients and give them understanding on whatever it is they are asking.
We can use awareness and educate ourselves and our patients about advancement in technology that is taking over the way health care is being delivered in recent times. We have seen the use of telehealth increase since the COVID 19 pandemic; we have seen electronic devices e.g. our mobile phones now being used to monitor our physical activities, our diet as we record the amount of calories we ingest on daily basis; we are using handheld devices in hospitals to administer patients medications now by scanning the QR-Code on their armbands and so on. We should engage in keeping ourselves up-to-date with these technological advances and also encourage our patients to do likewise.
As dynamic of a profession nursing can be , health care professionals should keep up with the changes not only within their specialties but as a profession its self. Areas that health care professionals can use to educate themselves and the patient is through updates on new information on evidence based practices so as to provide quality care for better patient outcomes. Another area is through learning the most common cultures within your communities that knowledge with aid in competent care as well as patient compliance, many minority patients are very agreeable during hospitalization but aren’t always actively listening yes, the biggest part is a language barrier but I think its also the feeling of being understood and seen
We can educate ourselves as nurses by staying up to date on the latest evidence based practices that relate to our specialty as this is a great way to stay current with the latest scientific advancements. We as nurses can also try to get relevant certifications in our field of specialty to gain more knowledge and confidence when practicing bedside care. By educating ourselves we are able to present information and the latest advancements and treatments to our patients and able to answer questions and/or concerns they may have. Overall I think continuing education for nurses and anyone in the healthcare field is very important and should not be overlooked as it is always benefits us as practioners of medicine and nursing care
Cultural information can be gathered through a good nursing assessment with motivational interviewing. The nurse can ask about the patient’s “preferences, values and beliefs, language, cultural traditions, barriers to care, family of origin, and socioeconomic conditions.” (Stubbe, D.E. 2020.) It is very important for the Registered Nurse to understand the scope of Cultural sensitivity and to design a plan of care which keeps interventions in a realistic context for the patient. Family members may assist with providing a history and social context, in addition to translating for the patient.
Cultural competence leads to better patient care because the patients feel heard and understood when the nurse is culturally sensitive. The nurse is prepared with interventions which have respect for the patient’s right to cultural practices and beliefs.
One example of an intervention is to offer to call Clergy for a family who is experiencing a trauma and in need of support. Clergy needs to be notified in a timely manner and nurses can assist with making the connections and contacting the patient’s pastor or priest. (Reed, C. 2017.) Diverse cultures have many different ways of preparing for the end of life, and nurses should be prepared with an open mind to respond to a patient or family member’s requests.
A nurse can demonstrate cultural competency by educating herself on the practices and major beliefs of different cultures and major world religions. The nurse can be prepared to answer questions and to consult Chaplaincy for spiritual support and guidance. Interventions can be very respectful of the patient’s cultural needs and timelines, such as mourning and burial timelines. Above all, the nurse should demonstrate respect and sensitivity to all cultures and seek guidance when needed.
References:
- Stubbe D. E. (2020). Practicing Cultural Competence and Cultural Humility in the Care of Diverse Patients. Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing), 18(1), 49–51. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.focus.20190041
- Reed, Cindy RN. Cultural Competence. AJN, American Journal of Nursing: July 2017 – Volume 117 – Issue 7 – p 13 doi: 10.1097/01.NAJ.0000520925.34279.30
A Sample Answer 2 For the Assignment: NRS 429 Topic 4 DQ 1
Title: NRS 429 Topic 4 DQ 1
One of the methods that can be used to gather cultural information from patients is simply asking the patient about his/her cultural beliefs that the patient would like to be practiced while hospitalized. The other method is inquiring from the family members and the patient’s behaviors using non-verbal signs. When providing patient care, nurses must suspend personal biases and fully respect patients despite differences in culture. Cultural competency does not mean becoming an expert on every culture encountered, instead, nurses should recognize what they do and do not know to provide appropriate care (Falkner, 2018).
Cultural competence relates to better patient care in the sense that knowing the diverse feelings, values, and beliefs of patients leads to increased respect and mutual understanding from patients and increased participation from the local community, which consequently results in improved health outcomes. Cultural competence has been defined in a variety of ways but usually is understood as one possessing the attitudes, knowledge, and skill necessary for providing quality care to a diverse population; in other words, the capacity to deliver culturally appropriate care. To promote culturally competent health care, nursing leaders have developed a clearly articulated set of standards necessary for providing culturally appropriate nursing care. The twelve standards have been designed to serve as a guide for nurses by emphasizing culturally competent care as a priority for all patients (Hines, 2013).
There are various ways to demonstrate cultural competence in nursing practice, one of them being the way the nurse speaks to the patient. The nurse should speak to the patient in a way that is easy to follow and understand. The nurse should not disregard or judge the belief or religious backgrounds of a patient. Instead, the nurse should encourage the patient to do what works best for he/she thinks works best.
Reference
Hines, D. (2013). Cultural competence: Assessment and education resources for Home Healthcare Now. LWW. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://journals.lww.com/homehealthcarenurseonline/Fulltext/2014/05001/Cultural_Competence__Assessment_and_Education.3.aspx
Falkner, A. (2018). Cultural Awareness. CCC web books by AWS & CDD. In Grand Canyon University. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs429vn/health-promotion-health-and-wellness-acr
A Sample Answer 3 For the Assignment: NRS 429 Topic 4 DQ 1
Title: NRS 429 Topic 4 DQ 1
Cultural competence is an imperative part of taking care of a patient. Understanding their culture changes how we care for a patient in certain situations, every culture is different and by not understanding the differences it could easily offend a patient. Cultural competency means being aware of differences related to culture and adjusting plans of care accordingly as well as remaining sensitive and respectful of choices patients may make based on their culture (Falkner, 2022). We can gather cultural information on a patient by simply asking a patient. Patients respect when you show an interest in their culture, it makes them realize that you want to treat them with dignity according to their culture.
Cultural competence is essential with patient care. It demonstrates the compassion and education that nurses use to help understand all cultures. Due to a steady rise in cultural and linguistic diversity in healthcare settings and evident challenges associated with this diversity, there is an urgent need to address cultural competency of nurses (Oikarainen et al., 2019). To have nurses address the influx of different cultures continuing education is used to help keep nursing up to date with changes and different cultures. If we as the nurse understand our audience it will allow for better care because we can focus on their needs that are specific to them, that is how we will gain excellent patient centered care.
Nurses demonstrate cultural competence in many ways every day through their education and care. Speaking and educating a patient with their culture in mind is important. Every culture or religion has different belief systems and in order to give the most expertise in our care, nurses need to understand the differences, so our education is best received and not dismissive of their thoughts. Also, nurses should not be judgmental of patient choices about religious beliefs. There are many different medical exemptions in different religions and we as nurses should respect our patients’ choices. A good example is Jehovah Witness’s and their refusal of blood products. If it comes between life and death, they will die prior to receiving any blood products and that is their right. It can be challenging at times, but they have a purpose for their belief and as a nurse we must not condemn them for their belief.
Oikarainen, A., Mikkonen, K., Kenny, A., Tomietto, M., Tuomikoski, A.-M., Meriläinen, M., Miettunen, J., & Kääriäinen, M. (2019). Educational interventions designed to develop nurses’ cultural competence: A systematic review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 98, 75–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2019.06.005
Falkner, A. (2022). Health Promotion. In Grand Canyon University (Ed). Health & Wellness Across the Continuum (2) https://bibliu.com/app/#/view/books/1000000000585/epub/Chapter1.html#page_61
See Also: NRS 429 Topic 3 DQ 2