Cultural Project Help Needed

unikuelady, RN · Sep 20, 2003

I have always asked the patient and their family members. I have never had any problem doing this. Everyone has been appreciative that I cared not only about them pyhsically-but culturaly. If the procedure must be done differently-then I explain why. I have found that spending a little "extra" time with patients from other cultures improves the outcome of both the patient and the Nurse.

Todd SPN · Sep 20, 2003

During clinicals there was an Indian women who needed a bedpan. I was asked to take care of it, but was told by the pt no. I *think* it was because I was male. We had student from India that was assigned her care later.

indie · Sep 21, 2003

Have you tried asking this question on the UK nurses forum? The UK has quite a few Indian RNs, although you should be fairly specific about what part of India and then, what religion.

It's a very large country with, amont others, Muslim, Hindu, Christian, and Sikh practices. As a Health Visitor in the UK I was given some training about certain aspects of care for these cultures, but I don't remember much specifically about the issues on which you have questions.

I do recall that tongue scrapers are standard oral care for many Indians with a lot of coughing and spitting at this time. Seems a bit gross to us, but it is becoming recommended by certain oral specialists here in the USA, related to sulfur forming bacteria hiding in the deep crevices at the back of the tongue.