Multi Cultural Health Care

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One of the questions in our homework has me stumped. Before I enter the question I just want to say that I AM NOT asking for the answer, I just need help understanding it.

Here goes:

You are working with Hispanic parents of newborns and discussing the immunization of the baby. To be culturally sensitive, address this issue in relation to communication, time, space, social organization and environment control.

For some reason, this one is going over my head! I have called a few classmates and they too aren't sure how to answer this one. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

MissLo

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Specializes in public health, heme/onc, research.

communication: english may not be their first language, possible language barriers, etc.

time/space: relationship building, close contact, perceptions of personal space

social organization: who makes the medical decisions (one person or several people)

environment control: ???

Check out http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/ohpp/clasact/CAHC.aspx

CLAS Act is a program on Culturally & Linguistically Appropriate Health Care Services. You can click on Culturally Appropriate Health Care under general resources and search for all kinds of info regarding your question.

Hope this helps!

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Thanks a million pshs!

MissLo

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Specializes in med surg-oncology-progressive care-Rehab.

Baseline knowledge related to a specific culture can begin to assist a nurse’s development of culturally competent nursing care, such as-does this culture believe in immunizations? It's a process where the nurse continually strives to effectively deliver care within the cultural context of the patient and family, by being educated in cultural awareness and knowledge.Hope this helps.

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In the area of space, would you say that they are more touchy feely or stand offish? I have been looking in my book and online but I am not finding much in reference to space.

MissLo

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Specializes in public health, heme/onc, research.

prtl.uhcl.edu/portal/page/portal/CSLT/Modules/Hispanic%20Families%20module1.ppt

slide 45

I just did a google search for hispanics, personal space

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it just amazes me in this day and time that people will look for a different way to approach other people based on skin hue

l think that your instructors are teaching you to be biased and prejudiced

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Chatsdale, I agree with you. I hate this class with a passion and I think that is why I am having a hard time doing this q/a sheet. Unfortunately, this is a requirement for the nursing program.

MissLo

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I'm actually taking the same class as well, it's alot of critical thinking because you to put yourself in another culture's shoes. I recently had to write an essay on the Jamaican culture, which was a little easy for me because I'm Trinidadian, but also half Jamaican. But this class makes you really think in detail because you don't really think something is an issue or a difference until you really think about it. So the question you're being asked just want you to think of the barriers that would be between you as the Healthcare worker, and a patient of a Hispanic culture. If you have Mosby's Cultural Health Assessment pocket guide, it should really help you along. Good luck...:D

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Emergency, SAFE.
it just amazes me in this day and time that people will look for a different way to approach other people based on skin hue

l think that your instructors are teaching you to be biased and prejudiced

Really? You think culturally competent care shouldnt be integrated into our learning for school ?

Thats interesting. I myself am Hispanic and see nothing wrong with it. Showing us how to best approach and speak to people of different backgrounds should be in every curriculum.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.
it just amazes me in this day and time that people will look for a different way to approach other people based on skin hue

When I lived and worked in Texas, and the majority of my patients (95%) were Hispanic, we used to explain the procedure or the medication, pot. side effects and they were free to accept or reject. Just like non-Hispanic people. Who would have thought?

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I definitely agree that learning about different cultures in health care is very important because like I said before you may not realize that there is a such a diversity, until you're actually faced with it. This class prepares you to be more open-minded, and to not implicate your beliefs or ideas on the patient. For some people this can be easy, but you never know that the health care giver can have a culture just as strong as the patient, and may not know how to adjust or react. So I definitely disagree that this course teaches the students to be biased. In the class you're not taught to treat one culture one way, and the next another, you're being taught to be open-minded, and actually non-biased.

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