Cultural Competency

Some might say multicultural nursing is difficult. Becoming culturally competent can make caring for people in different cultures easier. Nurses must develop skills to break the barriers that might interfere with the care of a patient in a different culture. In this paper, I will analyzed and described at least five points on how the concepts learned may be used to influence nursing care, analyzed and summarize how has this research changed my cultural competency, and evaluated and describe how positively affect nursing care. Nurses are starting to identify the significance of accepting the values, beliefs, and health practices of different cultures in order to provide care that is appropriate and culturally relevant to diverse patient

Food is uses as socialization and celebration in most cultures. In some cultures certain food have different meaning and use in different rituals. As nurses, ensure that education is given on nutrition and food that can complicate an illness or interfere with a medication in important. I interview a naïve from Haiti, for the Haitians society food is relished as a cultural treasure and food practices vary little from generation to generation (Purnell, 2009). They prefer eating at home, they discourage fast food, and take pride in their foods. Furthermore, childbearing practices varies in different cultural, understanding the practice of the patient that is being care for is important. In Haiti, women do not seek prenatal care since pregnancy is not considered a disease. Pregnant women are restricted from eating spices and are encouraged to eat vegetable and red fruits as it is assumed to increase the fetus blood (Purnell, 2009). During labor, the women practice natural birth. Fathers generally do not participate in labor or birth, they believe that this event is best handled by a woman. Haitian believe the woman bones are open after birth and need to stay in bed 2-3 days after to permit the bones to close (Purnell, 2009). Nurses must educate on importance of vitamins and folic acid during pregnancy, also educate on the importance of prenatal care. Explaining that in it preventive for the fetus since they believe not

Inquiring about a patient spiritual beliefs is very important. Nurse must be aware of how a culture deal with death and handles the body. When it comes to death rituals, Haitians prefer to die at home rather in hospital. When the person dies, all family members try to be at the bedside and have a prayer service. The preburial activity is called veye, a gathering of family and friends to tell stories about the deceased’s life; food, tea, coffee, and rum are in abundant supply. Also other ritual is the dernie priye, a special prayer service consisting of 7 consecutive days of prayer, facilitating the passage of the soul from this world to the next. In the Muslim culture, they pray five times daily and must face mecca when prayer, they pray on a rug called seccadeis (Purnell, 2009). Most pray in the cami, when entering shoes must be removed and women must cover their heads. Turkish Muslims do not generally practice cremation because of their belief that the body must remain whole (Purnell, 2009). After death, the body is washed in a ritual manner and wrapped in a white sheet. The traditional mourning period is 40 days, during which time traditional women may wear black clothes or a black scarf (Purnell,