What Is Cultural Safety?

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Cultural Safety is a concept that emerged in the late 1980s as a framework for the delivery of more appropriate health services for Maori people in New Zealand. However, recently it has become recognised that the concept is useful in all health care setting and involving people with different ethnic backgrounds (DeSouza, 2008). Cultural Safety is defined as an environment that is spiritually, socially, emotionally, and physically safe for people; where there is no assault challenges or denial of their identity, of who they are and what they need. It is about shared respect, shared meaning, shared knowledge and experience of learning together (DeSouza, 2008). Patient centred care is defined as care that is respectful of and responsive to individual …show more content…

This essay will demonstrate skills of analysis and debate whether cultural safety is patient centred care through integrating clinical situations.
Cultural safety is an important concept in nursing as it is reflected in the Nursing Council of New Zealand, (2011) competencies as it outlines the ethical and legal nursing practice. The nursing concept of cultural safety is defined by health consumers who have received care which also relates to the practice that respects and does not impose on patient’s cultural beliefs and values (Wepa, 2005). Cultural safety aims to improve the health status of consumers through nurses by acknowledging the different beliefs and practices of others. It is intended to improve the delivery of health and disability services though nurses. Cultural safety includes the nurse’s understanding of diversity within their own culture and the impact of that on others. Providing effective care for consumers with diverse needs and them considering it safe. Cultural safety is focused on understanding the impact of the nurses own culture, reflecting and challenging their own practice and to improve any issues by resolving and comprising issues (Nursing Council of New Zealand, 2011). The code of health and disability services …show more content…

Tikanga is defined as “rules, ethic, code, condition, convention, the right way to do something” (Taranaki District Health Board, 2011). The tikanga recommendation best practice policy is primary focuses on relation to the Maori values, beliefs and management of care. This empowers to uphold the dignity and well-being of Maori consumers and their whanau who receive health services. Central to the policy is the expectation that all users of health services are treated with dignity and respect (Health & Disability Advocacy, 2006). Through exercising the principles of the policy it is anticipated that the awareness and confidence of the health care will be increased. In doing so nurses will demonstrate consideration of wider cultural needs and expectations. During the conversation with the patient on her cultural values and beliefs, by incorporating tikanga protocol was able to create an environment, which ensures the wairau (spiritual), hinengaro (psychological), tinana (physical) wellbeing of tängata mäuiui (patients), and their whänau (family) were consisted (Taranaki District Health Board, 2011). While talking to the patient I respectfully kept eye contact to a minimum as prolonged eye contact in Maori tikanga is considered a challenge. Māori often think that it is rude to look at people directly because to them it suggests a challenge and encourages conflict and opposition, so they may

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