NUR 139 MODULE D

NUR 139 MODULE D

Ethnicity VS Race

• Ethnicity: a sense of identification with a collective cultural group
• Race: Physical characteristics that distinguish a group
• These are considered antiquated terms
• These terms are still used because they can be used to identify common health problems that are typically located in a specific group

Examples of Common Health Problems in Specific Racial Groups

Culturally Competent Nursing Care in Action

1. Communication
   • Language preference
   • Eye contact
   • Active listening
   • Nonverbal cues (Para-language)
   • Health Literacy
2. Physical Health
   • Determine preferences r/t caregivers.
   • Assess customs/restrictions/preferences r/t direct contact with body/skin and unclothing of body
   • Hair/nail care
   • Hygiene
3. Understand Client’s Meaning of Health and Illness
   • Spirituality: belief in a higher being
     • (not the same as religion which is an organized set of beliefs that normally have a set practice)
   • Mental Health/Psychological Health
   • Understanding/Interpretation of Pain: pain is subjective!

4. Understand Client’s meaning of Family and Community                                   
   • Roles: dominant figure, gender roles, community roles        
   • Support systems:  human or non-human, blood family, extended family, non-traditional family, members of the community or no one

(Assess and Consider for Plan of Care below)

5. Consider Present Socioeconomic Status
   • Ex.) Low income families ("culture of poverty")
6. Understand Time and Space Perception
   • Is punctuality emphasized in their culture?
   • Do they have a specific preference to personal space?
7. Food and Nutrition Preferences
   • What is their cultural norms?
   • Do they have preferences in their diet that we can meet?

The Different Types of Family Structures

• Nuclear family: traditional family, composed of two parents and their children
• Blended family: parents bring unrelated children from previous relationships together to form a new family
• Extended family: contemporary family that lives in close proximity to relatives, aunts, uncles, and grandparents

5 areas of family functions (IDEALLY)

1. Physical
2. Economic
3. Reproductive
4. Coping
5. Socialization

Client Spirituality

• In order to provide culturally competent care, the nurse should start by spirituality assessing self!
• Defining the health care practitioner's parameters of spiritual care
  • Identify your comfort level for sharing/supporting spiritual practices
  • Understand and explore the difference between religion and spirituality

Specific ACTIONS the Nurse Can Implement

• Be a compassionate presence
• Assist to find the meaning or purpose in presence of illness or death
• Foster relationships that nurture the client's spirituality
• Facilitate the client's expression of spiritual/religious beliefs

Risk factors for altered family health

• Lifestyle risk factors
• Psychosocial risk factors
• Environmental risk factors
• Developmental risk factors
• Biological risk factors