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  • Essay / Understanding and Navigating Cultural Perspectives in Healthcare

    Table of ContentsAsian CultureNative American CultureAfrican CultureConclusionReferencesIn providing care, it is essential that nurses know and understand the culture of those they care for. If they do, they can provide care specifically tailored to the patient so that the patient feels comfortable and understood. To achieve this, nurses must study the different cultures of the world and be prepared to ask questions when patients arrive who come from an unfamiliar cultural background. So, to understand some different cultures and their approach to medicine, Asian, Native American, and African cultures will be examined. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayAsian CultureUnlike Western culture, Asian culture is very focused on maintaining body balance. One of the concepts of Asian culture more or less known in the West is the idea of ​​Yin and Yang. In the idea of ​​Yin and Yang, it is vital that a person maintains a balance in their life, that is, their emotions, thoughts, heat, cold, etc. The idea of ​​qi and blood is similar to this concept. In cultural understanding, qi and blood interact together to circulate blood throughout the body and move energy throughout the body (Chung, Ma, Lau, Wong, Yeoh, & Griffiths, 2012). Treatments such as acupuncture can be used to open qi pathways and treat illnesses. People from Asian cultures are reluctant to share health information or express pain or discomfort. When people from Asian cultures receive treatment in Western health care, they often mix traditional methods from their own culture with the treatments they receive (Yeung, 2006). So the best thing a nurse can do to care for her Asian patient is to ask him what she thinks is the cause of his illness. The nurse may learn that the patient believes something is out of balance in his or her life. At this point, the nurse must advocate for the patient and see how she and the patient can work together to combine the best of both treatments so that the patient believes that balance in their body is being restored. This may involve combining the use of herbs with medications prescribed by a doctor. While the nurse is talking with the patient, she should ask what treatments the patient has tried before or if she saw anyone before going to the hospital for treatment. This can provide information for the nurse to understand how the patient perceives their condition and tries to treat it, as well as who the patient relies on for medical information. Most importantly, the nurse should not show any signs of disbelief in the patient's practices, as this can quickly end communication and trust between the nurse and patient. If the patient feels understood and the nurse respects the patient's traditional medical practices, such as acupuncture, then the patient will trust the nurse. Then the nurse can advocate for the patient to the doctor so that the patient can receive treatments such as acupuncture or hot or cold foods so that the patient also feels like they are healing. Asian medical practices have been shown to be effective and should be considered especially when treating an Asian patient (Yeung, 2006). CultureNative American Native American tribal people have varying approaches to treating conditions affecting their health. Common beliefs among these people are strongly linked to spirituality. A person's health and well-being in this culture is based on a harmonious relationship between themselves and the environment around them (Koithan & Farrell, 2010). Practices may vary among tribes, however, almost all tribes use a combination of herbs, ceremonies, prayer and therapies to treat or even prevent illness. Some practices may seem particularly strange to practitioners of Western medicine. These could include the use of songs and dances to treat illnesses. Additionally, it is common for Native Americans to consult a shaman or healer who can provide herbs, dances, or other forms of treatment for illness. Interestingly, younger generations in Native American culture who have abandoned traditional practices have been found to experience greater incidence of disease and poorer health status (Koithan & Farrell, 2010). In providing care to people from these cultures, the nurse must know which tribe the patient belongs to and what practices they use to treat and prevent illness. The nurse would also do well to ask whether the patient has been to see a healer or shaman, what the healer or shaman prescribed, and whether the patient would also like to include the healer or shaman in their health care (Bassett , Tsosie and Nannauck, 2012). Similar to the approach in Asian cultures, if the nurse can advocate for the patient and help blend the practices of the Western physician with the traditional practices of the healer or shaman, then they can provide optimal care for their patient. In addition to this, involving the family in the patient's treatment and care can help alleviate any feelings of isolation a Native American patient may experience in the hospital setting. (Bassett, Tsosie, & Nannauck, 2012. Consistent with the idea of ​​the importance of the connection between person and land in Native American culture, it may be important for the nurse to provide ways for the patient to feel a connection to the An example may be the simple act of opening a window to allow fresh air into the room and provide a view of the sky (Koithan and Farrell, 2010). open between the patient and the nurse which will allow understanding, trust and confidence and respect.African CultureAfrican culture is perhaps one of the most diverse cultures when it comes to approaches to medicine. Native American peoples, Africans may belong to different tribes that have different beliefs and ideas regarding medicine. The idea in their culture is to rely on their ancestors to communicate with God. prayers to saints to communicate with God, people in African cultures go through their deceased ancestors to communicate with God (Mokgobi, 2016). They often turn to traditional healers to learn how to properly communicate with their ancestors and with God. In this culture, people might believe that their illness is the result of witchcraft or punishment inflicted by their ancestors. There are also different types of healers, midwives, diviners and other roles commonly used in medicine within this culture (Mokgobi, 2016). If a nurse is responsible for the care of a patient of African descent, she must first identify the patient's beliefs and understanding of the cause of their illness. A patient who believes.1761144/.