Question

What are the methods a nurse can use to gather cultural information from patients? How does cultural competence relate to better patient care? Discuss the ways in which a nurse demonstrates cultural competency in nursing practice. (references needed )

Answer 1

Some of the method the nurse can use to collect cultural information from the patient are

• Encourage the patient to talk and describe about his illness and health, this gives a brief knowledge on how the patient understands a disease
• Ask for the patients choice of treatment, this can make the patient to express his feelings of treatment whichnis competent with their culture
• Listening to the patient actively ,maintaining eye contact,having healed of the family can enhance the patient communication
• The nurse can ask about the patients nativity,immigration status ,observe the dressing style,language used etc., to know about the actual cultural background
• The patients fear can be assessed in regards to the decision because in certain culture ,diseases are thought to be a result of bad evils done in the past and how they handle it and overcome it.

A cultural competency like respecting other people's thoughts, believes, values,ideas in regards to health and illness.The way of treatment enforced in a particular culture,the healthcare professionals communicating the different type of services available and their acceptance or rejection ,improves communication and thus leads to a better patient care.

The nurse can demonstrate a cultural competency in a nursing practice in the following way

• The nurse has to do a self assessment before initiating a cultural competent care because lack of knowledge in regards to culture will lead to poor quality of health-care
• Providing care after collaborating with the patient
• Do not enforce a care if patient is not willing
• Explain the treatment plan in prior to the patient ,this makes patient to gain knowledge in regards to disease and illness.