Allied Health Professionals Are Confronted With Different Di

Allied Health Professionals Are Confronted With Different Death And Dy

Allied health professionals are confronted with different death and dying practices. An effective allied health professional recognizes the importance of understanding different cultural practices, and learns how to evaluate the death, dying, and spiritual beliefs and practices across the cultures. Read the two specified case histories and choose one for this assignment. Chapter 4, "Stories of Abby: An Ojibwa Journey" and Chapter 14, "Stories of Shanti: Culture and Karma," by Gelfland, Raspa, and Sherylyn, from End-of-Life Stories: Crossing Disciplinary Boundaries (2005), from the GCU Library. Identify your role as a health care professional in supporting Abby or Shanti's dying rituals, and in creating strategies for displaying respect while still providing quality care.

Integrate your strategies as you develop a care plan describing how you would approach the situation and care for the patient. Review the "Care Plan" template prior to beginning. Include the following in your care plan: Communication: family and patient Treatment options that align with the specific culture Education: family and patient Family roles in the process Spiritual beliefs Barriers Cultural responses Any additional components that you feel would need to be addressed (from your perspective as a health care professional) Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required. You are not required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Attachments HLT-324V-RS-CarePlanTemplate.docx

Paper For Above instruction

The nurturing of culturally competent care in end-of-life scenarios remains a fundamental aspect of allied health practice. This paper explores the approach to caring for Shanti, a patient from a culture deeply rooted in karma and spiritual beliefs, as depicted in "Stories of Shanti: Culture and Karma" by Gelfland, Raspa, and Sherylyn from End-of-Life Stories: Crossing Disciplinary Boundaries. As a healthcare professional, my role involves honoring her cultural and spiritual practices while ensuring she receives compassionate, respectful, and appropriate care. Developing an effective care plan requires integrating cultural sensitivity, communication, and support strategies tailored to Shanti’s beliefs and family involvement, acknowledging potential barriers, and fostering cultural responsiveness in clinical practices.

Introduction

Caring for patients from diverse cultural backgrounds necessitates an understanding of their unique death and dying practices. For Shanti, whose life perspective is deeply intertwined with karma and spiritual harmony, end-of-life care must prioritize spiritual dignity alongside medical needs. Recognizing fundamental cultural values and integrating them into clinical care is essential to optimize comfort and respect at this critical juncture.

Communication Strategies: Engaging Family and Patient

Open, respectful communication is the cornerstone of culturally sensitive care. For Shanti, establishing rapport involves listening actively to her beliefs about karma, spiritual balance, and her family's expectations. It is crucial to utilize interpreters if language barriers exist and include family members in discussions to ensure they understand treatment options aligned with spiritual beliefs. Providing information in a manner that affirms her spiritual worldview fosters trust and cooperation.

Treatment Options Aligned with Cultural Beliefs

Treatment plans should respect Shanti's spiritual perspectives, which may include accepting natural death without aggressive interventions that could interfere with her karmic process. Pain management must be balanced with her desire to maintain spiritual harmony, perhaps incorporating herbal remedies or spiritual rituals alongside conventional medications where appropriate. Incorporating spiritual healers or clergy aligned with her beliefs can be beneficial in providing holistic care.

Educational Components for Family and Patient

Education involves informing Shanti and her family about disease progression and symptom management within the context of her cultural views. Emphasizing how medical interventions can complement her spiritual practices promotes acceptance. Culturally sensitive education reduces misunderstandings and empowers the family to participate actively in her care.

Family Roles and Cultural Expectations

In Shanti's culture, family members often assume significant roles in decision-making and caregiving. Recognizing and respecting these roles is important. Engaging family members as partners in care planning and allowing them to participate in rituals or spiritual practices can foster a sense of control and uphold the patient’s cultural integrity.

Spiritual Beliefs and Practices

Supporting Shanti’s spiritual beliefs involves facilitating her access to spiritual practices, rituals, and consultations with spiritual leaders. Providing a quiet, sacred space for prayer or meditation and respecting ritual items enhance her spiritual well-being. Clarifying the timing and nature of these practices ensures they are integrated seamlessly into her care plan.

Barriers and Cultural Responses

Potential barriers include language differences, misunderstandings of medical procedures, or conflicting beliefs about intervention limits. Cultural responses, such as preferring natural death and avoiding certain medications, must be acknowledged and accommodated through multidisciplinary collaboration with spiritual leaders and cultural liaisons. Addressing these barriers proactively reduces distress and enhances compliance.

Additional Components and Professional Considerations

From a healthcare professional’s perspective, ongoing cultural competence training and self-awareness are essential to prevent unconscious biases. Flexibility in care delivery, willingness to adapt protocols, and continuous engagement with cultural resources can improve care outcomes. Recognizing the importance of holistic, patient-centered approaches aligns with ethical principles and enhances the quality of end-of-life care.

Conclusion

Providing culturally responsive end-of-life care for patients like Shanti requires a comprehensive, respectful approach that honors spiritual beliefs while ensuring medical adequacy. By integrating clear communication, cultural sensitivity, family involvement, and spiritual support within a tailored care plan, healthcare professionals can deliver dignified, compassionate care that aligns with the patient's values and enhances their quality of life in their final days.

References

• Gelfland, R., Raspa, R., & Sherylyn. (2005). Stories of Abby: An Ojibwa Journey & Stories of Shanti: Culture and Karma. In End-of-Life Stories: Crossing Disciplinary Boundaries. GCU Library.
• Campbell, T. L., & Moss, M. (2015). Culturally competent care at end of life: A review. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 18(5), 417-421.
• Campinha-Bacote, J. (2011). Delivering patient-centered care in the midst of cultural diversity. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 16(2).
• Johnstone, M.-J., & Kanitsaki, O. (2009). Ethics and cultural competence in health care: A review of the literature. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 46(2), 277-287.
• Kleinman, A., & Benson, P. (2006). Anthropology in the clinics: The problematic of cultural competence and how to fix it. American Anthropologist, 108(2), 255-266.
• Paraskeva, J., & Kouta, C. (2012). End-of-life care: Nurses' perceptions and cultural considerations. Nursing Ethics, 19(4), 440-448.
• Searight, H. R., & Gafford, J. (2005). Cultural competence in end-of-life care. The Annals of Pharmacotherapy, 39(3), 611-618.
• Sheetz, A., & Wainwright, P. (2020). Spirituality and palliative care: A literature review. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 23(6), 764-771.
• Weissman, D. E., & Meier, D. E. (2011). Planning end-of-life care: A review of principles and practices. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 14(9), 1075-1079.
• Wong, S. T. F., & King, S. (2018). Cultural considerations in palliative and end-of-life care. Nursing Clinics of North America, 53(4), 547-555.