Case Study Cultural Diversity: You Are A Nurse Caring For A

Case Study Cultural Diversity1 You Are A Nurse Caring For A 53 Year

You are a nurse caring for a 53-year-old married Muslim woman who is 2 days postoperative after extensive abdominal surgery. She requires complicated dressing changes three times daily, which necessitate the presence of at least two staff members. Her husband is usually by her bedside when he is not at work, showing attentive and caring behavior.

The upcoming work schedule indicates that the Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and nursing assistant on your team will be male. To ensure culturally competent care, it is essential to consider the patient's cultural and religious background, her comfort, and her privacy needs.

As healthcare providers, understanding the significance of modesty in Islamic culture, especially concerning female patients undergoing invasive procedures, is vital. Muslim women often prefer female staff for sensitive care to uphold their dignity and modesty preferences. The presence of male staff during intimate procedures can cause discomfort or distress, potentially affecting the patient's recovery and trust in care providers.

In providing culturally competent care, the first step is gathering pertinent patient information. This includes understanding her religious beliefs, cultural expectations around modesty, preferences concerning the presence of male staff during dressings, and her comfort level with her current care team configuration. It is also useful to know her openness to having a female staff member or a chaperone present during procedures.

When caring for this patient, reflective questions should include: How might my actions align with her cultural expectations? What steps can I take to respect her privacy and dignity? Does the patient have specific preferences regarding female staff during her dressing changes? How can I involve her and her family in her care plan to ensure cultural sensitivity?

Steps to provide culturally competent care include engaging in open and respectful communication. Asking the patient about her preferences and comfort levels is critical, such as, "Would you feel more comfortable with a female nurse or a chaperone present during your dressing change?" Moreover, coordinating with the healthcare team to involve female staff members when possible demonstrates respect for her cultural needs. Educating the team about cultural sensitivities promotes a collaborative approach and reduces potential discomfort or misunderstandings.

Furthermore, ensuring privacy by appropriately draping the patient during procedures and minimizing the exposure to male staff when possible supports her modesty. If male staff must be involved, explaining the necessity and seeking her consent can foster trust. Providing information about her rights and involving her family in decision-making—if she consents—also helps establish culturally competent care. Documenting her preferences and ensuring staff are aware of and respect these preferences is essential.

In situations where staffing limitations prevent immediate access to female staff, healthcare providers should advocate for the patient's needs while balancing staffing realities. This may include scheduling procedures at specific times or arranging for a female chaperone to be present during care. Employing cultural competence as a core component of care not only enhances patient satisfaction but also promotes healing and trust in healthcare services.

References

• Campinha-Bacote, J. (2011). The process of cultural competence in the delivery of healthcare services: A model of care. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 22(2), 151-157.
• Gallagher, C., & Fletcher, J. (2019). Cultural sensitivity in nursing practice. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 75(1), 25-36.
• Gregor, A. K., & Waugh, P. (2020). Cultural competence and healthcare disparities. Nursing Management, 27(3), 10-16.
• Jeffreys, M. R. (2016). Teaching cultural competence in nursing and health care: Inquiry, action, and innovation. Springer Publishing Company.
• Leininger, M., & McFarland, M. R. (2006). Culture Care Diversity and Universality: A Worldwide Nursing Theory. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
• Purnell, L. (2018). Transcultural health care: A culturally competent approach. F.A. Davis Company.
• Salvacion, A., & Amodia, M. (2017). Cultural competence in nursing: A concept analysis. Philippine Journal of Nursing, 88(2), 23-31.
• Shen, M. (2015). Cultural competence models and their limitations. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 26(3), 261-269.
• Wilson, J. M., et al. (2018). Respecting religious and cultural beliefs in healthcare. Nursing Standard, 32(32), 44-50.
• WHO (2016). Framework on integrated people-centered health services. World Health Organization.