You Are Working In An ICU Where A 16-Year-Old Girl Is 288369

You Are Working In An Icu Where A 16 Year Old Girl Is In Critical Cond

You are working in an ICU where a 16-year-old girl is in critical condition after an auto accident. Her mother comes in and begins to sing, sprinkle tobacco around the bed, hang eagle feathers and crystals around the room, and move her hands back and forth above the girl’s body. The girl’s nurse tells the mother that visiting time is over and that she should take all these dirty things out of the room. The mother insists on staying by the bedside and says that if she had placed rosary beads or Bibles in the room she would not have been questioned. What cultural and spiritual issues are evident in this situation?

Apply cultural competence to this case Discuss complementary therapies evident in this situation How would you incorporate spiritual care? How would you approach this situation? What principles would guide you? Use a scholarly article and use APA format

Paper For Above instruction

The scenario presents a complex intersection of cultural, spiritual, and healthcare practice considerations within an ICU setting. It highlights the importance of cultural competence in healthcare, especially when caring for patients from diverse backgrounds. The mother’s actions—using tobacco, eagle feathers, crystals, and singing—are rooted in her cultural and spiritual beliefs, likely reflecting Indigenous or counternarrative healing practices that are integral to her identity and understanding of health and healing.

From a cultural perspective, the mother’s insistence on ritualistic behaviors signifies her reliance on traditional practices for spiritual protection and healing. These actions are sacred within her cultural context and convey a sense of spiritual safety for her daughter during a vulnerable time. The nurse’s request for her to remove these items may inadvertently dismiss or devalue her cultural worldview, reflecting a lack of cultural competence. Culturally competent care involves recognizing and respecting diverse health beliefs and practices, and understanding that cultural identity influences health behaviors and perceptions (Campinha-Bacote, 2011).

Regarding spiritual issues, the mother’s actions indicate a profound reliance on spiritual rituals as a source of comfort and spiritual intervention. The ritual of sprinkling tobacco, for example, is significant in many Indigenous cultures as a sacred offering or prayer conduit. Hanging eagle feathers and crystals also symbolizes spiritual protection and connection to sacred elements. The mother’s comparison of her rituals to Christian symbols such as rosary beads and Bibles underscores her expectation of respect and acknowledgment for her spiritual practices within the healthcare setting. She perceives her rituals as valid and deserving of the same respect given to other spiritual symbols, which points to the need for healthcare providers to adopt an inclusive approach toward spiritual expressions.

Complementary therapies are evident in this situation through the mother’s use of traditional spiritual practices intended to aid healing or provide spiritual comfort. These practices can complement biomedical treatments by addressing the patient's and family’s spiritual needs, promoting holistic healing, and reducing psychological stress (Ervin et al., 2014). Recognizing and integrating such complementary approaches supports patient-centered care and respects cultural diversity.

Incorporating spiritual care involves adopting a respectful, open, and nonjudgmental attitude toward cultural and spiritual expressions. Nurses and healthcare practitioners should seek cultural competence through education and active listening to families’ beliefs and needs. In this case, involving a cultural liaison or spiritual advisor familiar with Indigenous practices could facilitate mutual understanding and ensure that the family's spiritual needs are acknowledged respectfully. For example, allowing the mother to perform her rituals in a designated space or acknowledging her intentions without dismissing her beliefs can promote trust and support holistic care.

Practically, healthcare providers might establish policies that accommodate cultural and spiritual rituals while maintaining infection control protocols and patient safety. Creating a dialogue that bridges biomedical and traditional practices often results in better patient and family satisfaction. Principles guiding this approach include respect for cultural diversity, holistic care, open communication, cultural humility, and partnership. Recognizing that spirituality is a fundamental aspect of many patients’ identities is essential in fostering dignity and respect in clinical practice (Puchalski et al., 2014).

In summary, this scenario underscores the importance of cultural competence in healthcare, especially in recognizing and respecting traditional spiritual practices. Healthcare providers must balance biomedical safety with cultural sensitivity, fostering an environment where diverse spiritual expressions are respected. Incorporating spiritual care through cultural humility and open dialogue enhances holistic care, promotes trust, and supports healing. Ultimately, respecting and integrating patients’ and families’ beliefs into care plans is key to delivering equitable and compassionate healthcare.

References

• Campinha-Bacote, J. (2011). Delivering patient-centered care in the context of cultural competence. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 22(2), 151-152.
• Ervin, K. S., Charters, K., & Watson, J. (2014). Integrative and complementary approaches to healthcare. Nursing Clinics of North America, 49(2), 209-221.
• Puchalski, C. M., Vitillo, R., Hull, S. K., & Reller, N. (2014). Improving the spiritual dimension of whole person care: Reaching national and international consensus. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 17(9), 1068-1074.