Cultural Assessment

will help the patient and nurse to formulate a mutually acceptable, culturally responsive treatment plan.

To learn about the client’s beliefs and usual behaviors associated with health and illness, including beliefs about disease cause, caregiving, expected treatments (both Western medicine and folk practices), daily hygiene, food preferences and rituals, religious beliefs relative to health care

To compare and contrast the client’s beliefs and practices with those of other persons from a similar cultural background ( to avoid stereotyping )

To assess the client’s health relative to diseases prevalent in the specific cultural group

is that patients have a right to their cultural beliefs, values, and practices, and that these factors should be understood, respected, and considered when giving culturally competent care.

Cultural Beliefs and Values to Assess Include

Factors Affecting Approach to Providers

is culturally based,

can have many variations based on both language differences and usual tone of voice.

VARIATIONS TO COMMUNICATION

is perceived to be measurable (Western cultures) or fluid and flowing (Eastern cultures). Different cultural groups tend to place different values on the past versus present versus future.

cultural differences in personal space

American expect people talking to each other to maintain a fairly high level of eye contact. Those looking away and not giving good eye contact are thought to be rude or inattentive.

two major hand gesture of note are those for indicating height and those for indicating “ok”

there are two types of silence. One is simply remaining silent for long periods; the other is used for space talking between two people carrying on a conversation.

Is a very culturally based. How much touch is comfortable and allowable, and by whom, are all based on culture.

Chinese medical practitioners, herbalist

Magic herbalist, Hoodoo (also known as conjurers), or other traditional healers known as “old lady”, “granny” or lay midwife

Medicine men or shamans

Folk healers (curandero/a, bruja/o [witch], yerbero/a, partera [midwife])

Homeophatic physicians, physicians, and other health professionals

Factors Affecting Disease, Illness, Health State

three nursing modes

Madeleine Leininger's three nursing modes

this refers to the choices that would “maintain and preserve desirable and helprul values and beliefs”

this is helpful in “adaptation and transaction for care that is fitting for the culture of the individual, families or groups”

this involves working with the individual in a “mutual decision-making process as the nurse modifies or changes the nursing action to achieve better health outcomes”