Cultural Awareness In Nursing Care

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Cultural Awareness The healthcare setting tends to be very diverse. It is important for a nurse to be culturally aware when caring for patients. The purpose of this paper, is to explore the Hispanic culture in terms of healthcare. The topic’s subject was chosen because the Hispanic population has been rapidly growing in the United States for the last few decades (Eggenberger, Grassley, & Restepo, 2006). I will discuss the Hispanic culture’s definition of health, illness, specific health related practices, and the impact on nursing care. Definition of Health, Illness, and Disease According to Eggenberger et al. (2006), the Hispanic culture does not have only one definition of health. Religion plays a significant role in forming these ideas. Some may believe that health is all up to God. With this ideal, a person can be given good health for being a virtuous person and doing what is right. On the other hand, a person may be punished with disease and illness for being a bad person and going against God (Eggenberger et al., 2006). Health, illness, and disease, for some in the Hispanic …show more content…

A practice that is found in many cultures is the importance of family in healthcare decision making. The Hispanic culture highly regards family. The extended family, which may consist of grand-parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, are involved in all aspects of care. This includes health care decisions. When a family member is ill, it is expected that the other family members care for their loved one (Eggenberger et al., 2006). The practice of folk medicine is also present in the Hispanic culture. Folk medicine uses natural herbs, which can be grown in most gardens to heal ailments such as, upset stomachs and colds. These remedies have been passed on throughout many generations. Prayer and meditation is also important in folk medicine (Eggenberger et al.,

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