Question

What are the methods a nurse can use to gather cultural information from patients? How does cultural competence relate to better patient care? Discuss the ways in which a nurse demonstrates cultural competency in nursing practice.

Answer 1

Ans.) There are several ways to collect information from the patients. Few of them are detailed below -

1. Cultural awareness – By being aware of the patient’s cultural and professional background, it is quite helpful to gather information from patients.
2. Cultural knowledge – Inquiring and obtaining information that is based on different cultural and ethnic groups, would be also helpful.
3. Cultural skill – It is the nurse’s capability to collect relevant data regarding the patient’s present problem and accurately perform a culturally specific assessment.
4. Cultural encounter – Through this a nurse can directly involve in engage in cross-cultural interactions with patients from culturally diverse backgrounds.

Cultural competence is the building up one's very own consciousness presence, sensations, imaginations and condition without giving it a chance to have an undue effect on those from different foundations; expressing information and grasping of the client's culture and social infrastructure. Cultural competence is very valuable in bridging the gap between the patient and medical care provider. For example, when a nurse is able to communicate with the patient in their own language, it will be quite beneficial for both of them. Because, the nurse can understand the problem of patient and provide the best possible treatment which is always beneficial for the patient.