Question

In particular, why should community/public health nurses be concerned with being culturally competent?

What areas should community/public health nurses explore when assessing culture?

What nursing interventions are most effective when working in culturally appropriate ways with diverse communities?

Specifically, what approaches and interventions might the community health nurse (CHN) use when working with Aboriginal people?

Answer 1

1) The public health nurse should provide a culturally competent care to the patients because it helps to provide a holistic care which includes whole components . Aslo it helps in increased mutual respect between healthcare workers and patients, increased trust, and promotion of patient responsibility and empowerment in their own healthcare.

2) The area that should be explored by the public health nurse when assessing culture :

- specific religious or spiritual practices or believes

- ethnicity

- place of origin

3) Nursing interventions when working in culturally appropriate ways with diverse communities are :-

1. Remain sensitive to the client's spiritual beliefs, even if they are in opposition to your personal beliefs.

2. Provide a trained, bilingual interpreter if necessary.

3. Provide a diet that is consistent with the client's customs.

4. Allow family to be involved in the client's care, if desired.

5. Be respectful of the client's cultural preferences for personal space.

6. Be aware of the meaning of eye contact in the client's culture.

7. Check the client's herbal &/or alternative methods to make sure they are not interacting poorly with the medications that the facility is providing.