Question

Case Study for Culture and Ethnicity

Mai Yaj is a patient on your postpartum unit. She gave birth to a baby boy 7 hours ago. Her husband and her grandmother have been with her throughout the entire birth experience. Although she is a college graduate, Ms. Yaj feels pressured to adhere to her culture’s traditional ways of healing in the postpartum period to appease family expectations. Despite her desire to avoid any medications, she has had several doses of a medication for pain control. She lists her culture and that of her family as Hmong. The grandmother immigrated to the United States from Laos I 1977 along with her four children, one of whom is the patient’s mother. The grandmother does not speak/understand English well and Ms. Yaj normally acts as her interpreter. Ms. Yaj was born and raised in the United States. Her husband is also of the Hmong culture, having immigrated with his parents as an infant. He too is a college graduate. He is supportive of his wife’s adherence to the postpartum healing rituals.

1. How are the cultural concepts of socialization, acculturation, and assimilation portrayed by this family system?

2. Discuss any subcultural characteristics of this couple that make them different from the family’s main Hmong culture?

3. How would you designate their ethnicity and race on the mother’s electronic health record?

4. How could each of the following culture specifics influence the plan of care for Ms. Yaj?

a. Communication

b. Space

c. Time orientation

d. Social organization

This family system’s healthcare model is a combination of the indigenous health care system and the professional healthcare system. The couple chose to deliver the baby at the hospital with the use of a certified nurse midwife in attendance. The child will not be circumcised. The new mother will follow the Hmong birth recuperation process of restricting her diet to only chicken/white rice, warm water, and tea made with loose tea for 30 days after delivery. No other foods or cold drinks are allowed during this time. A regular diet will be resumed after this 30 day period. The grandmother will be the primary support/caregiver during this period. It is vital for you, as the nurse, to practice culturally competent care for optimal recovery and functioning of this family unit.

5. How does your cultural sensitivity and competence affect the development and delivery of patient care for this family?

6. The nurse ask Ms. Yaj, how different is what we do from what your family, according to the Hmong culture do for you when you are sick?

7. According to the Hmong culture, how do you take care of sick family member?

8. Discharge instruction regarding signs and symptoms of infection and postpartum depression, “baby blues” are given to the new mother, her husband, and the grandmother. How would you ensure a good understanding of the instruction in light of the language barrier present in this situation?

Answer 1

1, each individual having each culture..Hmong Americans ethnic socialization that is different from racial socialization..They have different cultural values history, ethnic pride etc.. parent- child relationship examined as a potential moderator between ethnic socialization and idendity..

Hmong acculturate different from U.S culture..Hmong people more sensitive to their culture regarding disease cause and treatment..so they are more prone for chronic diseases..They will not follow medication, treatment anything..

Assimilation in Hmong family group to willing to lose anything and faced this problem..they have strong cultural identity while assimilating enough to be successful and respected.. Their beliefs and perspections difficult from American culture..The problem of assimilation will be there for this group..

2, subcultural charecteristic of this couple is ms.yaj grand mother immigrated to the U.S from Laos 1977 with her four children..In that ms.yaj mother is also one.but yaj born and raised in the united states..Her husband from Hmong culture immigrated with his parents as an infant.

3, in electronic health record mother's ethnicity will be American and race will be Hmong

4, communication ms.yaj normally acts as her interpreter..findout any other nurse having experience with same culture group..make cultural assessment.. elicit the mother's expectations about her labour and delivery experience..Ask her she need any cultural rituals for plan of care and pain management..if it is manageable,honour their wish .speak with the grandmother as a interpreter with some easy words which she can understand..Have a professional interpreter while caring the patient..