Transcultural nursing

Many nurses in the health care field today do not put any effort towards becoming more culturally aware. The debate over whether the nurse is culturally competent effects health care is ongoing. The fact is that it has to. The ideas of knowing about your client’s culture extends far beyond the language barriers. Many cultures show pain in different ways and also receive the care that you are giving differently.

“It is essential that nurses take responsibility to be sensitive to and show respect for the differences in beliefs and values of others; take the responsibility to inquire, learn about, and integrate beliefs and values of others in professional encounters; and take the responsibility to try to change negative and prejudicial behaviors in themselves and others.” (Cherry, 173).

There are many reasons that a nurse must be culturally aware. Many of these reasons include the fact that the care may end up costing more and may also end up ineffective.

The ANA Expert Panel Report on culturally competent nursing suggested the following four principles:

-care is designed for the specific client

-care is based on the uniqueness of the person’s culture and includes -cultural norms and values

-care includes empowerment strategies to facilitate client decision-making in

health behavior

-care is provided with sensitivity to the cultural uniqueness of the client

Nurses need to include a cultural assessment as a routine part of the health care plan. This information can affect the way that the client interprets their illness and also the way that they respond to the health care that they receive.

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