A Hispanic American 1

Running head: A HISPANIC AMERICAN CULTURE

A Hispanic American culture

Hemant Sule

RN to BSN

Presented to

Dr. Leslie Paternoster

In Partial fulfillment of

NURS360 Health Assessment

Eastern New Mexico University

February 5 2009
 A Hispanic American 2

A Hispanic American culture

Introduction

As a health care provider, we must be aware of the cultural values, believes and perceptions

of the individual we treat. Cultural awareness occurs when we take into account these entities.

Cultural awareness becomes central when we have to interact with people from other cultures.

What is considered an appropriate behavior in one culture may be inappropriate in another one.

Attempting to understand others culture through one’s own can lead to fundamental

misunderstandings. According to Jarvis (2008), development of cultural care is mandated by

government for cultural competency. It is a concept that describes professional nursing and

medicine that is culturally sensitive, appropriate and competent. (p. 38).

Culture refers to integrated patterns of human behavior that include the language, thoughts,

communications, actions, customs, beliefs, values, and institutions of racial, ethnic, religious, or

social groups. Competence implies having the capacity to function effectively as an individual and

an organization within the context of the cultural beliefs, behaviors, and needs presented by

consumers and their communities [Based on Cross, Bazron, Dennis & Isaacs (1989).Cultural

awareness helps us to explore cultural issues with our care recipients more sensitively. Culture itself

is a fluid entity, undergoing transformations as a result of globalization and migration. The purpose

of cultural awareness is to know our own cultural influences. We can understand that the behavior

and beliefs of people within each culture can vary considerably. We can increase our

knowledge about different cultural practices and issues through cultural background information

sessions and resources and cultural awareness training. We can understand that the extent to which

people adopt practices of their new country and retain those from their cultural background can vary

within communities, even within families. I interviewed Mr. Armando Romero, a nurse who is
 A Hispanic American 3

Hispanic, he works with me. The interview occurred on the job. I interviewed him because he is a

strong believer of values and morals. He is energetic and always pleasant to everybody. I am Hindu

and would like to know about a Hispanic culture. According to Galanti (2003) Hispanics are the

largest growing minority in United States.

Discussion

The person from my interview is from a Hispanic American Cultural background, an

interesting personality. Having dual cultural back ground, gives him a versatile advantage to

assimilate more fluidly in the society and friends. He believes that today’s American culture is a

congregation of many different cultures. The American culture is of believer of freedom and

independence. Being bicultural, it is not very difficult for him to live within American culture. He

believes that western medicine is good and it does help, but it does not help with everything. He

believes that his cultural values and believes are purely religious and based on teachings of bible.

His view of the health care providers is that they try to do the best within given circumstances and

try to help the people. He stated that he would pray to god, ask God to help his body, and use herbal

remedies before seeking medical attention, but, he will treat himself with western medicine in the

end. He mentioned that he will not mind to go to any care provider if he needs to see a doctor,

although, he prefers to be seen by a specific care provider because of a previous relationship or

experience with him or her. He prefers to be seen by a MD, rather than a nurse practitioner. He

trusts the care providers and the current health care system. His points of stress in the health care are

slow process and long waits. And if those are controlled then his point of stress is to not being able

to control his sickness. When asked to compare his cultural believes and values with the society in

which we live, he replied that people don’t base their values and beliefs on bible. In the post modern

era society does not believe in absolute truth. They are relativistic. What is right for them is right for
 A Hispanic American 4

them. People come up with their own value system. He believes that in bible, god has defined what

is right and what is wrong. He firmly believes that reading bible, and through prayers, the god

transforms him and gives him a life that is pleasing to the god and that makes him more

compassionate. (A. Romero, personal communication, February 4, 2009)

He believes that we have god’s sprit in us and makes us work the way god wants us to be. His

perspective is that god is real and he shapes his life all the time. He confirmed that he is not

superstitious but he is pragmatic. He said that his grandmother mostly followed the curandero who

performed certain religious ceremony to cure a disease, but he does not believe in that practice. He

mentioned that the curandero would rub a raw egg on the child’s belly to cure an abdominal pain. If

the egg cracks open and a bunch of hair comes out from the egg, instead of the yolk, it would be

considered a successful treatment. He had seen a curandero rubbing a potato soaked in vinegar to

help reduce fever. He does not remember if that worked. (A. Romero, personal communication,

February 4, 2009)

He was born in Albuquerque, NM: His father was born in California, mother in Albuquerque,

NM. His maternal grandfather was born in Albuquerque, NM, and maternal grandmother was born

in Bernalillo. His paternal grandfather was born in Mora, NM and paternal grandmother was born in

Mexico. He has never visited his paternal grandmothers’ house despite visiting Mexico. He has one

brother and two sisters. He grew up in an urban setting, in Duranes. His paternal grand mother grew

up in Mexico and moved to USA as child, but the rest of the family mentioned above grew up in

USA. He lived with parents and keeps in touch with all the other family members, like aunt, uncles

and cousins, brother and sisters. Fortunately all of them live in Albuquerque and he visits them

weekly. His original family name used to be “Abeyta” but now it is “Romero”, and he does not

know why and how it was changed. (A. Romero, personal communication, February 4, 2009)
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He is a protestant Christian. His spouse is from the same background and same religion. He

went to public school. He does not know the details about the religious and ethnic background of his

neighbors. His religious institution is Protestant church. And he is an active member of it. He attends

the church every week. He said he does practice religion at home like praying, bible reading and

celebrating religious holidays. Mexican/ Hispanic posole, tamales, tortillas, beans, rice and chilies

are the ethnic foods that are prepared at his home and holiday celebration is the ethnic activity that

he participates into. Some of his friends are from similar ethnic back ground. Most of his friends are

from the similar religious background. His native language is English, although he speaks fairly

good Spanish. He speaks and also reads Spanish. He regularly participates in social activities with

members of his family and has many friends from similar cultural background as he is. He enjoys

eating the traditional family foods. And he also participates in religious traditions of the family. (A.

Romero, personal communication, February 4, 2009)

Regarding Christianity he explained me that there are two main streams: Catholic and

Protestant. Protestants follow the Old and New Testament only .Whereas the Catholics follow some

extra books from the ancient culture in addition to Old and New Testaments. The word Protestant

was derived from protest meaning protesting the Pope. The Pope is not a leader of Protestant church

alike Catholic churches which have Fathers who follow the Pope and guide people. The Protestant

churches are small localized self governed entities. He said the that the difference between the two

Testaments is that the Old Testament says that the Jesus is going to come and the New Testament

says that He has come and he is going to come again. So the New Testament talks about resurrection

of Jesus Christ. (A. Romero, personal communication, February 4, 2009)

Conclusion
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The process of interview, readings from the websites given in the book and online versions of

the books from the bibliography helped me understand the aspect of cultural competence.

According to Jarvis (2008), cultural competence involves soul searching about my own heritage and

health. When I care for an individual or family of this Hispanic American culture or other cultural

heritage, it is important for me to remember that I am learning the modern, scientific meanings of

health and illness and at the same time I am developing a frame of reference as to the traditional

believes and practices relevant to these concepts. As a health care provider it is important for me to

remember: the differences amongst people of different racial and ethnic background, differences in

style, method and meaning in communications even where the dominant language is being used

well, different belief systems will challenge firmly held western beliefs inculcated through years of

professional development and different levels of trust in where individuals have come from

countries where authority figures have misused their positions. Respect in that some cultures will so

respect a clinical authority figures that they will agree with the clinician and seek to provide

‘acceptable’ answers. (Meyer, 1996).

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References

Cross, T., Bazron, B., Dennis K., & Isaacs, M., (1989). Towards a culturally competent system of

care volume I. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Child Development Center,

CASSP Technical Assistance Center) Retrieved from http://www.omhrc.gov on February 2,

2009.

Galanti, G. (2003, July).The Hispanic family and male female relationships: An overview. The

Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 14(3), 180-185. DOI: 10.1177/1043659603253548

Jarvis, C. (2008). Physical examination and health assessment. Missouri: Elsevier

Meyer CR. Medicine's melting pot. Minn Med 1996; 79(5):5