CULTURAL EXPLORATION ASSIGNMENT

Nursing 401- Career Pathways-Assessment

Cultural Exploration
Purpose of Assignment
The purpose of this assignment is to develop in the learner an awareness of the health
beliefs / practices of a culture different from their own.
Approach to Assignment
The approach taken for this assignment was to research the Hispanic culture and learn as
much information for the assignment as I could.
Reason for Inclusion
Reason for inclusion is to expand my knowledge in other cultures and to be better
prepared to care for patients with other cultural backgrounds.
Curricular outcomes
Critical thinking
Evaluates nursing care outcomes through the acquisition of data and the
questioning of inconsistencies.
Data from the research should that nursing interventions have restrictions based
on the patients beliefs and values and that not all Hispanic patients are going to be
open to all treatments that may be needed in their care. Not every Hispanic
patient will be treated the same, they are still individuals and will need care that is
based on their health issues.
Nursing Practice
Applies appropriate knowledge of major health problems to guide nursing
practice.
Nurses and doctor are very respected in the Hispanic culture and are expected to
be competent and knowledgeable on al topics. With this being said all nurses are
going to have the knowledge to care for any health issue that the patient presents
with, what will be challenging is any language or cultural barrier that prevents
them from performing their job, which also means that the nurse needs to be well
versed in the Hispanic culture and the challenges that they may face.
Communication
Expresses oneself and communicates effectively with diverse groups and
disciplines using a variety of media in a variety of contexts.
When communicating with patients of Hispanic background they may encounter
having to use alternative methods of communication such as a translator
(language line or in person translator), they may want to avoid eye contact, may
prefer to be closer when communicating, they may communicate less, or be

relaxed about time and punctuality. Depending on the language or other

communication barriers a variety items may need to be used to communicate
effectively with the patient.
Teaching
Uses information technologies and other appropriate methods to enhance
ones own knowledge base.
Hispanic culture is much different from my culture, so I researched the Hispanic
culture to enhance my knowledge base. In reviewing the Hispanic cultural beliefs
and practices website I learned that traditionally women birth at home, and that
women are the support for the laboring women, usually no men. Also that they
have their own ways for birth control such as drinking herbal teas, sucking on a
lime, and getting up right away and drinking a glass of water.
Research
Shares research findings with colleagues.
This assignment was shared with my classmates upon completion. Al l of the
research was provided in a table to provide cultural education to the class.
Leadership
Articulates the values of the profession and the role of the nurse as member of
the interdisciplinary health care team.
The role of the nurse taking care of a Hispanic patient includes that male nurses
may not be acceptable, especially in birth. Nurses are very respected in their
culture and are expected to be competent and knowledgeable. And nurses may
need help with language barriers or learning barriers the patient may have. Using
a language line or translator may be needed.
Professionalism
Understands the effect of legal and regulatory processes on nursing practice
and the health care delivery, as well as limits to ones own scope of practice.
While helping a laboring Hispanic patient, I had to overcome the language barrier
by using the language line, even though she had a family member that spoke
English, I could not rely on the correct translation of care. Also after delivery we
would start Pitocin as a protocol order, the patient refused the medication.
Legally the patient has the right to refuse and we could not give the medication
useless it was a life-threatening situation. I also notified the doctor of the refusal
and the doctor spoke with the patient about the risk for not receiving the
medication. She also let us know that only her husband could touch her during
the delivery, that was respected with the exception that the doctor would have to
touch her for the delivery of the baby and placenta and if there was a need to
repair and skin tears from the birth. The patient did agree to any necessary care
that was needed outside their cultural beliefs.

Culture
Integrates knowledge of cultural diversity in performing nursing interventions.
This is integrated in with my laboring patient and providing her with the privacy
that she requested during her delivery. I also respected her request to not give her
any drugs or touch her throughout her labor unless medically necessary. She
would also not make eye contact with me when speaking with her and I was
aware that this was part of her culture.
What has changed through my cultural project?
I learned a great deal about the Hispanic cultural and what to expect when treating them
medically. There were some cultural beliefs that are very different from myself and by being
aware of these things I am better prepared to care for people of the Hispanic culture. Knowing
their cultural beliefs is very important when developing a plan of care and providing care to the
patient.