The home health nurse is following up with the parent of a Native American infant recently diagnosed with lactose intolerance. In accordance with principles of culturally competent care, what is the most important question for the nurse to ask the parent? A)Do your other children have this condition? B)How long did your infant have diarrhea? C)How often are you feeding the infant? D)What do you think caused your infant's illness?

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All clients have cultural influences that can affect their beliefs and concerns about causes of medical conditions and expectations for treatment. The nurse should have clients express what caused their medical illnesses or problems to gain knowledge of their beliefs and understandings about the conditions; this is fundamental to developing a culturally sensitive and appropriate teaching and care plan. Culturally competent care requires the nurse to recognize that the client's interpretation of an illness is more significant than the nurse's knowledge of the illness. Clients' beliefs about health and disease may be complex and tightly rooted in centuries-old traditions. Some clients welcome scientific explanations about their conditions, whereas others ignore a nurse's teaching that does not align with their personal perspectives. The nurse must never assume that a client knows (or does not know) about a subject; accurate assessment about knowledge and beliefs is necessary. (Option A) The nurse may ask about other family members; however, this does not address cultural beliefs and concerns. (Option B) Knowing the duration of diarrhea will help determine the infant's nutritional status and fluid balance but does not address cultural beliefs and concerns. (Option C) Although it is important to determine that nutritional intake is adequate for normal growth and development, this does not address cultural beliefs and concerns. Educational objective: When providing culturally competent care, it is most important for the nurse to assess the client's beliefs regarding the cause of current illnesses. This will facilitate development of a culturally sensitive and appropriate teaching and care plan.

The Home Health Nurse Is Following Up with the Parent