Deck 2: Cultural Competence: Cultural Care

Question 1

Describe the basic characteristics of culture and the steps to cultural competence.

Answer 1

Culture has four characteristics: it is (1) learned from birth through language acquisition and socialization, (2) shared by all members of the same cultural group, (3) adapted to specific conditions related to environmental and technical factors, and (4) dynamic and ever changing. The term values refers to a desirable or undesirable state of affairs.
Cultural competence refers to the complex integration of knowledge, attitudes, and skills that work together to enhance cross-cultural communication and promote meaningful interactions with patients.
Cultural competency involves several steps, including (1) understanding your own heritage on the basis of cultural values, beliefs, attitudes, and practices relevant to health and illness, (2) identifying the meaning of health to the other person, keeping in mind that different groups may have differing definitions of health, (3) understanding the health care delivery system, (4) being knowledgeable about the social backgrounds of patients, and (5) being familiar with the language spoken by patients and the resources available to help with interpretation.

Question 2

Describe the concept of heritage consistency.

Answer 2

Heritage consistency is the degree to which a person's lifestyle reflects his or her own traditional heritage. The values indicating heritage consistency exist on a continuum. The person can possess value characteristics that are consistent with the norms of the traditional culture (traditional); or the person can possess value characteristics that are acculturated to the norms of the dominant (not traditional) society-known as modern. The concept of heritage consistency includes determination of a person's cultural, ethnic, and religious background, as well as his or her socialization experience.

Question 3

Explain the concept of ethnicity.

Answer 3

Ethnicity pertains to a social group within a society that claims to possess a common geographic origin, migratory status, religion, race, and language and shared values, traditions, or symbols and food preferences. One's cultural background is a fundamental component of one's ethnic background.

Question 4

Discuss the influence of religion and spirituality on health and illness perception.

Question 5

Discuss areas of potential cultural conflicts between nurses and patients of different ethnic groups.

Question 6

Discuss components of the health belief system and their influence on health practices and illness expressions.

Question 7

Examine the sources that influence the culture and beliefs the student embraces.

Question 8

Provide care that reflects an acceptance of the patient as a unique individual.