Nurses will encounter patients with different backgrounds throughout their career.

Therefore, they
must be familiar with various cultural considerations and be culturally competent to be able to give a
comprehensive analysis and holistic plan on how to provide the best care for the patient. It is significant to
know the patient’s culture, practices, and beliefs while doing the health assessment. There would be
instances where the patient may hold different beliefs on illnesses and health, as well as where to seek
healthcare first. These factors should be considered because it could affect the condition of the patient,
that by the time they consult in professional medical help their condition may have already worsened.
Despite these, the nurse must still be respectful and sensitive towards the patient’s beliefs.

In the case of a Vietnamese woman with conjunctivitis who refused to take antibiotics until all
herbal remedies had failed. She suffered for a month before she sought professional help. She also was a
dedicated tie-maker, which made her struggle to find time to visit a doctor. Overtime, still relying on herbal
medicine, her condition worsened causing her to lose her sight. Taking into count her cultural
considerations may help the nurse better prepare for when she provides care to the patient by means of
predicting her reactions towards different treatments and care. The nurse may also incorporate cultural
considerations of the patient towards planning for the patient’s care. Through this, the nurse may be able
to render the best possible care for the patient without dishonoring their beliefs.
References:

Kitchen, A. (n.d.). Case Study - The Case of Immigrant Populations. Practical Bioethics.
https://practicalbioethics.org/case-studies-treating-immigrant-populations-cultural-competence-in-
health-care.html.

read, I. H. C. min, The Chicago Schoolon September 13, 2020, Career DevelopmentHealth Care·May 6,
2021, Career DevelopmentHealth Care·April 21, 2021, & Health Care·March 22, 2021. (2021,
February 22). The importance of cultural competence in nursing. Insight Digital Magazine.
https://www.thechicagoschool.edu/insight/health-care/the-importance-of-cultural-competence-in-
nursing/.

Writers, R. N. S. (2021, January 20). Cultural Awareness and Influences on Health: NCLEX-RN.
RegisteredNursing.org. https://www.registerednursing.org/nclex/cultural-awareness-influences-
health/.