Nokea
When the nurse attempts to obtain vital signs, the client pulls away, gathers the bed covers to the chin, and speaks in a language unfamiliar to the nurse. What is the best action for the nurse to take?
- A. Talk slowly and explain current actions.
- B. Use gesturing and pictures to explain current actions.
- C. Smile and take the vital signs anyway.
- D. Attempt to locate an interpreter.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Ideally, obtaining an interpreter will increase the communication between client and nurse. Talking slower or gesturing may not provide a clear understanding for client or nurse. Proceeding without the approval of client could violate the client's cultural beliefs.
You may also like to solve these questions
A nurse works in a health care setting that serves the Amish community. Members of this community look to the bishop who governs the community to make decisions about health care treatments. The nurse who provides extra time for a client from this community to select a treatment option and to discuss the situation with the community bishop is demonstrating which cultural concept?
- A. Ageism
- B. Stereotyping
- C. Generalization
- D. Ethnocentrism
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Generalization is using the knowledge of the trends within a specific group or community to guide the care of the client without stereotyping. However, the nurse must recognize that generalization can lead to oversimplification and stereotyping. Stereotyping has an end point; the assumption prevents one from seeing another person as unique. Generalization acknowledges common trends in a group while recognizing that more information is needed. Ageism is the stereotyping of older adult behavior or vulnerability based on an individual's prior experiences or anticipation of behaviors. Ethnocentrism is the belief that one's own ethnic heritage is the 'correct' one' and superior to others.
The nursing instructor discussed the theory of energy forces existing between organisms and objects in the universe and called this yin-yang. Yin-yang is an example of which societal view of illness?
- A. Biomedical perspective
- B. Magico-religious perspective
- C. Naturalistic perspective
- D. Scientific perspective
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The naturalistic view espouses that human beings are only one part of nature. The yin-yang theory promotes the idea that energy forces exist between organisms and objects in the universe. The balance between these forces is health. The biomedical or scientific view embraces a cause-and-effect philosophy of human body functions. The magico-religious view believes that supernatural forces dominate.
A nurse is providing care to a hospitalized client of Asian descent. What action should the nurse take to provide culturally competent care?
- A. Adhere to a personal knowledge base of Asian values and beliefs.
- B. Ask the client what values and beliefs are important to them.
- C. Provide care from an ethnocentric viewpoint.
- D. Expect that the client's health and illness beliefs are based on Asian traditions.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: To provide culturally competent care, the nurse must accept the client as a unique individual with their own values and beliefs. To adhere to a personal knowledge base of Asian values and beliefs would be generalization and could lead to stereotyping. Culturally competent care cannot be provided from an ethnocentric viewpoint, which would be based on the nurse's perspective and reflects a lack of experience and knowledge of cultures other than their own. Even though the client is Asian, the nurse should not expect that the client adheres to traditional Asian customs, but should see the client as an individual, providing care based on their individual beliefs and values.
A client of Japanese descent describes a family trait of having less relief from analgesics than a friend of German descent. Which statement best describes this client's situation?
- A. The client should be assessed for concurrent use of herbal preparations.
- B. The client's racial background can affect drug metabolism.
- C. This type of medication should not be prescribed to this client.
- D. Biocultural ecology is the study of biologic cultural differences.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The client's racial background can influence many things including drug metabolism, which would explain why the client reports receiving less relief from analgesics than a friend from another racial background. The client should be assessed for the use of herbal preparations but that does not necessarily explain the client's reaction to analgesics. There is no indication that analgesics should not be prescribed to the client. It is correct that biocultural ecology is the study of biologic cultural differences, but this option is not the best description of the client's situation. It just provides a definition of biocultural ecology.
The nurse is completing a cultural heritage assessment. Which item(s) will be included in this portion of the health assessment? Select all that apply.
- A. Religion
- B. Participation in religious traditions
- C. Health history
- D. Hygiene practices
- E. Use of tobacco
- F. Management of symptoms
Correct Answer: A,B,D,F
Rationale: Health-related beliefs and practices (such as religious traditions, hygiene practices, and management of symptoms) can reflect the cultural heritage of the client. Asking questions can assist in determining cultural heritage. Tobacco use and/or health history assists in the health history but does not reflect upon heritage or culture.