Cultural Diversity: An Aztec-Mexican American Cultural Interview and Assessment

Essay by pixichic333University, Bachelor'sA, April 2008

download word file, 6 pages 3.0

AbstractThe goal of this paper is to demonstrate the importance of a cultural competent patient interview and assessment. This paper will also examine cultural competent care when caring for diverse cultures on a daily basis and the societal needs to provide appropriate care while still respecting a patient's cultural background. The interview process will cover socioeconomic factors, lifestyle, family values, health beliefs and practices, childbearing and parenting practices along with culturally sensitive intervention to assist a Hispanic patient of Aztec-Mexican decent.

Cultural Diversity: An Aztec-Mexican American Cultural Interview and AssessmentCultural Competent CareCaring for a culturally diverse community has been the focus of nursing from the beginning. In the early 1890's public health nurses caring for immigrants in New York soon realized the cultural differences between themselves and their patients. Today nurse face a greater challenge as U.S. Census data from 2000 shows a greatest shift in demographics. These changes reflect societies increasing diversity among ethnic and racial lines (Stanhope& Lancaster, 2004).

Cultural competent care in nursing is a combination of culturally congruent behaviors, practice attitudes, structures and policies that allows nurses to work effectively in cross-cultural situations, which was once thought to be all that was needed for nurses to care effectively for their patients (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2004).

Cultural competent care should be the formation for all care that nurses provide, when caring for a patient whose cultural background is different from that of the nurse. Care should be designed based on the patient's culture including his or her cultural norms, values and beliefs. Care should include strategies to empower the patient in making decisions related to his or her healthcare. Care should be provided with respect to the cultural uniqueness of the patient (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2004).

Cultural Interview and AssessmentMexican Americans represent the fastest growing minority population...