Native American Culture

I expected to learn about some of the cultural aspects that Native American's believe in, some of their health practices, and what sets their culture apart from others,

I learned that Native American's largely believe in a Great Spirit, Mother Earth, Father Sky, and other spiritual beings. This culture believes that everything is interconnected, and that every resource should be appreciated and used to its fullest without waste. I learned that identifying spiritual beliefs, weaknesses, and misunderstandings is a main approach to mental illness. I learned that currently the Native American culture is lacking in healthcare resources, have higher rates of disease, and are separate from other citizens in the way their healthcare is managed. This was frustrating to learn, and something that should be better managed. These people deserve just as much access and knowledge of healthcare issues as the rest of the citizens.

I will use this information to understand the perceptions this culture has on healthcare. I can only imagine that healthcare as a whole is a sensitive subject, and one that may bring great debate. I will use this information to understand that any patients I may have that come from a Native American heritage may have higher rates of disease, poorly managed disease, or specific spiritual beliefs of healing.

I have an interest in the cultural beliefs of Native Americans. I really like the spirituality they believe in and the beliefs they carry regarding utilizing resources. I think this is a culture with rich history that deserves attention, and a culture that is perhaps often forgotten, and lacking in resources for healthcare.

Deaf Culture

I expected to learn some of the cultural norms that surround the deaf culture, such as language, social norms, and learn about any differences in perception of culture, health care, and societal status.

I learned that other than language, and eye contact, there are few differences among deaf individuals. Eye contact is important in ensuring contact has been made, and both parties are understanding one another. They are likely to follow along with the cultural norms of those they are surrounded by. The official language in English speaking countries is American Sign Language (ASL). This is widely utilized, along with lip reading. Many deaf individuals gradually incorporate the skill of lip reading into their language. This is one of the best ways to understand and communicate with others, especially those who do not know ASL. There are also schools and religious houses designed for the deaf. These foster a community for deaf individuals to come together, and share commonalities. A deaf individual does not have to attend a specific institution in order to get an education or religious experience. Schools around the nation have specific disability services for those who need translation, help writing notes, or transportation.

I have cared for a couple of patients so far that are deaf. Most of them were able to communicate with me, but required eye contact in order to facilitate understanding. The other person required an ASL translator. It is important to respect individuals with different needs. I will continue to utilize translation services, and do my best to allow individuals to express their feelings in their own language.

I have had some contact with and known a few individuals who are deaf. I do occasionally feel bad when I can't communicate with them because I don't know ASL. I've had to catch myself and become more aware of my own behavior in the past because I've spoken louder and slower thinking that would help. Now I will usually ask if I need to speak louder, or clarify if the person I'm communicating with doesn't understand me. I would like to learn the language. It seems very interesting, and could be incredibly helpful in nursing.

Hispanic/Latin Culture

Before researching this culture, I was hoping to learn about what makes the Hispanic culture different than other cultures. I was also hoping to learn about what makes up the Hispanic culture. I've always found some confusion in the term, and wondered if all Latin/Spanish country cultures are lumped into this term, or if there are differing terms for each. It seems to be an all encompassing term for every Spanish speaking country cultural lifestyle.

I learned that each individual identifies themselves differently. Many of the Hispanic culture identify themselves as "white" and consider their country of origin their heritage rather than their race. I also learned that there are specific holidays that each country celebrates, and some that are a commonality among different Hispanic cultures. I learned more of a definition of the difference between Latin and Hispanic. Latin refers to more of a region of people, whereas Hispanic refers to a common language population. The terms also carry a certain emotional connotation to those categorized in each, and each have the potential to offend.

I will utilize this information in my nursing practice to be more sensitive to those from other cultures, Hispanic, Latin or otherwise. I will do my best not to stereotype, and categorize someone based on where they are from. I will also allow for cultural and religious practices of those from Hispanic cultures to perform the practices they see fit to allow for holistic healing.

I do not understand all of the cultural beliefs and practices of this specific culture, but I can respect them for what others believe they are or have the capacity to do. I don't have to understand fully to know that a cultural practice is important to someone and they should be allowed to practice what they feel will help them. This can get tricky when such cultural practices become dangerous to individuals and others. But my basic rule of thumb, is to allow cultural practices as long as individuals and others are not in harm.

Judaism

I expected to learn a few aspects about the culture of Judaism. I wanted to know what kind of practices they perform, how they perceive medical care, and other aspects that differ them from other religions.

I learned that Judaism may be considered both a religion and a nation. Up until the 19th century, most of the Jewish culture lived in the same region, shared the Hebrew language, and were self-governed. Now they are spread throughout the world, take on many different cultural practices based on the surrounding cultures, and follow separate governments. They still hold true the basic beliefs of the Torah, and speak in Hebrew with each other, but cultures may look very different for each region.

I will use this information in my career to understand the perception of healthcare. I believe that in this area they may consider healthcare highly, and be more likely to seek healthcare based on the culture surrounding. I will also use this information to respect cultural beliefs, preferences and laws in food preparation, and strive to meet the needs of each individual I care for.

As for personal feelings toward this religion, I don't have any particularly positive or negative feelings toward it. I don't know many people personally who practice the religion, but I do know the history, and suffering this population has endured. I have empathy for that, and I do not pass judgment for individual's religious choices.

Muslim Culture

I expected to learn about the Muslim culture, what separates their beliefs from other religious cultures, and some of the medicinal practices they believe in and perform. It's always nice to know the preferences of certain cultures.

I learned that the Muslim culture has many beliefs that are different from the culture I am surrounded by. I learned that family hierarchy and caring for one's parents is held in incredibly high regard. I also learned that female genital mutilation is still a fairly common practice, and is believed to bring complete fidelity of a woman to her husband. The women in the culture wear specific clothing to hide their beauty from the world, and save it only for their husbands. I learned that Muslim's tend to believe similar ideas regarding their health and accept healthcare when they have needs. This changes in reference to mental health, which is not considered a true illness, but rather a form of sin that needs religious correction.

I will take these aspects and implement them into my nursing career. Understanding a Muslim woman's religious duty, and preference to cover herself, could make a huge difference in care that I give. Understanding the need to care for one's parents and live to serve them would help me to understand children's role in their parent's care, or decision making.

This culture is interesting to read about. I have not come in contact with members of this culture, but there is great potential, so understanding some of the important aspects of their culture is important. I don't agree with female genital mutilation, and do not understand the concept behind it. I also don't understand the relationship with the parents, and why caring for them is held in such high regard. My lack of understanding, however, does not mean that I cannot be empathetic, or take time to understand those I care for, and their specific preferences.

Catholicism

Catholicism is a subject I've never fully understood. In the past I've chalked it up to being just like other Christian religions. I expected to learn about some of the aspects that make it different than other Christian religions, what makes their culture unique, and how I can integrate my knowledge into my nursing career.

I learned that the Catholic culture shares a lot of the same values and ideas as other Christian faiths, and the local culture here. Family is important to Catholics. A strong solid faith in God is the center of their faith. Catholics are taught to utilize their unique skills on local levels, serving family, neighborhoods, parishes, and small towns or cities. This is believed to be the best way to know the people they serve, and enhance their talents. This culture focuses on a constant yearning for knowledge and understanding, while maintaining a constant contact with God, and preparing for life after death where they will dwell in the Heavens, Hell, or purgatory.

Understanding the ideas of this religious culture is important for my career. I have already encountered several individuals who have different faiths, and ones that I do not understand or know much about. I try to allow these individuals to practice their faith while under my care, and utilize any religious leaders the hospital may have access to. I have patients that choose to participate in prayer, rituals, and call on their loved ones to provide them the spiritual support they desire while in the hospital. This is important to the holistic aspect of each individual and allows for spiritual healing as well as physical healing.

I do not have any particularly negative feelings toward the Catholic faith culture. I respect their beliefs, and try my best to provide an environment for my patients to practice their faith. I do not know many who practice this faith, so I am not terribly familiar with it. I don’t necessarily agree with all of the ideologies and aspects of faith that Catholicism offers, but I do believe that everyone deserves the right to believe in what they like and practice their faith appropriately. 

Homeless Culture

The homeless culture is interesting to learn about. I was expecting to learn about the variety of cultures of the homeless population, what separates them from other populations, and reasons behind their life circumstances.

I learned that a large number of youth homeless are runaway adolescents. Most of them identify situations of abuse as reasons they've left home. More than half of the homeless youth suffer from post traumatic stress disorder, and continue to suffer traumatic events. A large percentage of these youth also participate in risky behavior such as unprotected sex, drug abuse, theft, and violence to obtain their means. 

This is important to understand and be able to recognize teens and adults who come to the hospital with nowhere to go, or someone to take care of them. It's a policy to not discharge patients when they have nowhere to go, and we try to find resources to help them obtain stability. Understanding reasons why individuals are homeless, and some of the unique set of issues they deal with will help me decide what kind of care I give. These individuals are more likely to not trust me, have more fear of what is going on, and need the aid of social services to find the resources they need. 

I have empathy for those who are homeless. I can't say that I know what that is like, but through reading some articles, I understand better some of the reasons these individuals are in the place that they are. I have often times looked at some of these people as being lazy, not upholding societal expectations in order to have the security they need, but from my research it seems more often, especially with youth, they have very limited options, or have grown up this way and don't know any better.