Cultural Assessment Presentation Week 5 (NSG 4410)

Sample Answer

Introduction

The interviewee is Aarya Patel which is an Indian who migrated from Mumbai, India in 2001. She lives with her two daughters and Husband Patel. They also live with the Husband’s parents and one sister. There are other Indian friends and family in the US who visit them often.

It is evident that Aarya Patel is family oriented as she welcomes family and friends who can stay for long durations. Their language of communication is Hindi and English.

She can effectively speak, read and write in both Hindi and English language. Aarya does not mind being addressed by the name that shows her marital status. Additionally, Aarya and her family practice Hindu religion.

Population

India has emerged as one the most populous nations globally with an excess of 1.4 billion people (Silver et al., 2023). Mumbai also boosts as one the most populous cities in the nation. This continues to grow due to its diverse economic operations.

The official language of the country and the city is Hindi. However, English is also used. This enables effective communication. Lastly, the main religion in the country is Hinduism. People from India value their cultural practices including their religious norms.

Aarya migrated to the United States and still considers her culture to be vital. The understanding of this population by healthcare professionals is vital for the development of effective treatment plans.

Giger and Davidizar’s Transactional Assessment Model

Aarya Patel was assessed using Giger and Davidizar’s transactional assessment model. This model has six components namely communication, space social organization, time, environmental control, and biological variations (Tao et al., 2022).

Communication entails aspects of human interactions and behaviors. It creates a sense of commonality with others. Space relates to distance and intimacy methods used during verbal and non-verbal relations with others. Social organization involves the way cultural groups are organized around the family group.

There is also the time aspect which is vital in interpersonal communication. Environmental control is another aspect that involves the ability of an individual to control nature, plan, and influence factors in the environment. Lastly, there are biological variations which entail differences concerning genetic variations and developmental patterns.

Communication

Communication aspects involve human interaction and behavior and create a sense of commonality. It allows members of a cultural group to share information (Kaur, 2016).

Aarya uses the English language to communicate with her family as they have been in the United States for a while. She also uses Hindi, her native language for various religious and cultural ceremonies.

Aarya considers direct and concise communication vital and therefore prefers when one is open and straightforward. She also values respectful and formal language when dealing with elders such as her in-laws.

Aarya also communicates using non-verbal cues such as gestures, eye contact, and facial expressions. For instance, she kept a steady eye contact during the assessment. She mentioned touch is often avoided unless with people of the same gender.

Space & Social Organization

Aarya is a family that considers close physical proximity as essential in demonstrating affection. Therefore, there is respectful hugging and handshakes. Privacy is key in the family as evidenced by some spaces including the bedrooms not being for everyone.

People are required to knock before entering closed spaces as a form of respect. Social organization involves the organization of cultural groups around the family unit (Kaur, 2016).

Aarya often has regular contact with friends and family in the United States. She also communicates with her family and friends in India through phone calls and random visits.

Additionally, she maintains strong family ties. There is also great interdependence in which opinions and pieces of advice of family members are considered. Lastly, she is highly hospitable and entertains guests.

Time & Environmental Control

Aarya is always insistent on punctuality. She always tries to ensure she keeps time during appointments and social events. However, Aarya explains she had been influenced by the American culture.

As a result, she is flexible despite always sticking to deadlines. She also enjoys time spent with friends and family as it is time to enjoy life and create memories.

Environmental control is also vital for culture. Aarya prefers traditional Indian food focusing on the utilization of spices, traditional cooking methods, and minimizing wastage.

There is also increased emphasis on cleaning the living spaces. Additionally, Aarya practices, Ayurveda, a traditional form of Indian medicine for various illnesses.

Lastly, she believes in Karma which is why she takes care of the environment since populations also harm humans as evidenced by increased cases of cancer and asthma.

Biological Variations

Biological variations involve the variations concerning genetic variation and growth. Aarya and her family showcase various physical attributes characteristic of the Indian population. These entails brown skin, brown eyes, and dark hair.

She however asserted there are biological variations among the members of her family. For instance, there are varying skin tones. They also exhibit varying physical attributes.

Aarya also indicates her preference for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. For instance, she participates and encourages her family members to participate in physical activities such as jogging and yoga. This helps the family to keep fit and avoid lifestyle diseases. Additionally, Aarya practices meditation which helps keep her calm.

Nursing Care Delivery

The interview informed on the use of verbal and non-verbal cues and their application in Indian culture. This shows the importance of integrating cultural sensitivity and understanding in nursing care delivery.

A nurse’s understanding of a patient’s culture concerning their disease and treatment alternatives can potentially enhance patient satisfaction and adherence (Ballantyne et al., 2021).

For instance, nurses can integrate traditional medicine after understanding that Aarya uses Ayurveda. Nurses should also ensure the provision of a diet that is culture-sensitive. This is because culture impacts what and when people eat (Nemec, 2020).

Aarya indicates that she prefers fresh food with traditional spices. As a result, the nurse should consider this when providing dietary guidelines to patients with similar backgrounds.

The interview shows that Aarya is in close contact and relationship with her family, which means the family is involved in important decisions. The nurse needs to facilitate communication and decision-making involving various members of the family. It will promote a sense of decision-making that aligns with Indian cultural practices.

Lastly, need to ensure they integrate culturally sensitive physical activities. For instance, Aarya often does yoga and meditation popular in Indian culture. A nurse should ensure to integration of such activities when developing treatment plans for patients from the Indian culture.

Conclusion

The United States is often referred to as the land of opportunities. As a result, people from all walks of life have migrated to the country in search of a better livelihood. Therefore, the US is inhabited by people with different cultural backgrounds.

The nurse needs to understand the background of their patients so that they can be culturally sensitive in the provision of care services. The interview involved Aarya, an Indian who migrated from Mumbai, India with her family. It is understood that Indians respect their culture.

Therefore, nurses should consider these cultural attributes in healthcare delivery. This involves considering insights from patients and their families in the development of appropriate treatment plans.

Reflection

The cultural assessment offers a significant understanding of India culture. It enabled the understanding of the dynamics within this culture. However, it is important to understand that this culture has been influenced by the American culture.

We must respect the differences in cultural backgrounds. Similarly, healthcare practitioners need to understand these differences to ensure a holistic approach to the provision of healthcare services. The cultural assessment of an individual is possible through the use of Giger and Davidizar’s transactional assessment model.

A nurse can integrate information from this assessment to better understand a patient and develop a treatment plan that is mindful of their culture.

References

• Ballantyne, K., Porter, K. R., Bogdanovski, K., Lessans, S., & Pasarica, M. (2021). Cultural sensitivity and learning about healthcare equity for the underserved Experiential learning in a student-run free clinic. Medical Science Educator, 31(2), 381–385. https //doi.org/10.1007/s40670-021-01235-9
  
• Kaur, B. (2016). Cultural competent care in Hong Kong. International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, 6(2), 136–140. https //doi.org/10.7763/ijssh.2016.v6.632
  
• Nemec, K. (2020). Cultural awareness of eating patterns in the health care setting. Clinical Liver Disease, 16(5), 204–207. https //doi.org/10.1002/cld.1019
  
• Silver, L. (2023, February 9). Key facts as India surpasses China as the world’s most populous country. Pew Research Center. https //www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/02/09/key-facts-as-india-surpasses-china-as-the-worlds-most-populous-country/
  Tao, Y., Lin, T., Feng, X., Gao, Y., & Mashino, S. (2022). Cultural Competence for Disaster Nursing A scoping review of the Chinese and English literature. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 80, 103188. https //doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103188