Ch.5 Cultural Diversity

Question 1

What is the definition of culture?

Answer 1

a shared system of beliefs, values, and behavioral expectations

Question 2

Cutural assimilation

Answer 2

the process that occurs when a minority group, living as part of a dominant group within a culture, loses the cultural characteristics that made it different

Question 3

cultural blindness

Answer 3

the process of ignoring differences in people and proceeding as though the differences do not exist

Question 4

cultural competence

Answer 4

care delivered with an awareness of the aspects of the patient’s culture

Question 5

cultural diversity

Answer 5

coexistence of different ethnic, biological sex, racial, and socioeconomic groups within one social unit;

Question 6

cultural imposition

Answer 6

tendency of some to impose their beliefs, practices, and values on another culture because they believe that their ideas are superior to those of another person or group

Question 7

cultural respect

Answer 7

enables nurses to deliver services that are respectful of and responsive to the health beliefs, practices, and cultural and linguistic needs of diverse patients; critical to reducing health disparities and improving access to high-quality health care

Question 8

cultural conflict

Answer 8

situation that occurs when people become aware of cultural differences, feel threatened, and respond by ridiculing the beliefs and traditions of others to make themselves feel more secure about their own values

Question 9

cultural shock

Answer 9

those feelings, usually negative, a person experiences when placed in a different culture

Question 10

ethnocentrism

Answer 10

belief that one’s own ideas, beliefs, and practices are best, superior, or most preferred to those of others; using one’s cultural norms as the standard to evaluate others’ beliefs

Question 11

ethnicity

Answer 11

sharing of common and unique cultural and social beliefs and behavior patterns, including language and dialect, religious practices, literature, folklore, music, political interests, food preferences, and employment patterns

Question 12

personal space

Answer 12

the external environment surrounding a person that is regarded as being part of that person

Question 13

subculture

Answer 13

group of people with different interests or goals than the primary culture

Question 14

T/F

Dominant groups are usually larger and have the most authority to control the values and sanctions of society

Answer 14

TRUE

Question 15

T/F

Race is based on religion, sexual orientation, geographical location, values, etc

Answer 15

FALSE

Question 16

A patient, who comes to the ER for chest pain, informs the nurse his pain is rated a 10 in severity. However, the nurse does not see the patient showing any usual signs of distress, discomfort, or pain. As a nurse, do you assume the patient is faking?

Answer 16

No, people show pain differently and can be due to cultures and having different customs

Question 17

What are some examples of culturally competent nursing care?

Answer 17

Developing cultural self awareness.
Developing cultural knowledge.
Accommodating the cultural practices The patient has.
Respecting cultural based family roles.
Avoid mandating of change.
Seeking cultural assistance.
Asking the patient for any cultural accommodations.

Question 18

A client says to the nurse, “Why don’t you wear a white cap like nurses do on the soap operas?” This is an ethnocentric statement based on the:

A. Genetics
B. Past history
C. Media
D. Nursing personality

Answer 18

C
Ethnocentrism is a way of looking at the world through a personal lens that has been influenced by personality, genetics, family/relationships, and media. None of the remaining options play a role in the client’s comment to the nurse.

Question 19

A community health nurse is providing care to a group of Hispanic people living in an area that is predominantly populated by white people. What are the Hispanic people in this community an example of?

A. A minority
B. A majority
C. A subgroup
D. A subculture

Answer 19

A
The term minority refers to a group of people whose physical and cultural characteristics differ from the majority of people in a society. Subcultures are relatively large groups of people who are members of an even larger cultural group but who have certain ethnic, occupational, or physical characteristics that are not common to that larger group. A subgroup is a division of a group that is in some way distinguished from the larger group. A majority is most of the people in a large group.

Question 20

Which scenario is an example of cultural competence in nursing?

A. Attending a conference for culturally diversity.
B. Assessing the rate at which an illness causes death in the culture.
C. Assuming the provider and the client share beliefs and values.
D. Attending one’s own church.

Answer 20

A
Cultural competence can be shown by actively learning about culture through attending a conference. Assessing the rate at which an illness leads to death does not develop cultural competence. One’s own church is a familiar culture, and attending it does not breed cultural expansion or competence. The provider should never assume that beliefs or values are shared.

Question 21

A nurse is providing care for clients of different cultures in a blended community clinic. Which characteristics of culture should the nurse consider when planning culturally competent care? Select all that apply.

A. Subcultures exist within most cultures.
B. Culture influences the way people of a group view themselves.
C. Cultural practices and beliefs are constantly shifting and changing.
D. Culture is not affected by group’s social and physical environment.
E. Culture guides behavior into acceptable ways for people in a specific group.
F. There are differences both within cultures and among cultures.

Answer 21

A, B, F, E
Culture may be defined as a shared system of beliefs, values, and behavioral expectations that provides social structure for daily living. Culture influences roles and interactions with others as well as within families and communities, and is apparent in the attitudes and institutions unique to particular groups. Within most cultures are subcultures. A subculture is a large group of people who are members of the larger cultural group but who have certain ethnic, occupational, or physical characteristics that are not common to the larger culture. Culture is affected by a group’s social and physical environment. Cultural practices and beliefs may evolve over time, but they mainly remain constant as long as they satisfy a group’s needs. Behavior within a specific group of people is guided by culture. Culture influences the way a group of people view themselves.

Question 22

A nurse is providing care to a client who is from a different culture. Which aspect about culture would be most important for the nurse to integrate into the client’s care?

A. Culture is relatively static and unchanging.
B. Individuals can easily describe their culture
C. Not all members of the same culture act and think alike
D. individuals learn culture in a purposeful manner

Answer 22

C
Culture is shared unequally by its members; that is, not all members of the same culture act and think alike. Culture is also dynamic and changes as people come into contact with new beliefs and ideas. Some learning of culture is purposeful and some is absorbed without awareness. Much of culture is implicit, a combination of habit and assumptions about the world, such that habits are enacted without reflection in the daily course of living. This makes culture difficult for members to describe.

Question 23

The emergency department nurse is caring for a client injured in a motor vehicle collision. The client recently immigrated to the country. The nurse should implement interventions aimed at addressing which issue?

A. Ethnocentrism
B. Ageism
C. Cultural shock
D. Generalization

Answer 23

C
Culture shock is bewilderment over behavior that is culturally atypical for the client. The client who recently immigrated from another country would experience culture shock over being in a new culture, including a new culture of health care in the new country of residence. Ethnocentrism is the belief that one’s culture is better than other cultures. Generalization is the belief that a person shares cultural characteristics with others from a similar background. Ageism is a negative belief that older adults are physically and cognitively impaired.

Question 24

The clinic nurse is obtaining demographic data from a client. The client states, “Why do you need to know what my ethnicity is?” How should the nurse respond?

“insurance companies requires us to ask all clients.”
“ We require the information for identification purposes.”
“Collecting this information allows us to develop a personalized plan of care to meet your needs.”
“Understanding your background will prevent us from doing anything to offend you.”

Answer 24

Collecting this information allows us to develop a personalized plan of care to meet your needs

Identifying and understanding the client’s ethnicity will assist the nurse and healthcare team to develop and provide individualized culturally competent care. Ethnicity is not used for client identification. Insurance companies may request this data; however, it is not the priority reason for the nurse to collect the data.

Question 25

The nurse is caring for a client who is postoperative 3 days from coronary artery bypass graft. The client has a prescription to ambulate. What is the best action by the nurse?

A.Obtain a prescription for physical therapy consult to ambulate the client.
B. Allow the client to slowly ambulate independently.
C. Instruct the family to assist the client with ambulation.
D. Discuss with the client the need for assistance during ambulation.

Answer 25

D

For members of some cultures, providing care and performing nursing interventions can intrude into personal space. The nurse should discuss with the client the need for assistance during ambulation and prepare the client for potential closeness. The client may ambulate independently, but the nurse should still assist. Having the family or physical therapy ambulate the client does not address the issue related to culture and nursing interventions.

Question 26

The staff nurse overhears the charge nurse, who is of Italian heritage, talking to the unlicensed assistive personnel. Which statement made by the charge nurse is an example of ethnocentrism?

A. Asian people are bad drivers.
B. Hispanics are usually lazy.
C. People poor Irish are usually alcoholics.
D. Italians are best at everything.

Answer 26

D

Ethnocentrism is the belief that one’s cultural is better than other cultures. Therefore, the statement “Italians are the best at everything” demonstrates ethnocentrism. The other options are examples of stereotyping. Stereotyping is a fixed attitude about people who share common characteristics.

Question 27

The nurse is caring for a client whose language skills are very limited in the dominant language, and an interpreter has been obtained. The interpreter appears to be telling the client more than the nurse is saying and possibly providing an opinion or medical advice. Which action is appropriate for the nurse to take?

A. Speak privately with the interpreter and instruct them to only provide language interpretation.
B. Use a computerized application to confirm what the interpreter is saying.
C. Document in the medical record that the client is not making his own decisions.
D. Continue with the method of communication because a nurse does not speak the language.

Answer 27

A.

All clients have a right to proper communication with a healthcare provider. Obtaining a certified interpreter is the most appropriate way to ensure accurate communication between a client and the provider. However, the interpreter must have a clear understanding of their role as a language interpreter only and not provide medical information or advice. The nurse should speak privately with the interpreter if there is a suspicion that the interpreter is not respecting boundaries. Using a computerized application to identify key medical words does not allow full communication to take place, and thus, key health information can be missed.