Culture Flashcards
Culture
lens” through which we view the world and make sense of
the experiences of life.
It is a system of values that are interrelated that influences our thoughts,
behaviour, communications styles and belie
Culture meaning
“a set of beliefs, values, norms and practices That are learned, shared, and dynamic and which Influence individuals’ thoughts, expressions and actions in a patterned way.”
Cultural Safety: The experience of the
person receiving care
Cultural safety is a framework developed by Maori nurse, Irahapeti
Ramsden in the late 1980s.
It includes cultural awareness and cultural sensitivity
Cultural safety principles aim to ensure
individuals receive care that meets their cultural needs and promotes
feelings of being safe
individuals are not afforded less favourable outcomes because they hold
a different cultural outlook
care provided is regardful of culture
A culturally safe approach to care requires health professionals to:
be aware and mindful of their personal attitudes and values towards gender,
race, religion and sexuality
be self-aware and reflect on their practice
apply the principles of effective communication and be aware of different
styles of communication
be inclusive
act respectfully and to empower individuals
promote shared respect, meaning, knowledge and experiences.
Culturally appropriate palliative care
To provide culturally appropriate palliative care, we need cultural awareness, which is an
understanding of death and dying from different cultural perspectives.
The health team should be aware of how each culture influences how people respond to
concepts like pain, suffering, death and dying
The most important aspect of providing culturally appropriate care is to determine
what culture
the client and his/her family identifies with and to respect their individual characteristics.
Death and dying are among the most significant and sacred events of all societies.
It is therefore imperative that palliative care services respect and support the customs, beliefs,
rituals and practices that can provide meaning and comfort to care recipients and their families
at this time.
Principles of culturally sensitive palliative
care.
Treat each person as an individual.
To assist someone from another culture, we need to set aside
our own beliefs and seek to understand the needs of the other
person.
We must resist the urge to stereotype people.
We must seek to learn about the beliefs of the person before us.
These factors may impact on how we treat or support the person and
their family.
The main rule is there is no rule. Treat each person as an individual.
We must ask how we may help and we must listen to the response.
Our mere presence as a person who cares, will be a significant
starting point
Western beliefs that influence end of
life decision making
locus of care
belief that the individual is in control and can determine their
own fate through their own actions. The focus is on autonomy.
Western beliefs that influence end of
life decision making
The biomedical perspective of medicine:
there is a biological basis to all illness and a
medical way of treating this illness.
Western beliefs that influence end of
life decision making
Secular perspective
estern medicine does not focus on religion and spirituality in
medical practice
Western beliefs that influence end of
life decision making
Truth telling:
Western medicine focuses on the “patient’s right to know”, even if we are
telling them negative news.
Non- Western beliefs that influence
end of life decision making
Locus of control
The focus is may be external, that the individual has no say over
what happens and it is determined by fate or by God. Decision making is for the
family and community
Non- Western beliefs that influence
end of life decision making
No biomedical perspective of medicine
there may be a belief that illness is a
punishment or a curse.
Non- Western beliefs that influence
end of life decision making
Religious / spiritual perspective:
There is a deep belief in religion and spirituality
and this strongly influences their wishes with regard to their treatment and care.
