Hi there—my name is Ling. Since I experienced a misunderstanding of a patient’s cultural standard, I decided to do a little research on cultural norms and share what I found with my network during a recent meeting. Here’s what the group found most interesting: • In several non-Western cultures, family members and community authorities may make decisions regarding medical care of an individual. Often, it may be inappropriate to discuss the diagnosis or prognosis with the patient. • Some cultures believe that the spirit lives on in the place that the person dies, so dying at home is favorable. • Some cultures believe that it is improper to touch someone with cancer. • Although protecting children is common among other cultures, some cultures have coming-of-age ceremonies that may mimic abuse or impact the child’s well-being. Such practices include female circumcision and covering a newborn’s umbilical cord with cow dung. The discussion that followed was very interesting. We shared information about our experiences and cultural beliefs. We also discussed ways of reacting to various situations with sensitivity and respect. I think all the people at the meeting gained more information that will help them in their goal of providing the best possible patient care.
1. Some hospitals maintain a list of cultural informants, or people who are very knowledgeable about health-related cultural norms.
2. Name the types of people whom you can refer to for more information about a patient’s culture. How can you encourage cross-cultural communication in a healthcare setting