Custom «Culturally Competent Health Care» Essay Paper Sample

Culture is an aspect that has been in existence since the emergence of man in the world. The nature in which man associates with the environment and the living organisms is a clear indication of the culture that is inevitable. There are varied cultures in the world of today. These kinds of cultures affects on the way people are able to associate and live with one another in the society.

In the medical professionalism, nurses and other medical professionals are able to collect varied ideas and information that could be helpful in dealing with patients in the hospital. 'this paper is mainly an exemplification of the kinds of various effects that culture has as pertains to the medical professionalism and its workability.

Transacultural nursing theory refers to a union of professional nursing with culture in then society. It is a form in which the societal culture gets to be well known among the medical professionals so that they can be able to recognize it as part of the human establishment in the society. It is common to find different human settings in the society as far as there are different cultures and language groups that bring up the issue of culture in the society. According to leininger, transclultral nursing theory refers to a human action that mainly exemplifies on the universally agreed upon values, beliefs and practices that are part of the human life. These core values are the major building blocks of cultural diversities in the human societies of today. The theory manly aims at establishing a link and cooperation between the professional nurses and the culture that is the pillar of many human beliefs and daily practices (Olsen & Skogrand, 2009).

The multicultural nature of the present society has necessitated that there are aspects in the nursing professionalism that will make sure that issues that pertain culture are addressed well in the society. This will help to handle issues that concern the way nurses are able to handle patients of varied cultures, beliefs and traditions. Culture is one of the aspects in the human society that have affected the way people are able to relate and cooperate in their daily activities. Multicultural society is what entails the modern way of life. In the field of professionalism, it is very crucial that societies are able to embrace the present state of culture so that people will be able to handle daily problems that affect the society at large. Madeline Leininger's theory is therefore very crucial in the development of the present modern society (Shumate, 2001).

Cultural population group

A population group refers to a particular setting that identifies people according to set norms or attributes that are common among these people. In the world of today, there are various population groups that are epitomized in every human setting. They are well known to share particular aspects that are their daily standards and practices. In every society, it is very common to find people skewed to a particular nature of life. They are therefore identified as part of the life hat they are able to exemplify. This signifies their population group (Sommer, 2001). The population group that I chose is the latino/Hispanic population. This is the population group that I embraced since I was young. I was therefore able to live with and befriend many of the people who are of this population group. I am a Filipino- American. It later came to me that we share many related features that make up the lives of these two population groups. These similarities were mainly slanted to the family interactions during the moments of illness and deceases, and also at the times of having to exemplify the nature of faith that is guiding these people (Doumit, & Abu-Saad, 2008).

Health care disparities

To be able to touch on the health issues of the Latino/Hispanic people, it is very critical to have a clear understanding of the term culture as its elements are known to differ with different human settings in the world. Health is one of the many issues that many people are always keen to observe in the society. The way people behave and undertake their daily chores is a clear characteristic of the nature of culture that an individual is adhering to in the society. From this, one is able to know the nature and type of population group that individual comes from. For instance in the Latino/Hispanic culture, when someone is looking clean and is well being, he is viewed to be in good health. There are many aspects that are supposed to be done to an individual who is sick among the Hispanics. One of the actions is the act of pampered-affection that is shown to an individual. This acts to display a number of issues as affection and love among the people in the society (Zapata & Shippee-Rice, 1999).

Illness is normally a disaster among the Hispanics. They regard any form of illness as unnecessary and thus should be properly dealt with in the society. It is therefore very crucial that something is done to an individual who is perceived to be sick in one way or the other. During the period of illness, the Hispanics are well known to adapt to their philosophy of hot and cold properties that are responsible for the illness. They are able to counteract the hot conditions with the cold ones so that they are able to interchangeable act towards reducing the illness and finally getting rid of it in an individual. For instance, when an individual is suffering from a cold illness, what the Hispanics culturally do is counteracting it with a hot property. It is very rare to find these people mixing up the values that they are in their disposal together with those that are foreign in nature. This is mostly practiced by those who have migrated to the United States of America (Raymond, 2008).

Assessment and identification of health care needs

In every cultural setting, there are always problems that are a hindrance to Excellency in then practice of the particular culture. These problems are what make up the criteria that are used to measure the difference between two and more cultures in the world as pertains to the health issues. The American and Hispanic cultures have similar problems that affect their daily way of doing things in the society. However, there are remarkable differences that are notable among these two sets of cultures (Suleiman, 2003). These differences are mostly noticed in the way people belonging to these two cultures view and interact with health issues that affect them and other people in the society (National Alliance for Hispanic Health, 2010). For instance, the Latinas individuals who suffer cancer are well known to have larger tumors more than Caucasian women. These are some of the characteristics that are notable among certain cultural groups and are not in others. This helps to bring out the differences that culturally exist among people in the society. Research by an individual known as spector indicates that there are various causes of death among the Hispanics. These causes are diseases as heart diseases, body injuries, strokes, homicide, diseases of the liver, pneumonia, diabetes, HIV and AIDS infections, and prenatal infections among others. These are some of the infections that take the lives of many individuals in the Hispanic nationhood (Hubbert, 2008).

One of the other factors that are taken care of is the family setting that is in place. The family is regarded as a unit that unifies and keeps people together with a common interest and goals. Culture is created, developed and grown in the family setting. The nature in which culture is practiced among the Hispanic society exemplifies an extended family. It is not an issue that concerns a small family alone. Among the Hispanics, the head of the family is the patriarch, and he gets assisted by the matriarch. In the family, one is able to learn of the right and acceptable culture that should guide an individual from childhood to adulthood. One is able to derive self confidence, self worth, security, and self identity in the entire society. It is therefore one of the ways through which an individual is able to completely grow and know the nature of culture that is supposed to be exemplified in the family and the society at large. This will build a firm relationship between the members of one family and the society (Understanding the Hispanic Culture. (n.d.). When an individual is in the hospital, he is able to uphold the rules and regulations that guide him or her in everyday life. For instance, one will be forced not to look at a doctor directly in the eye mainly to signify the extent of respect that one has upon others in the society. The health care provider in this case will be able to offer the best service to an individual (Leininger, 2004). This also extends to other activities as adherence to the prescriptions that are given by the service provider. Moreover, there is the issue of language among the Hispanics. This refers to the dialects that are commonly used among the people. Language used should always portray the level of respect that is in an individual. As far as there are three dialects that are used among the Spanish people, it is upon the medical professional to understand the languages that are used by the people. In this case, it is upon the client to specify and demonstrate the nature of treatment that is to be sutured to an individual. If it is a cold situation, the medical services provider has to be careful in order to provide the necessary and appropriate service to an individual.

There are several disparities that exist among individuals in the society of today. These disparities are actually the effects of difference in culture that is being exemplified by people in the society. The population is therefore being plagued by several issues that act against the wishes and interest of the people. Some of the examples of these disparities are the cardiovascular diseases, chronic pulmonary disorder among others as the HIV and AIDS. The responses that people explore among these disparities are mainly dependent on the kind of culture that is in the society. For instance, the Cuban, Puerto and the Mexican Americans have more prevalence of getting overweight complications. The people experience difficulties and barriers that hinder them from accessing the necessary services that will salvage them from the complications that they always undergo in life (Spector, 1996).

Language is one of the barriers that affect these people. The differences in language and language settings are an issue that has to be thoroughly dealt with so that people are able to communicate well with others in the medical fields. These languages barriers are mainly due to migrations that people have embraced from one society to another. Language is one of the qualities in the human setting that have to be clearly expressed for the people to live in harmony. Moreover, it is language that will bring out a firm and coherent service among the medical and health services providers. Language is in different expressions but the delivery of the information from one individual to another should not be affected in any way whatsoever. This will ensure competent services being offered by the medical service providers (Mixer, 2008).

There are several health care needs that have to be embraced by the population group that I have chosen. Culture is something that can be subjected to change for the betterment of the society at large.  This social grouping should be ready to handle the main challenges that affect them in every day activities. There is need to have a language that will not be a hindrance to the people in the society. Culture should be the major aspect that assists people to access the most immediate and up to date services in the society. It is for these issues that this group is considered one of the vulnerable groups among many societies. This is mainly because of the way it undertakes aspects that concerns health in the society. This is an issue that should be handled with great care and concern in the society (McFarland & Eipperle, 2008).

Ethical issues on the transcultural health

There are several issues that may impact on the healthcare service on and the nursing care. The major effects will come from the nursing ethics that are supposed to be adhered to by every individual in the nursing profession. The present set of health care delivery services may be difficult to be implemented in the lives of the Hispanic individuals. This is based on the fact that the nature of traditions that make up the culture of these people may not be subjected to change by these individuals. It is therefore very necessary that people are able to adjust their way of thinking and practices that directly affect on their health lives. Leininger's transcultural nursing theory can be used to offer treatment to the individuals of the Hispanic community (Leininger, Axtell & Turner, 2001). The people of the community can be brought to a common understanding so that they can be introduced to the necessary concepts that will enable them to live lives worth their health needs. They can also be taught the basic concepts that will enable them care for their lives and those of their families. Moreover, the theory could be used to enlighten nurses and other medical service providers on the necessary concepts to be followed in ensuring that culture does not become a stumbling block to the treatment of individuals in the society (Alamah, 2008).

The identified health care need is being met well by the current health care systems. This is one of the methods and systems that have acted to promote the expansion of the health care systems in the world. Communication should be greatly improved among the individuals in every society so that people are able to communicate effectively and efficiently. The various systems are thus aiming at ensuring that they are able to embrace the theory effectively (Omeri, 2008).

Application of leininger's theory

The main criteria that should be used in the medical service providers is that which touches on the language that people are able to universally understand. It should also be intermingled together with the present state of technology in the world. Appropriate personnel should be involved in the information and communication technology. The criterion should be based on an annual time frame so that every bit of implementation process is reached. The system should therefore possess its strengths in a well communication model, should exemplify its efforts on the cultural weaknesses that are always a bother to the delivery of services to the clients, should identify its opportunities on its firm establishments in the world, and finally epitomize on the threats that affect the future goals set by the system (Daniels, 2004).

In conclusion, there are varied circumstances that may hinder the delivery of medical services to the patients. The most important issues are the efficiency and efficacy that should be aimed at by all the medical professionals. Culture and its practices can be managed in a way that will ensure that it is well observed yet without the compromise of the health of an individual. The transcultural theory is therefore inevitable in any medical and nursing establishment in the world (Galarraga, 2007).