Cultural Considerations in Nursing

Cultural Consideration in Nursing
Student Name
Institution Affiliation

There is a high level of maternal mortality rate in developing countries. Of the 500,000 deaths that occurred in 2005, ninety-nine percent are from developing regions CITATION Hol08 l 1033 (Holtz, 2008). South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa constitute the most substantial risk. Other than the lack of access to quality healthcare, different socio-cultural factors affect the provision of health services in rural areas, hence causing these deaths CITATION Low16 l 1033 (Lowe, Chen, & Huang, 2016). Cultural issues have been a significant motivator for most nursing practices. This is due to the different health beliefs that are practiced by various cultures. The impact of culture on medical provision can be seen on closer analysis of maternal deaths in countries like Gambia CITATION Low16 l 1033 (Lowe, Chen, & Huang, 2016), where it has been a hindrance to access of quality health, and in Sri Lanka CITATION Cen18 l 1033 (Center for Global Development, 2018)where their cultural practice has been a major reason for the decreased rate of maternal deaths. Provision of nursing services is mostly affected by the cultural perspective of the patient, as they have to cater to their specific beliefs and offer medical options that are predominant in their culture. This paper captures the importance of cultural consideration in nursing based on the analysis of two scenarios, maternal death in Ghana and maternal mortality in Sri Lanka
Cultural practices have a huge role to play in nursing CITATION Hol08 l 1033 (Holtz, 2008).

The nursing practice selected should be in tandem with the beliefs of the patient. The beliefs and tradition of a patient, also affect their access to healthcare facilities. In the Gambia, for example, the traditional practices are a huge contributor to the high levels of maternal death in the country CITATION Low16 l 1033 (Lowe, Chen, & Huang, 2016). Women seek professional healthcare based on their husband’s approval. Other cultural practices, like polygamy, has been seen to affect the psychological health of women, with older wives being neglected by their husbands. The high rate of maternal mortality is linked to the social and cultural practices of the country including the division of labor, with many pregnant women still having huge workloads, and limited access to healthcare services. In Sri Lanka, though, their cultural practices have led to a decrease in maternal deaths. The early 1900s saw the increase in public education for girls, rendering most of the women in the country literate. The government has also ensured that there are numerous free health care services in rural areas. The ability to access healthcare with ease and knowledge on the importance of professional health care services can be termed as the leading cause for the decreased rate of maternal mortality in the country CITATION Cen18 l 1033 (Center for Global Development, 2018).
The cultural practices of a country can either be an advantage or a disadvantage to healthcare provision. A nurse must understand the cultural diversity of the patient to provide the best medical care. Various factors including the religious beliefs, ethnicity, and traditional background affect nursing practices. Through capturing this information from all patients, it is easier to customize the nursing care so as not to be offensive to the patient and to cater to their beliefs and practices. Health promotion programs should also cater to socio-cultural beliefs of the society, such as care for the elderly, gender relationships and notion of mental health. Through these considerations, there is surety of a useful healthcare service.

References
BIBLIOGRAPHY Center for Global Development. (2018). CASE 6: Saving mothers’ lives in Sri Lanka. Retrieved from Center for Global Development: https://www.cgdev.org/page/case-6-saving-mothers-lives-sri-lanka
Holtz, C. (2008). Global Health Care: Issues and Policies. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Lowe, M., Chen, D.-R., & Huang, S.-L. (2016). Social and Cultural Factors Affecting Maternal Health in Rural Gambia: An Exploratory Qualitative Study. Plos One.