A nurse is asked to meet with a family who recently emigrated from Botswana (Africa). After the clinical doctor tells the husband the wife's diagnosis of breast cancer, the family thanks the physician and starts to leave
Ethically, which of the following is the nurse's most important action?
a. Emphasizing that the family must set up a surgical appointment for the wife immediately
b. Assessing the family's current living situation, including insurance and other assets
c. Educating the family concerning the usual treatment and the prognosis of breast cancer
d. Interviewing the family concerning their perspective of the threat to the family's well-being
ANS: D
Any of the actions might be taken. However, the United States is a multicultural nation with diverse ethnic groups and diverse values. Before any intervention can be made, the health care professionals must understand the family's cultural, psychological, social, communal, and environmental contexts, because these contexts affect the way issues are formulated and decisions are made. Consequently, it is crucial to interview the family to determine their understanding of the situation before deciding what, if any, intervention must be made. In many cultures the family, rather than the individual, is the unit of primary concern.
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