An African American youth, growing up in an impoverished neighborhood, presents in the emergency department with bruises to his face, chest, and arms

Question

He appears to be upset, is speaking in a dialect that is difficult for the nurse to understand, and is standing within 6 inches of the nurse's personal space. What cultural consideration should a nurse identify as playing a role in this youth's behavior? A. African Americans frequently speak in different tongues when they are upset.
B. Most African Americans have learned to be aggressive when they have to see a health professional.
C. African Americans tend to use dialects and invasion of personal space to intimidate others.
D. Some African Americans speak in a dialect that is different from standard English and tend toward smaller personal space than that of the dominant culture.

Answer 1

D
The nurse needs to recognize that a tendency toward smaller personal space and the use of dialects different from Standard English are cultural variables and don't necessarily imply aggressive or disrespectful behavior.