The nurse notices that a client, who is from another country, appears uncomfortable when the nurse asks to look at the client's abdominal incision from a recent surgery

Question

Which nursing action is the most culturally competent?
A) Close the client's curtain to maintain privacy.
B) Ask the client to explain why she is uncomfortable.
C) Explain the reason for the intervention using lay terms.
D) Wait until the next assessment time to observe the incision.

Answer 1

Answer: C

The most culturally competent intervention is to explain to the client the reason for the intervention using lay terms. The nurse should close the client's curtain to maintain privacy for all clients; this is not necessarily just a culturally competent action. Asking the client why she is uncomfortable is confronting the client and is not culturally competent. Waiting until the next assessment time to observe the incision is inappropriate, as this can lead to missing important assessment findings regarding the state of the client's incision.