The nurse may work with patients from many different cultural backgrounds. Nurses, unfortunately and inadvertently, may impose their own cultural beliefs on patients

Question

Which of the following is an example of a nurse imposing personal perspectives on a patient? a. Adapting the patient's room to accommodate extra family members who are visiting
b. Seeking information on gender-congruent care for an Egyptian patient
c. Directing an older Chinese patient to do rehabilitation exercises after she has refused to do them until her daughter arrives
d. Encouraging family members to assist with the patient's care when it is appropriate for them to do so

Answer 1

C

Feedback
A Adaptation of the patient's room to accommodate extra family members is not an example of cultural imposition on a patient but rather is meeting the patient's need by providing culturally congruent care.
B Seeking information on gender-congruent care for an Egyptian patient is an example of the desire to provide culturally congruent care.
C In collectivistic cultures that value group reliance and interdependence, such as traditional South Asians, caring behaviours are manifested by actively providing physical and psychological support for kin members. The nurse may perceive the patient's refusal of exercise as lack of motivation for self-care, and in this case the nurse is imposing her own belief system.
D Encouraging family members to assist with the patient's care is not an example of cultural imposition on a patient. Western culture tends to follow a pattern of caring that focuses on self-care and self-determination, whereas non-Western cultures typically have care provided by others.