A woman of Korean descent has just given birth to a son. Her partner wishes to give her sips of hot broth from a thermos he brought from home. The patient has refused the nurse's offer of ice chips or other cold drinks. The nurse should:

Question

1. Explain to the client that she can have the broth if she will also drink cold water or juice.
2. Encourage the partner to feed the client sips of broth and ask whether the patient would like you to bring her some warm water to drink as well.
3. Explain to the couple that food cannot be brought from home, but that the nurse will make hot broth for the client.
4. Encourage the client to have the broth, but explain that it must be boiled first in the kitchen.

Answer 1

2
Rationale 1: Telling the client that she can have broth if she will drink cold water or juice first does not show cultural sensitivity and does not respect the client's beliefs.
Rationale 2: Encouraging the partner to feed the client sips of broth and asking whether the client would like you to bring her some warm water to drink as well is an approach that shows cultural sensitivity. The equilibrium model of health, based on the concept of balance between light and dark, heat and cold, is the foundation for this belief and practice.
Rationale 3: Telling the couple that the hospital does not allow food brought from home is inaccurate and insensitive to cultural beliefs.
Rationale 4: Boiling the broth would make the broth too hot to drink, and is unnecessary.