A client from Haiti seeks medical care for a chronic cough. When being assessed the client does not make eye contact and looks at the floor or away from the nurse. What does this behavior suggest?

Question

1. No assumptions can be made.
2. The client is afraid of the nurse.
3. The client is an unreliable informant.
4. The client feels guilty because of waiting to seek medical care.

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 1

Different cultures display emotions differently and also present verbal and nonverbal communications differently. Lack of eye contact may be interpreted as secretiveness, shyness, guilt, lack of interest, or even a sign of mental illness. A nurse should not assume anything and should ask open-ended questions to garner an understanding of a client's cultural beliefs. A cultural assessment takes time and usually needs to extend over several time periods.