Week 8 blog - Cultural Competence and Care in Communities

The topic for week eight was cultural competence and care in communities. What this means, according to Zozier et al. (2015, p. 353) is that nurses must ‘attend to the total context of the persons’ situation and use a complex combination of knowledge, attitudes and skills’. To put this in a community context, during our nursing careers we can expect to come across people in hugely varied set of circumstances. People from different socioeconomic states, people living with different physical and mental disabilities, patients who are dealing with mental illness and patients whose geographical location affects not only the health care they have access to but their attitude towards it. Each of these patients will have a unique set of needs and expectations, and as nurses we will have to accommodate them to the best of our ability without judgement and sometimes contrary to our own belief system.

The video for week eight focused on Rosalie, who is the mother and full time carer of Rikki, a twenty-six year old woman with epilepsy, autism and spina bifida. Rosalie has gone to great lengths to ensure the health and well-being of her daughter, and spoke of what she would like a nurse to do if she were not there to take care of Rikki herself. Most important to Rosalie was the dignity and tolerance she would like shown. Although communication is difficult with Rikki, it is important to get on her level and show that you are interested and concerned with her needs. Rosalie mentioned that she has written up a plan for the carers who take Rikki in respite care which could be given to nurses if Rikki were ever to be admitted to hospital. I believe that as a nurse this would be beneficial as each patient is different and someone in Rikki’s situation has difficulty communication her desires. Tips such as her security items would be invaluable in ensuring her hospital stay was as positive as possible.