Native American Culture Paper

1174 Words5 Pages
Nurses and other health care providers are trusted to provide holistic care to all patients regardless of cultural backgrounds. Cultures will have varying beliefs about the prevention, cause, and treatment of illness as well as life and death. For that approach to be culturally and spiritually sensitive it is essential that health care providers be empowered with the capacity, skills, and knowledge to respond to the unique needs of each patient and each family. This paper will define culture and the importance of incorporating culture into a plan of care. I will focus on the American Indian culture using developmental and family role exemplars, as well as the impact of the culture on health care practices and beliefs. I will identify…show more content…
Taking this into consideration is imperative to decision making, patient compliance and successful treatment outcomes. Native American family structure varies among tribes, but most rely heavily on extended relationships with parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, even others who are unrelated by blood or marriage. A number of these family members may be involved in significant health care decisions. In Native American families, it may be important to consult tribal leaders, the elderly, and medicine men/women prior to making vital decisions. (Carteret, 2011) What may present a problem is that tribal elders often mistrust western medicine due to historical beliefs and abuses. Collaboration between health care providers, family and possibly tribal leaders is of the upmost importance. Nurses should consult patients information sharing and decision making. (BigFoot, 2011) When interacting with the patient and family members or elders questions should be adapted to age and acculturation level. It is important for the health care provider to slow down when communicating with an elders, especially when explanations of treatments/medications/health care decisions are being given. Native Americans value silence, it represents thought and long periods of silence between sentences is common. Interruption of the person who is speaking…show more content…
Although Native American women generally choose to give birth in a hospital setting, many incorporate traditional practices. A medicine man/woman may be performing ceremonies to help ease complication and bring harmony and strength. Meanwhile, a midwife or physician may deliver the baby. (Horowitz, 2012) Saving of the umbilical cord to put in a sacred bundle is a popular continued practice. This sacred bundle is kept by the child as a connection to the mother and to mother earth. Other tribes bury the umbilical cord and placenta on the reservation, to establish the child’s ties to the land. Tribes also have different beliefs about what is beneficial in a woman’s diet during pregnancy, stoicism and whether a woman should be supine or squatting when giving birth. Culturally competent nurses play an important role throughout pregnancy. Establishing current dietary habits and providing patient education is essential to a healthy pregnancy. Nurses can make arrangements for the presence of multiple family members and spiritual leaders, as well as providing items for the sacred bundles. To help prevent underreported and undertreated pain, nurses should ask frequently about pain levels during labor and postpartum periods. (Purnell,
Open Document