Introduction
Patients’ values and beliefs may frequently clash with those of the nurse or other healthcare professionals in healthcare settings. Additionally, a patient’s values and beliefs might conflict with the suggested courses of treatment. Professional nurses must stand up for all patients without judgment while respecting their values and preferences (Stephen Ekpenyong et al., 2021). This essay will examine and discuss a case of a cultural or values conflict that occurred in a healthcare setting. In addition, evaluations of advocacy tactics used to get the best results will be done.
Example of a Cultural Conflict
In this paper, a Muslim patient moving from a hospital to homecare services was the subject of the conflict. The patient needed in-home nursing visits to check his blood glucose levels. She informed the registered nurse (RN) that she would not let male healthcare professionals into her home because of her religious convictions. The patient refused the RN’s entry despite detailed explanations that the nurse who could perform the in-home service was skilled and qualified. The RN discovered that she could not change her gender preference while working because doing so would compromise their respectful relationship with the patient and her cultural beliefs.
Feelings of the RN during the Conflict
The RN’s emotions during the conflict were driven to a place of understanding and respect out of a sense of duty and commitment to protecting the patient’s best interests. The RN acknowledged the value of patient autonomy and treated their wishes and values with the utmost respect. The RN was determined to give the patient the best care possible by respecting their wishes because she knew that disobeying them could cause them great distress. This understanding is essential because respecting patients’ choices and beliefs is a fundamental tenet of nursing practice. As a result, the RN was driven by a strong sense of intention and responsibility to ensure they upheld the patient’s rights and interests throughout the conflict.
The RN was also aware that the choices made regarding the patient would significantly impact the quality of care provided. When making decisions about the patient’s care, consideration had to be given to her religious and cultural beliefs. The RN was aware that the patient’s beliefs were not a sign of stubbornness and that the choices would affect the treatment plan and level of care the patient would receive.
The conflict also had an impact on the RN’s inner feelings. When the patient’s cultural and religious beliefs clash with the nurse’s actions, the nurse will likely feel threatened or insulted by the patient’s choices and beliefs. Although this was a natural reaction, the RN knew the need to maintain her professionalism and keep the patient’s best interests at heart.
The RN’s personal feelings needed to stay detached and remain neutral in this circumstance. The RN was aware of her crucial responsibility in the patient’s care. The nurse had to put the patient first in everything she did, pay attention to their wants, and act in their best interests. In this case, the nurse had to speak up for the patient’s preferences and push for the best result. She was responsible for ensuring the patient received the attention and respect she was entitled to and deserved.
Nursing Advocacy Power
Nursing advocacy entails acting in the patient’s best interests, regardless of individual preferences or convictions. Nurses must ensure patients receive the best care possible, respecting their cultural and religious beliefs (Blais & Hayes, 2016). In this situation, the RN was put in a difficult position where she had to stand up for the patient’s interests while respecting her cultural and religious beliefs.
The RN needed to show flexibility and consider Islamic traditions to establish trust and rapport with the patient. Nursing advocacy includes both promoting and defending patient rights. The nurse must advocate for the patient’s needs and ensure that they are met without passing judgment (Blais & Hayes, 2016).
In this case, the RN recognized that the patient needed in-home nursing care but was unwilling to let a male healthcare worker into her home because of her religious beliefs. The RN was forced to find a solution that honored the patient’s preferences and was in the patient’s best interests. By finding a female nurse to perform these duties, she could respect the patient’s beliefs while still providing the required care (Antón-Solanas et al., 2022). The example provided emphasizes the value of autonomy and how crucial it is for patients and healthcare professionals to communicate honestly and respectfully.
Another aspect of nursing advocacy is educating patients about healthcare issues. In this instance, the patient needed to be made aware of the value of in-home nursing visits by the RN. She talked about the potential risks of not having routine monitoring and the significance of pursuing the suggested course of treatment. The RN established a rapport with the patient through communication with her. As a result, the RN acted in the patient’s best interests and advocated for the patient’s care without passing judgment. This demonstrates that the nurse respected the patient’s cultural heritage and values, which were critical to her care.
Another facet of nursing advocacy is respecting cultural values and beliefs (Antón-Solanas et al., 2022). In this situation, the RN recognized the importance of respecting the patient’s cultural beliefs and following her instructions. Her offer to arrange for a female nurse to manage the in-home care supported this understanding. The nurse ensured the patient understood the importance of the treatment and advised her to speak with a reliable Islamic authority.
Lastly, promoting patient health and safety is an aspect of nursing advocacy that may include promoting evidence-based treatments, observing technical standards, and protecting rights holders. Boggs (2022) describes how an RN upheld the patient’s rights while continuing her professional and ethical practice by ensuring the patient received the appropriate care following her religious beliefs in a case study about a patient’s rights in a clinical setting. In this case, the nurse demonstrated nursing advocacy by providing the best care possible to patients despite cultural differences for their health and safety.
Conclusion
The example of values and cultural conflict that occurred in a healthcare setting was covered in this essay. It covered the RN’s emotions throughout the argument and detailed the nurse’s tactics for ensuring the patient’s needs were met respectfully. The nurse can develop a good rapport with the patient and deliver appropriate care that satisfies their cultural needs by understanding how important it is to respect the beliefs and values of patients from various cultural backgrounds. Professional nurses can better provide the patient with effective and therapeutic care if they are aware of the patient’s beliefs.
References
Antón-Solanas, I., Rodríguez-Roca, B., Vanceulebroeck, V., Kömürcü, N., Kalkan, I., Tambo-Lizalde, E., Huércanos-Esparza, I., Casa Nova, A., Hamam-Alcober, N., Coelho, M., Coelho, T., Van Gils, Y., Öz, S. D., Kavala, A., & Subirón-Valera, A. B. (2022). Qualified Nurses’ Perceptions of Cultural Competence and Experiences of Caring for Culturally Diverse Patients: A Qualitative Study in Four European Countries. Nursing Reports, 12(2), 348–364. Web.
Blais, K., & Hayes, J. S. (2016). Professional nursing practice: concepts and perspectives (7th ed.). Pearson.
Boggs, K. U. (2022). Interpersonal Relationships E-Book: Professional Communication Skills for Nurses. In Google Books. Elsevier Health Sciences. Web.
Stephen Ekpenyong, M., Nyashanu, M., Ossey-Nweze, C., & Serrant, L. (2021). Exploring the perceptions of dignity among patients and nurses in hospital and community settings: an integrative review. Journal of Research in Nursing, 26(6). Web.