Ethnocentrism In Nursing

Death is inevitable. Death is something everyone must deal with at some point in their life. However, there are cultural differences when it comes to death and dying. Although death is universal, it is important for nurses to understand the cultural differences when it comes to death and dying because people have different ways of coping with death according to their cultural customs and traditions. Culture plays an important role in healthcare. According to Potter & Perry (2014), culture is described as “shared patterns of learned values and behaviors that are transmitted over time and that distinguish the members of one group from another” (p. 110). There are many similarities when it comes to death, such as the color black being viewed as
According to Potter & Perry (2014), ethnocentrism is defined as “members of ethnic groups that display a tendency to view their own way of life as more valuable than others” (p. 111). Ethnocentrism can become a cultural conflict if a nurse does not understand the cultural differences and resorts to using their own values and beliefs when caring for a patient. It is important for nurses to be aware of cultural sensitivity and accommodations towards other cultures because there can be a cultural conflict between the nurse and client. For instance, a Chinese client may have their own way of taking medicine, such as Traditional Chinese Medication practice, but the nurse may follow their own way of giving that patient a specific medication because they are unaware of the cultural differences. The nurse may follow his/her own belief and give western medicine because of what they were taught, and thus, ignore the fact that it may be a traditional practice for that client. According to Potter & Perry (2014), Stereotyping is defined as “generalizations about any particular group that prevent further assessment of unique characteristics” (p. 111). Stereotyping can happen if a nurse fails to view each patient as an individual and judges them based on their ethnicity. As a result, the nurse ends up using discrimination and racism with clients. An example of stereotyping
Their bond with their ancestors, Traditional Chinese Medicine practice, and values about family all influence their cultures view on death and dying. Understanding the bond with ancestors and strong family affair when it comes to a Chinese client would be important when caring for a dying client. Being aware of the cultural differences on death and dying is important in the healthcare setting because nurses need to understand their clients’ cultural beliefs to have a therapeutic nurse-client relationship. Being culturally competent is also important when it comes to dealing with a dying client because it would help us understand the families’ beliefs as well. Knowledge about Being culturally competent and culturally sensitive would help me as a nurse to better understand Chinese clients and improve care for them. I understand their values and beliefs on death and dying, so in the future I am prepared to care for Chinese