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Cultural Competence In Nursing

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1. Introduction: Define culture and cultural competence. Describe why cultural competence is an important attribute of professional Nurses and Midwives. Outline what you intend to cover in your essay. (approx. 100 words) The Oxford dictionary defines culture as “the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society.” ("culture | Definition of culture in English by Oxford Dictionaries", 2018). Instead of simply just relating to fashion and arts, it involves values, behaviours, beliefs and traditions that are associated with one particular population group. (Laland, Odling-Smee & Myles, 2010). The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) defines cultural competence as an approach to reduce health inequalities in differing cultures. It is the “set of behaviours, attitudes, and policies that come together to enable a system, agency, or professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural situations.” (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2015). It is an important attribute for nurses and midwives as it in ensures that all patients get the appropriate care that they …show more content…

However, she still grew up surrounded by the Croatian culture, and as such, my upbringing was influenced by it as well. When I was 6 years old, we lived with my Baka and Dida (grandmother and grandfather in Croatian respectively) for one year while my parents saved for a house. This a reflection of Croatian culture- the importance of family, and supporting one’s family. Another part of Croatian culture is the tense relationship that some of the people have with Serbia, which stems from the Croatian War of Independence. In it’s extreme, it can be seen as a stereotype, for an example, if I am meeting someone and tell them I am Croatian, I am often asked if I hate Serbian people (which of course is not true). However, some of the older generation (my Dida for example), may still harbour some negative

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